Comparative analysis of hardiness study approaches

The article deals with the problem of the existing hardiness research approaches, which aim at determining the essence of this category, and uncovers the issue of the synthesis of theoretical approaches to the definition of this concept. The study proved that the conceptualization of the category of hardiness is dominated by a functional approach, in which the main goal of resilience is to achieve an effective result in dealing with difficulties, namely, overcoming hardships in the personal growth direction. Slightly fewer studies focus on the procedural aspect of the concept of hardiness, that is, finding effective coping mechanisms and behavioral strategies in circumstances that are perceived by the person as unfavorable. As a result of the analysis of domestic and foreign scientific research on the problem of hardiness, two subdivisions in determining the theoretical basis of hardiness were identified. Namely, approaches to the hardiness study were divided into those that rely on the structural organization of the phenomenon and those that provide an understanding of the content and ideological and theoretical foundations of the concept. The first should include systems approach and structural and functional approach (G. Vanakova, T. Larina, S. Maddi, V. Panchenko, A. Rasskazova, T. Titarenko, А. Fominova, А. Chikhantsova), the second – existential, resource and ecopsychological approaches (L. Alexandrova, D. Koshaba, Т. Larina, D. Leontiev, N. Loginova, Р. Lushin, S. Maddi, V. Panchenko, Т. Titarenko, G. Harvey). These approaches formed the basis of the article as those, which most deeply reflect the essence of the hardiness phenomenon. Basing on the analysis of these approaches to the hardiness study and considering the fact that the concept of hardiness may only be understood fully and comprehensively via the synthesis of theoretical approaches to the hardiness conceptualization, the article attempts to provide a synthesized definition of this category. Hardiness may be defined as a systemic psychological formation, an integral personal attitude which aims at overcoming difficulties, activating problem-solving capacities, supporting the self-changing trajectories (of metamorphosis type), and contributes to the new identity meanings emergence, self-image building, and the emergence of new opportunities in problem-solving.