Mental Health as a Priority of Modern Society: Results of the International Scientific and Practical Conference on Commitment to Mental Health

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Prevention, diagnosis, maintenance and correction of both physical and mental health during the pandemic have become one of the most urgent problems for modern practical psychology. ‘Mental health’ and its synonym ‘psychic health’ are considered as reflections of the state of psychological well-being, which allows people to develop and realize their potential in situations of uncertainty and multitasking, to successfully cope with stressful situations, as well as to be in demand and effective in modern society. Consequently, maintaining mental health in a difficult period for human history is one of the important directions in the development of modern society. With the aim of discussing and analyzing current problems of mental health, integrating the prospects of international studies about a person, as well as forming a new international scientific platform to solve urgent problems of personality research during the COVID-19 pandemic on October 7, 2021, the Psychology and Pedagogy Department of the Philological Faculty of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) organized and conducted an international conference on commitment to mental health issues. The conference was held within the framework of the 2nd International Conference “Commitment to Mental Health Issues. Survival in the era of COVID” on the basis of a signed cooperation agreement with the Charitable Foundation for Assistance to the Implementation of Programs of the All-Russian public organization “League of Health of the Nation” on the platform of the partner “ManpowerGroup Russia” LLC. The scientific event was co-founded by PsiChi, The International Honor Society in Psychology, the All-Russian public organization “Federation of Educational Psychologists of Russia”, the All-Russian public organization “League of Health of the Nation”, “ManpowerGroup Russia” LLC, and Clever Consulting. It was the first time that the Psychology and Pedagogy Department held an international forum in a hybrid format, simultaneously combining face-to-face and online forms of communication between specialists from different regions of Russia and foreign countries, which required additional efforts to prepare technical support for the scientific event. Figure 1. Victor V. Barabash, Doctor of Philology, Professor, Dean of the Philological Faculty of the RUDN University, welcomes the conference participants In a short time, the organizing committee managed to develop the conference website and launch an active campaign to attract the attention of specialists from different industries to the discussion of the stated problem. Thus, it was possible to spark the interest of a professional audience and receive more than 350 applications on the conference website. As a result of the selection of applications, 254 people took part in the conference in face-to-face, online and correspondence forms, including 10 speakers of the plenary session and 87 participants and speakers who took part in 5 sections of the conference. In total, 24 international representatives (from Germany, Ukraine, France, Indonesia, Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan) and 39 representatives from 22 regions of the Russian Federation (St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Kursk, Belgorod, Cheboksary, Sevastopol, etc.) took part in the plenary session, the work of sections and master classes. The work of the plenary session of the conference was presented by a series of interesting reports, which were demonstrated in face-to-face and online formats. The plenary session was opened by Viktor Vladimirovich Barabash, Doctor of Philology, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Philology of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, who in his welcoming speech noted the importance, relevance and prospects of discussing the problems stated within the framework of the scientific forum. With great interest, the conference participants listened to the video greeting by Yuri P. Zinchenko, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology of Lomonosov Moscow State University, President of the Russian Psychological Society. During the plenary session, the following speakers presented their reports: - Alla B. Kholmogorova, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Head of the Laboratory of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dean of the Faculty of Counseling and Clinical Psychology of the Moscow State Psychological and Pedagogical University, topic: “Occupational burnout of medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the tasks of psychoprophylaxis”; - Viktor P. Sheinov, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogical Skills of the Republican Institute of Higher Education of the Belarusian State University, Academician of the International Academy of Information Technologies (Minsk, Belarus), topic: “Digital addictions as a source of threats to psychological health”; - Tatiana T. Batysheva, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Honored Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Director of the Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatric Psychoneurology of the Moscow Health Department, Chief Freelance Pediatric Neurologist of the Moscow Health Department, Head of the Department of Neurology, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine of Children (Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia), topic: “Distance Learning: A Neurologist’s View”; - Vladimir M. Zakharov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Center for Sustainable Development and Environmental Health, Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia), topic: “Sustainable Development: Human Health and Environmental Health”; - Daniil V. Antyukhov, Head of the Department of Strategic Programs and Project Coordination “League of Health of the Nation” (All-Russian public organization “League of Health of the Nation”, Moscow, Russia), topic: “Health Interests in All Strategies: Projects of the League of Health of the Nation”; - Yevgeny B. Bashkin, PhD in Psychology, Head of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy (Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia), Sergei V. Umnov, specialist of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Institute of Quality” of Roszdravnadzor, General Director of Clever Consulting Company (Moscow, Russia), Dmitry A. Shlyakhta, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy (Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia), topic: “Commitment to Mental Health: Analysis of Results and Research Prospects”; - Sergei V. Umnov, specialist of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Institute of Quality” of Roszdravnadzor, General Director of Clever Consulting Company, Moscow, Russia), Dmitry A. Podolsky, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor of the Department of Organization Theory (Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia), topic: “Empathy