VITALITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EXHAUSTION DURING WAR: INDICATORS OF ADAPTATION

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the results of an empirical study of the dynamics of the psychological states of Ukrainians during the war: levels of vitality, psychological exhaustion, emotional stress and features of psychological adaptation to life in war conditions. The article analyzes the results of three waves of research: April, June, and October 2022, conducted by the Sociological Group “Rating”. The research sample as a whole was about 3,000 people, representative in terms of gender, age, income level, and region of residence. The influence of certain determinants on these conditions was determined as the following: gender, age, presence of relatives who are fighting, as well as self-limitation. In general, Ukrainians were able to maintain and stabilize their psychological and emotional state, acquire sufficient competence in overcoming the stressful events of life in war period. The actual results of the last wave from October 2022 has showed that Ukrainians continue to demonstrate a good level of vitality. Changes in the daily assessment of one’s own emotional stress are insignificant, the stress remains at a moderate level. The index of psychological exhaustion is still fairly moderate in terms of dynamics. The risk group remains young people, older people, women and those who have lost their jobs. With the help of cluster analysis, two groups of subjects were distinguished in the study: adapted and non-adapted. Adapted people have high vitality, do not limit themselves in pleasures, have low emotional stress and psychological exhaustion, therefore they use more adaptive strategies to overcome stressful situations. Maladapted people experience significant emotional stress, tend to limit themselves in entertainment and pleasure, have strong psychological exhaustion and low vitality. Strategies for coping with stress are not effective and lead to psychological depression and exhaustion.