POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH OF PERSONALITY UNDER MARTIAL LAW: RESULTS OF AN EMPIRICAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/3041-2021/2026-3-18Keywords:
post-traumatic growth, post-traumatic stress disorder, resilience, stress, psychological assistanceAbstract
The problem of post-traumatic growth as a factor of positive personal transformations in three categories of Ukrainians affected by the war – civilians without displacement experience, internally displaced persons, and war veterans – is examined in the article. The relevance of the study is determined by the traumatization of Ukrainian society as a result of the full-scale invasion, which actualizes the need to study both the negative consequences of trauma and the potential for personal growth that can arise in the process of overcoming crisis situations. Theoretical approaches to understanding the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth are analyzed. The empirical study was conducted on a sample of 76 respondents aged 18 to 60 using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). One-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences between groups in the overall level of PTG: the highest indicators were recorded in veterans (M = 72.5), intermediate level in internally displaced persons (M = 67.2), and the lowest in civilians (M = 61.8). The manifestations of post-traumatic growth were found to be heterogeneous: veterans significantly outperform other groups in the domains of “personal strength” and “spiritual and existential changes”; internally displaced persons are distinguished by the highest score in the “new opportunities” domain; while civilians show the most pronounced domains of “relating to others” and partly “spiritual and existential changes”. The obtained results confirm that posttraumatic growth has a variable nature, the intensity of which depends on the context of trauma, personal resources, and social environment. The conclusion is made about the need for a differentiated approach to psychological work with different categories of the affected population: for veterans – focusing on existential issues and identity rethinking; for IDPs – searching for new life opportunities; for civilians – reducing chronic stress and strengthening the sense of control over one’s own life.
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