Personal predictors of success in higher education vocational training of Federal Penitentiary Service employees

Sergey Lenkov; Nadezhda Rubtsova

UDC

159.9.072

VAK Russia

5.3.3

PERSONAL PREDICTORS OF SUCCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF FEDERAL PENITENTIARY SERVICE EMPLOYEES Personal predictors of success in higher education vocational training of Federal Penitentiary Service employees

АА Аа

Published in Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia · Pages 253–273 · Rubric: LABOUR PSYCHOLOGY, ENGINEERING PSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITIVE ERGONOMICS

Received: 11.02.2026 Accepted: 25.06.2026 Published: 30.06.2026 Language of publication: RUS

Authors

Sergey Lenkov

ORCID

Nadezhda Rubtsova

ORCID

Sergey Lenkov

Academic degree: doctor of psychological sciences

ORCID

Nadezhda Rubtsova

Russian Federation

ORCID

ABSTRACT

Introduction. Based on an analysis of the academic literature, appropriate indicators of the success of vocational training of cadets at higher education organisations of the Federal Penitentiary Service have been selected (academic performance, engagement in studies, satisfaction with studies, value of studies, and identification with the faculty) and potential personality predictors of the above indicators (The Big Five (OCEAN) and the Dark Tetrad Personality Traits, as well as indicators of alignment of personal and career goals). The aim of the research is to examine the influence of the above-mentioned personality factors on specific indicators of success in higher education vocational training of future employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service. Methods. The measurements were made using original or modified psychodiagnostic instruments (the ‘Utrecht Work Engagement Scale’, the ‘Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction’, the ‘Short Version of the Big Five Inventory-2’, the ‘Short Dark Tetrad, SD4’, the ‘Organisational and Sub-organisational Identity Questionnaire’, the ‘Work Meaningfulness Scale’), as well as author-developed scales for measuring academic performance, alignment of personal and career goals. The study sample consisted of 282 cadets from the Federal Penitentiary Service’s Specialised Training Centre. The key method of statistical data analysis was one-way analysis of variance. Results. It has been established that personal factors can have a significant and wide-ranging impact on the success of cadets’ vocational training. Thus, alignment with life plans (personal goals) has a noticeable positive effect on satisfaction with studies, engagement in studies and identification with the faculty; alignment with professional interests (professional goals) has a positive effect on satisfaction with studies and engagement in studies; neuroticism has a strong negative effect on engagement in studies. The most extensive influence was found for the conscientiousness factor, which has a statistically significant effect on all of the six indicators of training success under consideration. Based on the findings of the research, some practical recommendations were provided, including target reference points for organising practical psychological and educational work aimed at improving the success rates of higher education vocational training of Federal Penitentiary Service employees.

KEYWORDS

Federal Penitentiary Service, cadets, higher education vocational training, training success, personality predictors of success, Big Five, Dark Tetrad

Funding

Without financial support

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Lenkov S. L., Rubtsova N. E. Personal predictors of success in higher education vocational training of Federal Penitentiary Service employees // . 2026. pp. 253-273. (Date of access 19.08.2026).

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PERSONAL PREDICTORS OF SUCCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF FEDERAL PENITENTIARY SERVICE EMPLOYEES Personal predictors of success in higher education vocational training of Federal Penitentiary Service employees

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