Abstract:
Objective: to establish and implement a comparative analysis of the levels of social health formation of male and female students; to identify the main areas of improvement of the physical education syllabus for the SMG students (taking into account the psychological peculiarities of girls and boys). Material: the 2nd year students of the special medical group (n = 320: girls - n = 167, boys - n = 153) took part in the experimental work. The age of the survey participants ranged from 18 up to 19. The data of the ascertaining experiment were collected with the help of a set of such research methods: a closed-ended questionnaire about the need for achievements (by Yu. B. Orlov), a questionnaire on "value orientations" (M. Rokeach), a questionnaire onassertiveness (by Rathus); a questionnaire onneuro-psychic tension (by T. A. Nemchin). Results: the author's methodology for determining the levels of social health of students of a special medical group has been developed and tested. It has beendiscovered that the level ofsocial health of more than one third of the SMG students(35,2% of boys and 38% of girls) is low and below average. It has also turned out that the difference (according to the levels of social health formation) between boys and girls (to the advantage of boys) is not significant. The author has defined the concept of "social health of students of a special medical group", criteria and indicators of social health of the SMG students. Conclusions: the developed methods of diagnostics of social health of the SMG students allows: to monitor changes in the state of social health of the SMG students (boys and girls) in dynamics; to improve theoretical, methodological and practical components of the process of physical education in the given context (taking into account psychological peculiarities of girls and boys); to develop and realign an individual health-improving program of a student. The results of the study also testify that there is a need to modify the process of organizing physical education forthe SMG students. This will involve the use of innovative technologies aimed at increasing social health of the SMG students in the process of practical training in physical education.