is a Key Skill for Building Effective Communication in the Postmodern World”. Figure 2. Speech at the plenary session of Tatiana T. Batysheva, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Director of the Scientific and Practical Center for Pediatric Psychoneurology of the Moscow Health Department, Chief Freelance Pediatric Neurologist of the Moscow Health Department, Head of the Department of Neurology, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine of Children, RUDN University An interesting innovation of the organizers of the conference was the Poster Session, which was attended by 25 participants (postgraduate, graduate and undergraduate students majoring in Psychology at the Psychology and Pedagogy Department of the Philological Faculty of RUDN University). The winners of the poster competition were determined on the basis of organized in-person and online voting by the conference participants. As a result, 1st place was taken by: V. Fedotov, 3rd year postgraduate student, topic: “Socio-psychological aspects of the health of orphans and children left without parental care”; A. Girina, 1st year graduate student, topic: Relationship between the sexual behavior of boys and girls with the peculiarities of parent-child relationships; E. Valieva, 4th year undergraduate student, topic: “Features of sociability and anxiety of Western European (Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark) and Eastern European (RF, Ukraine, Poland, Serbia) students”; 2nd place was taken by: Yu. Akimkina, postgraduate student of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, topic: “Trust as a predictor of information and psychological security of students’ personality”; Z. Batsoeva, 1st year graduate student, topic: “Comparative characteristics of personal qualities of subjects with different criminal experience”; E. Farennikova, 4th year undergraduate student, topic: “Manifestation of anxiety and stress resistance in Russian and Chinese distance students”; 3rd place was taken by: A. Dostatnyaya, postgraduate student of the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, topic: “Reflexivity as a component of the adaptability of foreign and Russian students”; E. Bzhoyan, 2nd year graduate student, topic: “Psychological well-being of health care providers working in high-risk conditions”; I. Gotynzhan, 2nd year graduate student, topic: “Psychological features of the formation of an active life position in elderly subjects”; K. Matyukhova, 2nd year graduate student, topic: “Longitudinal study of the adaptability of the personality of airport employees”; E. Batyrova, 4th year undergraduate student, topic: “Features of manifestations of gender stereotypes”; A. Kuryakova, 4th year undergraduate student, topic: “Psychological aspects of anxiety in medical students and medical workers”. Figure 3. Conference poster session Actual problems of the impact of digitalization, infodemia and unpredictability on the psyche, as well as strategies for maintaining health were analyzed during the work of four scientific sections: 1) problems of psychological well-being in the era of digitalization; 2) education in the context of globalization and digitalization: challenges and development prospects; 3) problems of psychological health during the pandemic; 4) distance and hybrid education: preserving the psychological health of students and teachers. The sections were attended by teachers, practical psychologists, medical workers, graduate students and students, representatives of Russian and foreign universities. Figure 4. Participants of the section “Problems of psychological well-being in the era of digitalization” In addition to the plenary and breakout sessions, within the framework of the conference, five fascinating master classes were held for all the participants in face-to-face and online formats: 1) “Psychological support for persons addicted to psychoactive substances in a rehabilitation center”, presenter - Yu. A.Kochetova, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor of the Department of Developmental Psychology n. a. Professor L.F. Obukhova, head of the master’s program “Practical Psychology in the Social Sphere and Education”, clinical psychologist, co-presenter - E.V. Klevtsova, clinical psychologist, master of psychology at Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, emotional-imagery therapist; 2) “Bullying or problem behavior: diagnosis and correction”, presenter - R.E. Barabanov, defectologist, clinical psychologist, head of the Scientific and Consulting Center for Practical Psychology “Concept”; 3) “Art therapy: diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities of drawing”, presenter - E.N. Polyanskaya, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor of the Psychology and Pedagogy Department, RUDN University; 4) “Metaphorical associative cards (MAC) in the work of a practical psychologist”, presenter - A.A. Dostatnyaya, Assistant at the Psychology and Pedagogy Department, RUDN University; 5) “Mediation as a health-preserving technology in the education system”, presenter - M.V. Gridunova, PhD in Psychology, psychologist-trainer of the “Here and Now” charitable foundation. The scientific marathon ended with a round table meeting, at which the organizers and participants of the conference discussed the results of the work of the sections, highlighted the best poster presentations of graduates and students, and also substantiated new topical directions for further scientific research. The participants of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Commitment to Mental Health Issues” expressed their gratitude to the organizers of the conference, noted the intensity and relevance of the program of the scientific event and expressed their wishes for the further development of an international scientific platform on this topic on the basis of the Psychology and Pedagogy Department of the Philological Faculty of RUDN University. Based on the results of the final meeting of the members of the organizational and program committees of the conference, it was decided to hold the scientific forum of the same name in an international format in 2022.

About the authors

Olga B. Mikhailova

Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)

Author for correspondence.
Email: mikhaylova-ob@rudn.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5046-1452

PhD in Pedagogy, Associate Professor of the Psychology and Pedagogy Department

6 Miklukho-Maclaya St, Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation

Zulfia R. Khairova

Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)

Email: khayrovazr@rudn.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5367-2156

PhD in Psychology, Assistant of the Psychology and Pedagogy Department

6 Miklukho-Maclaya St, Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation

Evgeniy B. Bashkin

Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)

Email: bashkin-eb@rudn.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4118-813X

PhD in Psychology, Head of the Psychology and Pedagogy Department

6 Miklukho-Maclaya St, Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation

References