Material changes, subjective quality of life, and symptoms of stress in three Russian villages

• Published in: Journal of the Community Development Society Vol. 28; no. 2
• Main Authors: Patsiorkovski, V.V, O'Brien, D.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1997
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE COLLECTIVE; BOLSHOE SVIATTSOVO, TVER' PROVINCE, RUSSIA; CALIDAD DE VIDA; CAMBIO ESTRUCTURAL; CAMPESINADO; CHANGEMENT STRUCTUREL; COLLECTIVE FARMING; DECENTRALISATION; DECENTRALIZATION; DESARROLLO ECONOMICO; DESCENTRALIZACION; DEVELOPPEMENT ECONOMIQUE; ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; ENCUESTAS; ENQUETE; ESTRES; EXPLOTACION AGRICOLA COLECTIVA; FEDERACION DE RUSIA; FEDERATION DE RUSSIE; HOGARES; HOUSEHOLDS; KOLKHOZY; LATONOVO, ROSTOV PROVINCE, RUSSIA; MENAGE; MENTAL STRESS; NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; PAYSANNERIE; PEASANT HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTION; PEASANTRY; PRODUCCION; PRODUCTION; PUEBLOS; QUALITE DE LA VIE; QUALITY OF LIFE; RUSSIAN FEDERATION; STRESS; STRUCTURAL CHANGE; SURVEYS; TRASTORNOS DEL SISTEMA NERVIOSO; TROUBLE DU SYSTEME NERVEUX; VENGEROVKA, BELGOROD PROVINCE, RUSSIA; VILLAGE; VILLAGES
• DOI: 10.1080/15575339709489781
• ISSN: 0010-3829

Data from the authors' joint Russian-American survey are used to examine how peasant households in three rural Russian villages have fared economically and psychologically, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The findings show that decentralized provincial economic development programs can have a significant impact on the material quality of life of rural Russian households, but that increased household production is associated with higher levels of stress in a village. This demonstrates the need to develop comprehensive locality-based community development programs that address the social dislocations and stress created by the introduction of a more competitive environment, as well as the loss of the traditional social supports which were provided by the collective farms during the Soviet period