DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.84.12.13
Volume 13 - Issue 84: 206-220 / December, 2024
How to Cite:
Shportun, O., Korotsinska, Y., Kaplinskyi, V., Akimova, O., Kamenshchuk, T., & Tkachuk, I. (2024). Personality adaptation in young Ukrainians during the war. Amazonia Investiga, 13(84), 206-220. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.84.12.13
Personality adaptation in young Ukrainians during the war
Адаптація особистості молодих українців під час війни
Received: November 20, 2024 Accepted: December 30, 2024
Written by:
Oksana Shportun
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8186-406X
Ph.D. in Psychology, Professor, Department of Psychology, Communal Institution of Higher Education "Vinnytsia Academy of Continuing Education", Vinnytsia, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: GCF-0931-2022 - Email: shportun_o@ukr.net
Yuliia Korotsinska
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7273-3962
Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philology, Psyсhology and Foreign Language, Vasyl' Stus Donetsk National University, Vinnytsia, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: LXB-1987-2024 - Email: juliakorotsinskaya@gmail.com
Vasyl Kaplinskyi
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0829-1079
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Department of Pedagogy, Professional Education and Management of Educational Institutions, Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, Vinnytsia, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: AAT-3614-2021- Email: vasuliukaplinskiy@gmail.com
Olha Akimova
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6988-6258
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Department of Pedagogy, Vocational Education and Management of Educational Institutions, Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, Vinnytsia, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: AAX-5474-2020 - Email: sopogov@ukr.net
Tetyana Kamenshchuk
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6231-8749
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Ukrainian Scientific and Methodological Center of Practical Psychology and Social Work, Kyiv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: KUK-7677-2024 - Email: ktania3007@gmail.com
Iryna Tkachuk
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3099-3491
Ph.D. Academic Secretary of the Ukrainian Scientific and Methodological Center of Applied Psychology and Social Work, Kyiv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: ID: U-5790-2017 - Email: irinatkachuk3@gmail.com
Abstract
The article discusses the problem of personality adjustment among young people in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine and social upheavals in the early 21st century. It also describes social environment conditions as frustrating factors that affect the mass consciousness of the population, especially young people. The article reveals the features of personality adjustment in the context of its type, the impact on one's self-esteem and social activity, as well as the resilience of young people to psychologically traumatic events in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. Consequently, according to their content, the article specifies the components of personality adjustment (cognitive, conative, emotional). The correlation analysis demonstrates that a reverse statistical correlation exists between planful problem-solving and problem-solving ability (r=286, p<0.01), positive reappraisal and the desire for dominance (r=-376, p<0.05), internality and seeking social support (r=-264, p<0.01), while a significant correlation is observed between self-acceptance and problem-solving (r=262, p<0.05), highlighting the interplay of planning, self-evaluation, responsibility, and independence in shaping young people's problem-solving and interpersonal dynamics. It highlights the need to develop new concepts for regulating the state of the mass consciousness via mass communication tools to maintain mental health and stability under wartime conditions in Ukraine. The article proposes a new approach to developing personality adjustment programmes to prevent frustration, neuroses and psychological traumas among young people in the conditions of Russia's war against Ukraine. It defines the concept of personality adjustment among young people under wartime conditions in Ukraine, identifies frustrating factors affecting them and explores young people's personality adjustment and attitudes towards Russia's war against Ukraine.
Keywords: frustrating factors, psychological traumas, young people, destructive life attitudes, personality adjustment.
