The Role of Self-Regulation in the Development of Psychological Competence in Students of Psychology

Abstract

The research featured relationship between self-regulation and psychological competence of future specialists. The study involved an analysis of theoretical approaches to this problem in domestic and foreign psychology. Psychological competence presupposes developed psychological knowledge and communicative abilities and skills, as well as a stable system of self-regulation that allows for effective management of one's behavior during professional interaction. The author established the features of psychological and communicative competences in students, as well as such regulatory qualities as self-regulation, self-control, and self-efficacy. The research revealed statistically significant relationships between the level of development of psychological and communicative competences and the characteristics of regulatory qualities. A cluster analysis showed three groups of students with different levels of communicative competence and regulatory qualities. The regulatory and communicative components of psychological competence appeared closely interrelated. Self-regulation, self-control, self-efficacy, and communicative skills of future psychologists were the instrumental basis for the development of psychological competence. A well-developed self-regulation helped students understand and control their behavioral reactions. It enabled them to carry out conscious and focused interaction with people in problematic professional situations, as well as contributed to the development of psychological competence during vocational training.