Self-disclosure and its relationship to some psychological variables among graduate students

Abstract

One of the highest levels of university learning is for postgraduate students studying for the master's and doctorate levels. However, what they are going through from circumstances such as academic, economic and social conditions, as well as the method or outlets for admission that made a number of students characterized by behaviors that were influenced by a number of psychological conditions that accompany them during and before the study. This may make them differ in the disclosure of themselves in proportion to the level of education in which they are, and summarizes the current research problem with the following question: What are the psychological variables that affect the nature of the behavior of graduate students from master's and doctoral degrees? As well as the form of self-disclosure? What is the relationship between them? The two researchers used the descriptive method. The current research community included graduate and postgraduate students in the College of Education for Humanities from Karbala University and for the academic year (2019-2020) prepared a scale of self-disclosure. After verifying the standard characteristics of the indicators of honesty and consistency and the statistical analysis of the scale, the scale of self-disclosure in its final form has consisted of (24) paragraphs distributed over four components: the region (blind, hidden, unknown, and clear), according to a tripartite response to the response is: [applies Always, it applies to me sometimes, never applies to me]. It is given when grades are corrected and when grades are corrected from (1) the lowest degree, and (3) the highest degree. The highest value (72) and the lowest value (24) with a hypothetical mean for each of them (48). Since the current research aims to reveal self-disclosure and its relationship to some psychological variables, so it requires the researchers to prepare an objective form that is honest and consistent, specifying the most common (psychological) variables. The research on the results showed that postgraduate students who have master’s and doctoral degrees have self-disclosure, and there are differences in self-disclosure between the master’s and doctorate studies and in favor of doctoral students. In terms of the type of self-disclosure, it was found:

1. Master's degree students tend to disclose the type of blind and hidden
2. PhD students tend to disclose anonymously
3. Both degrees (master's and doctorate) participate in self-disclosure of a clear type

There is also a difference in the psychological variables for postgraduate students studying for master's and doctorate degrees. And that students of MA and PhD degrees are more affected by psychological changes than students. In terms of the effect of psychological variables, it was found:

1. Master's degree students are affected by cognitive variables (remembering and paying attention), sentimental (anger and jealousy), and external psychological control
2. PhD students are affected by cognitive variables (comprehension), emotional (excitement), and internal psychological control.
3. There is a positive relationship between self-disclosure and psychological variables