Анотація
У статті розглядається проблема особистісної адаптації молоді в умовах молоді в умовах війни Росії проти України та соціальних потрясінь на початку 21 століття. Охарактеризовано умови соціального середовища як фруструючі фактори, що впливають на масову свідомість населення, особливо молоді. У статті розкриваються особливості адаптації особистості в контексті її типу, вплив на самооцінку та соціальну активність, а також стійкість молоді до психологічно психотравмуючих подій в умовах війни Росії проти України. Отже, відповідно до їхнього змісту, у статті виокремлено компоненти особистісної адаптації (когнітивний, конативний, емоційний). Проведений кореляційний аналіз показує, що існує зворотна статистична кореляція між плановим розв’язанням проблем і здатністю розв’язувати проблеми (r=286, p<0,01), позитивною переоцінкою та бажанням домінування (r=-376, p<0,05), інтернальністю та пошук соціальної підтримки (r=-264, p<0,01), тоді як між самоприйняттям і вирішенням проблем спостерігається значуща кореляція (r=262, p<0,05), підкреслюючи взаємодію планування, самооцінки, відповідальності та незалежності у формуванні способів вирішення проблем молодими людьми та міжособистісної динаміки. Наголошено на необхідності розробки нових концепцій регулювання стану масової свідомості засобами масової комунікації для підтримки психічного здоров'я та стабільності в умовах воєнного часу в Україні. Запропоновано новий підхід до розробки особистісних корекційних програм для профілактики фрустрації, неврозів і психологічних травм серед молоді в умовах війни Росії проти України. Визначено поняття особистісної адаптації молоді в умовах воєнних дій в Україні, визначено фрустраційні чинники, що впливають на них, досліджено особистісну адаптацію молодих людей та їхнє ставлення до війни Росії проти України.
Ключові слова: фруструючі чинники, психологічні травми, молодь, деструктивні життєві установки, особистісна адаптація.
Introduction
Nowadays, it is crucial to study the mental states of young people during adjustment to the shock of Russia's war against Ukraine in the context of psychological theory and practice. In this regard, the problem of personality adjustment under wartime conditions in Ukraine is indeed relevant.
Current conditions of the social environment experience significant changes, which assume one's capacity for personality adjustment in the conditions of Russia's war against Ukraine. The traditional ways of achieving adaptability are no longer suitable for the current social space, and certain transformations have been witnessed in the form of different behavioural strategies under wartime conditions, contributing to one's self-conceptual satisfaction. In turn, personality adjustment ensures a stable mental state of normalcy, which protects one from psychologically traumatic events, forms personal experience in social relations, establishes one's status in group hierarchy and maintains one's activity in a dynamic social space.
There are numerous studies on the problem in foreign and Ukrainian discourse. Varii (2008) and Zavatska (2010) confirm the variety of discrete psychological adjustments from the perspective of an evolutionary approach. One area for studying human behaviour and young people's personality adjustment in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine is an attitude seen as readiness for action, determined by one's needs and the corresponding environmental situation. It is important to note that personality adjustment also focuses on attitudes in learning and professional acquisition. Some scholars believe that, from the perspective of economic processes, frustrating factors for young people in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine are as follows: a decline in employment rates; an increase in unemployment rates; mass migration; a decrease in the well-being of the masses; the backdrop of reduced solvency and budget revenues for social processes (Shportun et al., 2020; Grossman et al., 2015; Braun-Lewensohn et al., 2015; Dupuis & Cohn, 2011). Altogether, they pose a danger of psychological traumas and lead to the formation of a defensive attitude in social interactions for most people. In turn, this affects the stability of attitudes towards historically formed traditions, values and moral guidance.
In this particular context, it is noteworthy that there is a growing tendency towards impaired adaptation resulting from military events in Ukraine. One of the modern studies by Sodolevska (2024), covering a sample of 50 people aged 18 to 35 years, was aimed at assessing the mental state of the participants, in particular, the PHQ-9 scale was used to determine the level of depression. According to the results of the analysis, there was a significant improvement in the mental state of the participants of the study group after 35 days of psychological intervention (Fig. 1). Thus, a significant decrease in the level of depression and anxiety was observed on the PHQ-9 scale (p < 0.001).
This article considers the concept of young people's personality adjustment in the conditions of Russia's war against Ukraine as the most complex psychological phenomenon associated with the functioning of cognitive, conative and emotional components. During personality development, personality adjustment forms individually. At the same time, one can observe how the essential strategies characteristic of this particular individual are being established.
Importantly, this article contains experimental results on the types of personality adjustment, the main ones being defined as constructive and destructive. The type of young people's personality adjustment in the conditions of Russia's war against Ukraine results from ontogenetic personality development. The latter is characterised by the features of mental states when implementing adjustment strategies, an area of activity, perception of social space and interpretation of information about environmental events. Thus, the type of personality adjustment forms from the early period of human life.
