Factors contributing to a stronger experience of environmental stress by high school students

The focal point of the article is an attempt to identify the factors that contribute to a stronger experience of environmental stress by high school students. There is much evidence that this stress stems from the life in ecologically polluted areas. We carried out our study in two stages on the territory of the Chelyabinsk region. During the first stage in 2006-2007, we interviewed 553 senior high school students from 12 localities in ecologically polluted areas. We also included in the interview 526 senior high school students from 12 localities in areas with a relatively satisfactory environmental situation. During the second stage in 2015-2016, we interviewed 112 senior high school students living in 9 localities in zones of ecological disadvantage, and 104 senior high school students living in 9 localities in areas with a relatively satisfactory ecological situation. The greatest finding of the study is a fairly large proportion of high school students living in environmentally unfriendly conditions (53.51% in 2006-2007 and 57.1% in 2015-2016). They suffer from high and above average levels of environmental stress. To increase the reliability of measures we grouped the identified factors according to RESUMEN: El punto focal del artículo es un intento de identificar los factores que aumentan el ambiente de estres por estudiantes de secundaria. Hay mucha evidencia de que este estrés proviene de la vida en áreas ecológicamente contaminadas. Llevamos a cabo nuestro estudio en dos etapas en el territorio de la región de Chelyabinsk. Durante la primera etapa en 2006-2007, entrevistamos a 553 estudiantes de secundaria de 12 localidades en áreas ecológicamente contaminadas. También incluimos en la entrevista a 526 estudiantes de secundaria de 12 localidades en áreas con una situación ambiental relativamente satisfactoria. Durante la segunda etapa en 2015-2016, entrevistamos a 112 estudiantes de secundaria que viven en 9 localidades en zonas de desventaja ecológica, y 104 estudiantes de escuela secundaria superior que viven en 9 localidades en áreas con una situación ecológica relativamente satisfactoria. El mayor hallazgo del estudio es una proporción bastante grande de estudiantes de secundaria que viven en condiciones ambientalmente hostiles (53.51% en 2006-2007 y 57.1% en 2015-2016). Sufren de niveles elevados y superiores al promedio de estrés ambiental. Para aumentar la confiabilidad de las medidas, four criteria: demographic criterion (sex), individual criterion (temperamental and personal characteristics, the academic success of the participant), group criterion (the family situation of a participant, his/her satisfaction with living conditions), situational criterion (the number of publications in press about the ecological situation in a specific locality). We introduced two approaches to assess these factors. The first approach proceeds from the concept of a stress as a factor that creates an additional burden and affects the psychic and sociopsychological adaptation of the individual. The second approach stems from the concept of personal resistance to the effect of unfavorable factors. These approaches are accompanied by the introduction of personal and socio-demographic variables that affect the resistance of the individual to the action of environmental stress.