Subjective perceptions of personal safety among Russian university students

Introduction. In recent years, there has been a rise in emotional tension and social anxiety among students, including those in the Russian Federation. This trend underscores the need to study the mechanisms of threat perception and the development of subjective notions of personal safety within the student community.

Aim. This study aims to reveal the content and identify the factors influencing the subjectively perceived personal safety of students at Russian universities.

Methodology and research methods. The empirical foundation of the study comprises qualitative data (12 interviews, purposive sampling) and quantitative data (n = 415, quota sampling) collected from a sample of Russian university students using a sequential mixed-methods approach (qual → QUANT).

Results. To a large extent, students fear direct threats to life and physical health, followed by concerns about mental well-being, while they are least worried about deferred threats related to the impact of environmental risk factors on health. A gender gap in the subjective perception of threats to life and health has been confirmed. The study found that the group under consideration exhibits a high level of perceived protection from external threats and views their lives as stable and predictable. Cluster analysis identified three groups of students based on subjective personal safety: those who feel (a) safe (39%), (b) unsafe (16%), and (c) uncertain (45%). It was also found that students consider unpredictable and poorly controlled events to be the most threatening to their life and health, yet they more often assume personal responsibility for ensuring safety rather than relying on social institutions or the state.

Scientific novelty. The current study challenges the thesis that alarmist sentiments prevail among Russian youth and that fears for their personal safety are spreading rapidly. The theoretical conceptualisation of the subjective perception of security broadens existing approaches and provides a foundation for further research in this field.

Practical significance. The study provides data to improve health programmes and help vulnerable groups adapt to risky environments.

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