This article aims to a) identify the correlation between the type of one’s personality adjustment and his/her attitude towards societal changes caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine, b) specify the concept of young people’s personality adjustment under wartime conditions in Ukraine, c) identify frustrating factors affecting young people and d) study young people’s personality adjustment and attitudes towards Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Literature Review
Many scientific fields view adjustment as a prerequisite for survival in the environment. Given the wartime conditions in Ukraine, psychology considers the personality adjustment of young people from different perspectives. Internal adjustment occurs through a change in the operation of personal functional systems and structures, when one's behaviour and external forms of communication are completely transformed and integrated into existing conditions in the form in which they are expected by the environment, without affecting its established norms and dynamics of development (Maksymenko et al., 2019). External adjustment does not fundamentally change the internal content of personality; it only contributes to learning new forms of behaviour and expression of emotions without internalising these principles as internal personality traits (Spytska, 2023). Preserving fundamental interests and values, mixed adjustment is implemented through a partial restructuring of internal and external characteristics of personality manifestation to correspond to the environment (Sliusarevskyi, 2018).
In addition, external-external passive adaptation for difficult life situations is a strategy for avoiding the situation and changing the social environment. This type of adaptation is practically not characteristic of the studied sample since it is usually inherent in individuals with low activity in adaptive processes (Nazarov & Levchenko, 2024). Internal-external passive adaptation is also a strategy of the fugitive, but the content of this strategy is different (Volodarska & Karabaieva, 2023). Thus, a person may experience problems in social relationships due to the peculiarities of his communicative or other qualities – these characteristics do not change when the environment changes.
Progressive adjustment ultimately implies compliance with the interests and goals of the individual and society. Being relatively formalised, regressive adjustment corresponds to neither the group's interests nor the individual's and might even cause significant damage to both sides of social interaction (Kistersky & Zadoia, 2024). In terms of adjustment mechanisms, there is a distinction between voluntary and forced adjustment in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Voluntary adjustment presupposes one’s desire to meet the demands of the environment, while forced adjustment arises under insurmountable external influences, leading to one’s deformation (Krasilova et al., 2024; Kuzminov & Linskiy, 2023).
From the perspective of an evolutionary approach, there are many discrete psychological adjustments. One area for studying human behaviour and young people's adjustment to Russia's war against Ukraine is an attitude seen as readiness for action, determined by one's needs and the corresponding environmental situation. It is important to note that personality adjustment also focuses on attitudes in learning and professional acquisition (Fedorchuk, 2014).
Psychology has explored various manifestations of human adjustment and identified cause-and-effect relationships between its effectiveness and diagnostics principles (Khallo et al., 2023). At the same time, insufficient emphasis is placed on the internal content of young people’s mental states under wartime conditions in Ukraine, both in the process of adjustment and in a state of adaptability (Orban-Lembryk, 2005).
Given Russia’s war against Ukraine, adjustment is becoming increasingly relevant as a prerequisite for the effective functioning of personality whenever problematic situations arise due to internal or external factors. In this context, the article by Predko et al. (2023) considers global transformations under such conditions as a factor of frustrating influence on personality, which represents a problematic situation. Moreover, globalization alters social norms and values, complicating individual adaptation and potentially leading to identity crises (Shormanbayeva et al., 2022). Individuals may experience a dual existence of extreme individualism and depersonalization, resulting in apathy and disorientation (Zolotukhin, 2018).
War as a background of social and psychological adaptation is determined by dynamic changes in the perception of prospects, values, and priorities of young people (Krasilova et al., 2024). According to Trofimov & Zabolotna (2023), special attention should be paid to the impact of war on the psycho-emotional state, which manifests itself through increased levels of anxiety, depression, and a sense of uncertainty. At the same time, the studies by Dekusar, & Davydova (2024), Petrochko et al. (2022), and Predko et al. (2023) emphasise the role of positive adaptation mechanisms, such as the development of a sense of community, mutual assistance, and the desire for self-realisation even in crisis conditions. In addition, modern approaches to youth adaptation include the concepts of cognitive behavioural therapy aimed at developing emotional self-regulation skills (Dekusar, & Davydova, 2024).
Thus, the socio-psychological adaptation of young people under martial law is a multidimensional process that requires a systematic approach. Therefore, the combination of individual psychological resources, social support, and external institutional factors forms the basis for maintaining mental health and developing the resilience of the younger generation in times of crisis.
Methodology
Instead, the analysis of coping strategies, which includes research on the Holmes & Rahe (1967) to assess stress resistance and coping strategies according to the methods of Amirkhan (1990), Lazarus, & Folkman (1984; 1991).
