Bozhok N.O.

National University of Food Technologies (Kiev, Ukraine)

THE FUNDAMENTAL APPROACHES TO THE ANALYSIS OF LOW FRUSTRATION TOLERANCE IN THE STUDENT’S AGE

A lot of students experience low frustration tolerance during learning that is why it is important to develop effective strategies to support students’ coping with frustration and form high frustration tolerance in interactive learning environments. A natural outcome of having one’s desires thwarted is frustration. The level at which an individual becomes frustrated by a particular event is often referred to as that individual’s frustration tolerance. A low frustration tolerance interferes with an individual’s ability to pursue a productive approach to problem solutions. Debilitating effects resulting from a low frustration tolerance are of an emotional nature and can be either transient or longstanding. The ability of a student to withdraw frustration is the student’s tolerance for frustration [1, 2].

Such scientists as W. Dryden, W. Froggat define low frustration tolerance (LFT) as the state when an individual gets very frustrated, very easily and has an unwillingness or inability to tolerate the necessary short-term discomfort that is sometimes required for long-term gain [4]. The term was first used by Albert Ellis in the 1960s. He described those exhibiting LFT as having 'can't stand it' syndrome because they would often complain that they are unable to stand X, Y or Z situations. LFT beliefs tend to be inflexible, very rigid, unhelpful, illogical and inconsistent with reality [5]. In addition to this, low frustration-tolerance creates distress in other ways:

· Negativity and complaining. Low frustration-tolerance may cause you to become distressed over small hindrances and setbacks, overconcerned with unfairness, and prone to make comparisons between your own and others’ circumstances. Negativity tends to alienate others, with the loss of their support.

· Anger. LFT leads to hostile and anger when someone does something you dislike, or fails to give you what you want.

W. Knaus confirms that we exhibit a low frustration tolerance when we avoid our problems instead of facing them. So, when we try to avoid necessary work, we exhibit a low frustration tolerance which takes on many disguises. It occurs when we refuse to discipline ourselves so that we can reach our important goal. It occurs when we think we can not tolerate inconveniences and use escape routes to avoid hassle. It shows up when we exhibit poor listening skills, finish sentences for other people and keep ourselves distracted. It surfaces when we constantly wait things to come quickly and easily. Consequently, even though an understandable human response, low frustration tolerance leads to poor results [W. Knaus].

In our opinion, the level of frustration tolerance also depends on the person’s age. As the result of our assumption we can refer to the scientist Brophy who thinks that students, especially in the early grades, show failure syndrome tendencies as part of larger patterns of emotional immaturity (for example low frustration tolerance or avoidance, inhibition or adult dependency as reactions to stress) [3].

Finally, we should admit that the key to success with low frustration students is to raise their level of frustration tolerance by increasing their self-esteem and transforming their irrational beliefs into rational ones.

Literature

1. Algozzine B., Algozzine A., O’Donoghue K. Tertiary Intervention. University of North Carolina at Charlotte: Behaviour and reading improvement centre, 2006. – p 116.

2. Bernand M., Cronan F. The child and adolescent scale of irrationality: validation data and mental health correlates. Journal of cognitive psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, Volume 13, November 2, 1993. – p 121-132.

3. Brophy Jere. Teaching problem student. New York: Guilford Press, 2003. – p 466.

4. Dryden W. Reason to change: a rational emotive and behaviour therapy (REBT) workbook. The USA: Taylor&Francis Inc., 2001. p 280.

5. Ellis A. Overcoming Resistance: A Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy Integrative approach. New York: Springer, 2002. – p 294.

6. Knaus W. How to conquer your frustration: [electronic sources]: http: // www.rebtnetwork.org