The dissertation focuses on the theoretical and empirical research of the relationship between the development of individual independence in adolescence and its gender characteristics.
1. The relevance of the dissertation topic is underscored both by its social significance and unique characteristics of independence in youth, and by the limited research on the gender-specific aspects of the development of this phenomenon. Identifying and examining these aspects will contribute to the realization of personal potential in young people.
The research has determined theoretical approaches to the study of the problem of gender characteristics of the development of independence in adolescence; sheds the light on scientific ideas about the formation of individual independence from the structural, functional, ontogenetic and gender perspectives of various conceptual paradigms; substantiates social and psychological determinants of the formation of independence and the gender aspect of its development; the sensitivity of adolescence to the activation of value and meaning correlates of the development of independence.
2. The research proves that adolescence is an important stage in the formation of a personality, since a self-concept, moral self-awareness, and personal identity are actively formed during this period, gender roles and social attitudes are established. Since personality development in adolescence is primarily determined by gender and social roles, stereotypes about gender roles are reinterpreted during this period. Adolescent age is also the most sensitive in terms of the formation of gender values, which are reflected in the formation of an individual's attitudes
towards themselves and their environment and are manifested in their behavior. The development of the personality of boys and girls involves the formation of gender culture in them as a condition for interpersonal interaction in various spheres of social life.
3. In the work, gender is examined from the standpoint of awareness and acceptance by the individual of their gender identity, its formation, social-role self-identification (self-determination) and holistic psychological self-presentation, based on the individual gender experience acquired by the individual, and independence as an integral systemic quality of the personality that is manifested in the initiation of their activity, in the free choice of goals, and еtaking control of one's behavior, implementation of actions in accordance with one's own values, opinions, beliefs.
The application of relevant diagnostic methods and techniques enables determining the main value-meaning correlates of the phenomenon of individual independence. Quantitative distribution of related concepts - semantic units of analysis - made it possible to identify a number of properties and their interrelationships, characteristic of an independent and non-independent personality, taking into account the gender aspect. The semantic units of the content analysis were statements describing specific processes, states, traits, properties of an independent/non-independent personality. These semantic units made it possible to reveal the peculiarities of the value-semantic sphere of the personality, that is, its dynamic and functional system that forms meanings, goals of life and regulates ways of achieving them.
The analysis of the results obtained during the study of the value-semantic correlates of individual independence in adolescence made it possible to conclude that their semantic structure consists of such components as «responsibility», «ability/capacity to make decisions independently», independence, problem-solving ability/capacity, the ability/capacity to take care of oneself, to provide for oneself, the ability/skill to act independently, self-actualization, freedom of choice, self-
control, self-confidence, goal orientation, the ability to recognize and correct mistakes, maturity, and the skill to assess situations.
Based on the generalization of the results of the empirical study of the value-semantic correlates of the lack of independence of the individual in adolescence, the following semantic categories were identified in their semantic structure: dependence, helplessness, the inability to make independent decisions, the inability to act independently, insecurity, irresponsibility, the inability to take care of themselves, provide themselves, insufficient self-control or external control, lack of initiative, indifference, weakness, infantilism, inability to make a choice, uncritical perception of others.