Statistical data analysis was used to determine the distribution of levels of adaptation and coping strategies among different social groups.
The method of synthesis was also applied to the scientific literature to form a holistic view of the impact of the studied factors on the adaptation of young people to war conditions and to develop a comprehensive approach to assessing adaptation processes.
The method of systematisation was employed to classify and organise the data obtained according to specific criteria, which allowed the information to be structured and the main trends and patterns in the behaviour of young people in war conditions to be identified. Then, the generalisation method was used to formulate general conclusions and recommendations based on the analysed results.
Results
Frustrating Factors that Impact Young People under Wartime Conditions in Ukraine.
As already mentioned, frustrating factors that impact young people in Russia's war against Ukraine from an economic perspective are a decline in employment rates, an increase in unemployment rates, mass migration, a decrease in the well-being of the masses, and the backdrop of reduced solvency and budget revenues for social processes. These factors threaten historically formed traditions and values (Grossman et al., 2015).
Despite Ukraine’s rapid development as a coherent, independent state and a significant actor in world political processes in the early 21st century, another frustrating factor is the lack of stability within the country under wartime conditions: the foreign-policy situation remains dangerous; military actions continue in many regions; state coups are being organised; terrorist acts are being carried out. This does not create an impression of security among the population since conflicts in neighbouring regions directly or indirectly affect the lives of Ukrainians, including young people (Lewicka, 2012).
The residents of different regions of the country, characterised by differentiated educational, economic, geographic, and climatic conditions and varying by national, cultural, religious, and traditional aspects, are not homogeneous in terms of their content. Consequently, mass migration in search of employment within the country creates an additional threat to the psychological stability of the population, which eventually necessitates constant correction of personality adjustment strategies in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine, both for migrants and indigenous residents of the regions (Anderson & McLachlan, 2016).
The pronounced difference in incomes of various population strata and the inability to solve economic balance problems at this historical development stage increase social tension among the masses. The political and economic instability increases the frustration among the population and intensifies the risk of psychological traumas. Global transformations of socio-economic, political, and cultural processes worldwide affect the stability of moral and ethical traditions in society and ultimately lead to a change in goals, evaluative judgments, and behavioural attitudes. In these conditions, an essential aspect of life is one's capacity for personality adjustment (Shportun et al., 2020).
Psychology offers two basic approaches to adjustment: 1) an ascertaining approach that determines the levels of adjustment indicators without considering its content characteristics; 2) a systemic approach that deals with the content structure of young people’s adjustment in the conditions of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Structural Components of Young People’s Personality Adjustment in the Conditions of Russia’s War against Ukraine.
In Russia's war against Ukraine, cognitive, conative and emotional components constitute the structure of young people's personality adjustment. They play a decisive role in assuring quality and contributing to one's self-conceptual satisfaction without conflict with the social environment under wartime conditions in Ukraine (Bizumic et al., 2013).
The authors’ analysis of adjustment has made it possible to identify the content of structural components of young people’s personality adjustment in the context of wartime conditions in Ukraine. The cognitive component includes assimilation and accommodation in the social space at the perceptual level, thus determining the presence or absence of young people's satisfaction with the interaction with the social environment. This forms unconscious attitudes towards the perception of all social processes directed at the individual and the groups interacting with him/her (Lunov et al., 2023; Melnychuk et al., 2022).
The emotional component is an evaluative system of perceiving values, self-conceptual integrity and emotional maturity. It consists of the following elements: anxiety (in the context of self-esteem perception), frustration (determining one's motivation to form aspirations and the presence of internal personal conflicts), rigidity (depending on a level of the indicator that affects the formation of new adaptive structures and systems, the elaboration of new behavioural strategies, the variability of thinking, the ability to empathise, flexibility in transmitting their emotional experiences and resilience to stress); aggression (in the context of choosing or striving to achieve something or diminish others' achievements to establish superiority through denigration) (Sannikov & Kyrychenko, 2024; Spytska, 2024).
The conative component is a set of knowledge about the patterns of social events, behaviour according to social roles, the influence of socio-cultural traditions of society and norms and practices of social experience. Altogether, they directly affect one's choice of behavioural variations, the actualisation of abilities to regulate interpersonal relationships, and the rationality of youth activity in Russia's war against Ukraine.
