Ethnonational attitudes as a factor of subjective well-being of university students in the new regions of the Russian Federation

Aim. To identify the features of the relationship between ethnonational attitudes and indicators of life satisfaction and subjective well-being among university students in the new subjects of the Russian Federation.
Methodology. The empirical study was conducted using the “Scale of Ethnonational Attitudes” (O. E. Khukhlaev, I. M. Kuznetsov, N. V. Tkachenko), which provides a multidimensional approach to studying respondents’ generalized attitudes toward nationality and interethnic relations. These attitudes are perceived in Russian public discourse as equivalent to the concept of ethnicity. Additionally, the “Warwick-Edinburgh Scale of Psychological Well-Being” (adapted by S. K. Nartov-Bochaver) was used to assess the level of subjective well-being. Finally, the questionnaire “Life Satisfaction” (N. N. Melnikova) was employed to examine subjective feelings of satisfaction with life.
Results. It has been found that among university students from the new subjects of the Russian Federation who are migrants, nationalistic attitudes are associated with lower subjective well-being and lower life satisfaction. On the other hand, patriotic attitudes are linked to higher levels of these indicators. These findings suggest that ethnonational attitudes play a significant role in the subjective well-being of these students, highlighting the importance of considering ethnocultural factors in developing psychological support programs. However, in students from other parts of Russia, these relationships are less prominent or non-existent, indicating a specific role for ethnonational identity in the adaptation process.
Research implications. The theoretical significance of the study is to clarify the influence of ethnonational attitudes on the subjective well-being and civic identity of students in the process of their social adaptation. The results obtained will make deeper understanding of the mechanisms possible by which ethnicity and related attitudes can both facilitate and hinder students’ adaptation to new conditions. The practical significance of the research is due to the possibility of using the data obtained for the development and implementation of programs for psychological support and prevention of maladaptation of students in new regions of the Russian Federation. This will make it possible to create more effective strategies for helping students who have difficulty adapting due to ethnonational factors.

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