Art-logotherapy in educational practices: formation of professional and life meaning orientations of adolescent personality

Abstract

Background. Issues of adolescents’ self-determination in the process of their formation are of particular importance, since their solution determines success and competitiveness in adulthood. In this regard, the development and implementation of programs aimed at research and formation of professional and life meaning orientations is in demand by the specialists in educational and psychological practice. Objective. The study had its purpose to assess the effectiveness of art-logotherapeutic methods in the formation of professional and life meaning orientations of adolescent personality. Study Participants. The study involved 50 adolescents (26 boys and 24 girls) aged 13 to 15 years (M age = 14.04; SD = 0.84) from the general education schools of Krasnogorsk (Moscow region). Methods. The study consisted of diagnostic and experimental (forming) stages. The diagnostics included “Life Meaning Orientations Test” by D.A. Leontiev, “Questionnaire of professional self-determination” by G.V. Rezapkina, “Motives for choosing a profession” by R.V. Ovcharova. The experimental group was engaged into vocational guidance and professional orientation classes using art-logotherapy techniques (8 classes of 2 hours each). Student's t-test was implemented for the statistical analysis of obtained results. Results. The implementation of the program “Creativity, profession, meanings” including art-logotherapy techniques in the experimental group led to a statistically significant increase in the level of life meaningfulness, the ability to control their life events and make important decisions. The use of creative techniques helped teenagers to change their ideas about certain aspects of professional life, adjust their primary professional choice, and also increase the priority of internal individual motivation when choosing a future career. Conclusions. Art-logotherapy is an effective method that can be recommended for practice with adolescents to develop their professional and life meaning orientations.

Keywords

• life meaning orientations
• professional orientations
• art-logotherapy
• teenagers