The ratio of these elements determines the type of personality adjustment (constructive or destructive). At the same time, the nature of aggression's influence on personality adjustment type cannot be established due to the ambiguity of one's aggression motives.
Research on Young People’s Personality Adjustment and Attitudes towards Russia’s War against Ukraine.
This article researches young people's personality adjustment, attitudes towards Russia's war against Ukraine, and the current economic reality. The experiment involves representatives from five social groups: education workers, healthcare workers, young people (students and employees of budgetary organisations aged 18 and 25), veterans of military action and retirees. Thus, emphasis is placed on the least protected social groups, predominantly dependent on state support. It is their incomes that have been affected by wartime conditions in Ukraine, generating high variability of problematic situations in the lives of each of them.
Importantly, this comprehensive psychological study includes a series of tests, interviews, observations, and statistical data analysis. Rogers (1931) and Dymond (1955) decided to apply psychological methods to identify levels of personality adjustment. Eysenck’s methods (2006) were used to diagnose mental states following the levels of rigidity, anxiety, and frustration. The authors' previously developed methods were employed to determine the type of personality adjustment (Harasymiv, 2009).
Below are the research results on young people's personality adjustment during the socio-political crisis in Ukraine (Figure 1).
In particular, psychological methods by Rogers (1931) and Dymond (1955) have shown that personality adjustment is within the norm for 40% of the respondents. This process leads to stable adaptability in typical problematic situations without pathological changes in the structure of one's personality or violating the norms of the social group in which one's activity takes place (Skrypnyk, 2005).
At the same time, a low level of personality adjustment is characteristic for 60% of the respondents. For them, this process manifests in a negative attitude towards society, a prevalence of negative moods, a lack of interest in academic activities, careless performance of tasks and unwillingness to work. There are no records of high-level personality adjustment, which confirms young people's no interest in self-assertion during the social-political crisis.
According to the self-perception scale, 28% of the respondents demonstrate a low level of personality adjustment. They are prone to a negative attitude towards themselves, self-criticism of their thoughts and actions, and feelings of discomfort and insecurity. Only 14% of the respondents show a high level of self-perception, which means a positive attitude towards oneself and unconditional acceptance while maintaining a critical attitude. Finally, 58% of the respondents have an average level of self-perception and accept themselves as a whole, regardless of personal qualities.
Regarding the "acceptance of others" scale, 34% of the respondents demonstrate a low level, 63%—a normal level, and only 3%—a high level. Those with a low-level acceptance of others cannot perceive people around them as they are; those with a normal level may accept some people in certain situations and not others due to certain reasons; and those with a high level can accept others and allow them to be who they are.
The emotional comfort scale demonstrates that 43% of the respondents are at a low level, 42% at an average level and 15% at a high level. A low level indicates emotional discomfort, which may reflect emotional disorders, such as a lowered emotional background, dissatisfaction with life circumstances and emotional tension. A high level of emotional comfort is characterised by emotional well-being, which ensures high self-esteem, self-control and an orientation towards success in achieving goals.
The internality scale shows that most respondents (56%) are at a low level. This means that such individuals fail to take responsibility for the events happening in their lives. At the same time, 42% of the respondents demonstrate a normal level, and only 2%—a high level. A high level of internality implies a high willingness to take responsibility for one's life.
Concerning the desire for dominance scale, 18% of the respondents show a low level. They cannot assert their interests and quite frequently experience a feeling of anxiety. Meanwhile, 69% of the respondents are at an average level, and only 13% are at a high level. In particular, the desire for dominance implies striving for attention and asserting one's interests.
Figure 2 presents percentage values for the scales of determining personality adjustment levels by Rogers (1931) and Dymond (1955).
Therefore, according to Holmes & Rahe, (1967), 20 respondents (34%) demonstrate low vulnerability to stress. This indicates a typically high-stress load, manifested by low-stress resistance. However, 12 respondents (20%) are at a high level of stress resistance. A low-level stress load is characteristic of such people as they are also prone to high-stress resistance. At the same time, 11 respondents (18%) show a reasonably high-stress resistance level, indicating a relatively high degree of stress resilience. They experience a minimal level of stress load. It is important to note that the higher one's level of stress resistance, the more effectively one's performance.
Meanwhile, 17 respondents (28%) have a threshold level of stress resistance, characterised by an average stress load and a normal level of stress resistance, respectively. Therefore, stress resistance decreases with an increase in stressful situations. The corresponding percentage values are presented in Figure 3.
As shown by the coping strategy indicator (Amirkhan, 1990), particularly by the problem-solving strategy, 63% of the respondents are at an average level, 17% at a high level and 20% at a low level. This scale can be characterised by an active behavioural strategy, wherein one attempts to use all available personal resources to find ways to solve problematic situations effectively. Regarding the seeking social support strategy, 62% of the respondents demonstrate an average level, 13% of them a high level and 25% a low level. It implies seeking help and support from their environment, namely, family, friends and other significant people, to solve a problem effectively. The avoidance strategy scale shows that 71% of the respondents are at a low level, given that they tend to avoid contact with their reality and problem-solving; 7% are at a high level, and 22% are at an average level. Percentage values for the coping strategy indicator are presented in Figure 4.
The following conclusions can be drawn based on coping strategies by Lazarus and Folkman (1984; 1991). According to confrontive coping, 38 respondents (63%) show an average level, 9 respondents (15%) a high level and 13 respondents (22%) a low level. It follows that young people do not always actively defend their interests when solving problematic situations. As demonstrated by distancing, out of 60 respondents, 40 individuals (67%) are at an average level, 12 individuals (20%) are at a high level, and eight individuals (13%) are at a low level. To cope with negative emotions related to a problematic situation, young people should subjectively reduce their significance and, as a result, their emotional intensity. Regarding self-controlling, 23 respondents (53%) demonstrate an average level and 28 respondents (47%) a high level. Accordingly, most young people find it quite challenging to cope with personal problems in today's society. Concerning seeking social support, 35 respondents (58%) show an average level, 22 respondents (37%) a high level and 3 respondents (5%) a low level. This means most people solve their problems using external (social) resources. The escape-avoidance scale demonstrates that 25 respondents (42%) are at an average level, 30 respondents (50%) are at a high level and 5 respondents (8%) are at a low level. Thus, one cope with negative experiences associated with difficulties by responding with denial of the problem or fantasising. Planful problem-solving presents the following results: 33 respondents (55 %) are at an average level, and 27 respondents (45%) are at a high level. Interestingly, there are no records of a low level, which confirms young people's ability to cope with their problems. Figure 5 presents percentage values for coping strategies by Lazarus & Folkman (1984; 1991).
It was decided to conduct a statistical analysis of the obtained results through MS Excel and SPSS Statistics 17.0. To confirm the effectiveness of empirical research, Pearson's correlation coefficient (3.3): (3.3) was applied to find the magnitude of the normalised deviation r with the formula below:
where n the number of respondents; х the results of sample 1; y sample 2.
Correlation analysis showed the following results.
In particular, social support correlates with the problem-solving scale (r=447 at p<0.05), which is quite natural since higher social support is likely to result in higher levels of problem-solving ability.
A statistically significant correlation is established between social support and the problem avoidance scale (r=439 at p<0.05). It means that as social support increases, individuals are more likely to use external resources to solve problematic situations and avoid problems.
Besides, a statistically significant correlation exists between taking responsibility and seeking social support (r=418 at p<0.05). This can be explained by the fact that when young people face personal problems, they take responsibility for their actions and often seek social support from friends and family.
A statistically significant correlation exists between the desire for dominance and positive reappraisal (r=376 at p <0.05). This indicates that young people strive to be above others and occupy a leadership position while overestimating their behaviour and attitude towards others.
A reverse statistical correlation is found between planful problem-solving and problem-solving ability (r=286 at p<0.01). Young people often plan how to solve a problem, and planning itself helps one solve the current problem quickly and without negative consequences.
Also, a significant inverse statistical correlation is established between positive reappraisal and the desire for dominance (r=-376 at p<0.05). This may indicate that young people who constantly positively evaluate their achievements do not strive to occupy a leadership position in the group and influence others, that is, dictate their will to others. Thus, if the level of positive reappraisal decreases, the desire for dominance increases.
A significant inverse statistical correlation exists between internality and seeking social support (r=-264 at p<0.01). It follows that young people with a high level of internality tend to show a high degree of readiness to take responsibility for what happens to them and around them. At the same time, the search for social support is significantly reduced because they solve difficulties independently.
Finally, one can observe a statistical correlation between self-acceptance and problem-solving (r=262 at p<0.05). This indicates that those who have a positive attitude towards themselves and accept themselves as they are while still being critical can effectively solve their problems.
The results of empirical research confirm a relatively low level of personality adjustment among young people during the socio-political crisis. This fact has prompted the authors to elaborate on a corresponding training programme aimed at increasing this level.
Therefore, research on the peculiarities of personality adjustment among young people during the socio-political crisis has presented various results. The majority of the respondents (60%) demonstrate low levels based on the personality adjustment test by Rogers (1931) and Dymond (1955). According to Holmes & Rahe (1967), most respondents (34%) are at a low level of stress resistance. It follows that young people are forced to spend part of their energy and resources to combat negative psychological states that arise during stress associated with the current situation in the country.
As shown by the coping strategy indicator (Amirkhan, 1990), 63% of the respondents have an average level on the "problem-solving strategy" scale and 62% of them on the "seeking social support strategy" scale. This proves a proactive behavioural strategy in which individuals seek help and support from family, friends, and significant others to address their problems effectively.
Coping strategies by Lazarus and Folkman (1984; 1991) confirm that most young people actively use them to overcome difficulties. According to confronting coping, an average level is characteristic for 63% of the respondents; according to distancing for 67% of the respondents, and seeking social support for 58%.
Programmes such as MS Excel and SPSS Statistics 17.0 were used to analyse the statistically obtained data.
Correlation analysis reveals the following results. A reverse statistical correlation exists between planful problem-solving and problem-solving ability (r=286 at p<0.01). This could be because young people plan how to solve a problem promptly, while planning helps them solve the current problem quickly and without any unpleasant consequences. Also, a significant inverse statistical correlation is established between positive reappraisal and the desire for dominance (r=-376 at p<0.05). This indicates that those young people who evaluate their achievements positively do not seek to occupy a leadership position in the group and influence others, that is, dictate their will to others. Accordingly, if the level of positive reappraisal decreases, the desire for dominance increases.
Meanwhile, a significant inverse statistical correlation exists between internality and seeking social support (r=-264 at p<0.01). Young people with high levels of inequality are much more willing to take responsibility for what is happening to them or around them. At the same time, one can observe how one's striving for social support significantly decreases as one can solve difficulties independently. Finally, a statistical correlation exists between self-acceptance and problem-solving (r=262 at p<0.05). It means that those with a positive attitude towards themselves are still critical of themselves, enabling them to solve their problems rather effectively.
Discussion
The results of the study showed a low level of personality adaptation (60% of respondents), reflecting the impact of the ongoing crisis on the ability of young people to adapt to problematic situations. This is especially relevant when considering theories of resilience and psychological adaptability. According to these theories, external stressors, such as economic instability and geopolitical conflict, increase individual vulnerability, which leads to a decrease in psychological well-being and adaptive capacity. This is consistent with the conclusions of many authors, which indicate the dependence of adaptation efficiency on the balance of internal and external mechanisms. According to the works of Maksymenko et al. (2019), internal adaptation requires changes in the functional systems of the personality, which coincides with our conclusions regarding the importance of integrating behaviour into new conditions. At the same time, Spytska's (2023) and Sliusarevskyi's (2018) approaches to external and mixed adaptation confirm the role of gradual adaptation, which was also revealed in our study.
However, specific differences can be traced in the assessment of passive adaptation. For example, Nazarov & Levchenko (2024) indicate the rare use of external-passive strategies under challenging conditions, while we found that such strategies can manifest themselves among individuals with low activity in adaptation processes. This result indicates the need to clarify the conditions under which passive mechanisms dominate. Regarding regressive and progressive adaptation, our results confirm the findings of Kistersky & Zadoia (2024) about their impact on social relations. However, we emphasise the greater flexibility of progressive adaptation in the context of war conditions. In addition, the analysis of the differences between voluntary and forced adaptation described by Krasilova et al. (2024) is consistent with our data on the impact of external pressure on personality deformation.
The results also highlight a pronounced deficit in emotional comfort (43% at low levels) and internal level (56% at low levels). These findings resonate with Eysenck’s personality trait theory, which states that increased levels of anxiety and frustration during periods of instability can lead to reduced self-regulation and emotional resilience. Correlation analysis further supports this, establishing statistically significant relationships between self-perception, problem-solving ability, and reliance on social support. For example, the positive correlation between social support and problem-solving (r = 447, p < 0.05) emphasizes the critical role of external resources in alleviating psychological distress. Therefore, Spytska (2023) emphasizes that social support mechanisms often compensate for deficits in emotional resilience, highlighting their importance in transitional or crisis periods, especially among young people.
The results of the study contribute to a deeper understanding of the Lazarus and Folkman model of stress coping. The prevalence of avoidance strategies (71% at low levels) and moderate levels of problem solving (63%) suggest that young people predominantly rely on adaptive coping mechanisms. However, the reliance on external social support highlights a potential area for improving the development of internal coping strategies. This is consistent with the theoretical proposition that self-efficacy and internal locus of control are key to effective stress management. The inverse correlation between internality and seeking social support (r = -264, p < 0.01) further supports this, suggesting that interventions aimed at strengthening internality may reduce overreliance on external help. Khallo et al. (2023) emphasize that psychological interventions aimed at strengthening internal self-regulation mechanisms are crucial for promoting resilience and reducing dependence on external coping strategies.
Conclusions
The value of this particular article lies in clarifying the types of personality adjustment among young people under wartime conditions in Ukraine from the perspective of various approaches (internal adjustment, external adjustment, mixed adjustment, progressive adjustment, regressive adjustment, voluntary adjustment, forced adjustment). Notably, the article considers the areas of studying human behaviour and young people's personality adjustment in the conditions of Russia's war against Ukraine, which are seen as an attitude involving readiness for action determined by one's needs and the corresponding environmental situation.
Moreover, the article identifies frustrating factors affecting young people, such as a decline in employment rates, an increase in unemployment rates, mass migration, a decrease in the well-being of the masses, and the backdrop of reduced solvency and budget revenues for social processes. When influencing the consciousness of young people in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine, these factors pose a danger of psychological traumas and lead to the formation of a defensive attitude in social interactions for the majority of people. In turn, this affects the stability of attitudes towards historically formed traditions, values and moral guidance.
In particular, the article investigates the concept of young people's personality adjustment and attitudes towards Russia's war against Ukraine. The experiment involves representatives from five social groups: education workers, healthcare workers, young people (students and employees of budgetary organisations aged 18 and 25), veterans of military action and retirees. Thus, emphasis is placed on the least protected social groups, predominantly dependent on state support. It is their incomes that have been affected by wartime conditions in Ukraine, generating high variability of problematic situations in the lives of each of them. This comprehensive psychological study includes a series of tests, interviews, observations, and analysis of the statistical data obtained. Psychological methods by Rogers (1931) and Dymond (1955) were used to identify the levels of personality adjustment. Eysenck's methods (2006) were employed to diagnose mental states following the levels of rigidity, anxiety and frustration. The authors' previously developed methods were applied to determine the type of personality adjustment.
Further research should focus on elaborating and validating a corresponding training programme aimed at increasing the level of personality adjustment among young people under wartime conditions. It is still essential to conduct a long-term study that fully analyses and diagnoses all the problems associated with personality adjustment among young people, including psychological aspects of the socio-political crisis.
Finally, the article has defined the concept of personality adjustment among young people under wartime conditions in Ukraine. It has identified frustrating factors affecting them, and has explored personality adjustment and young people's attitudes towards Russia's war against Ukraine.
The research's practical implications encompass the development of psychological programs aimed at enhancing emotional resilience and self-regulation among youth. Developing community networks and peer support is essential for improving problem-solving capacities, while interventions focused on fostering proactive coping strategies and an internal locus of control are critical. Policymakers should prioritize accessible psychological resources, such as crisis centers and counseling services, to support young people during crises.
Acknowledgement
Author 1 expanded the concept of personality adjustment among young people in the conditions of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Authors 2 and 3 identified frustrating factors affecting young people. Author 4 analysed and suggested methods for studying young people’s personality adjustment and attitudes towards Russia’s war against Ukraine. Author 5 researched young people’s personality adjustment and attitudes towards Russia’s war against Ukraine. Author 6 selected relevant scientific studies of Ukrainian and foreign researchers and compiled a list of references.
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