EMPIRICAL STUDY OF SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION OF WAR VETERANS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article is devoted to an empirical study of the socio-psychological adaptation of war veterans in Ukraine, which represents an extremely urgent problem in the context of the full-scale war and the massive return of military personnel to civilian life. The aim of the study was to identify the specific features of veterans’ adaptation profiles, resource and vulnerable zones, as well as the relationships between adaptive characteristics and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study involved 38 veterans with over two years of continuous service and 18–24 months of deployment in combat zones. Three methods were used to assess socio- psychological adaptation: the Social Adaptability Questionnaire (O. Sannikova, O. Kuznietsova), the Rogers– Diamond Method of Socio-Psychological Adaptation, and the Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD (military version). The findings indicated a sufficiently high level of social and socio-psychological adaptation among participants, reflecting preserved potential for constructive interaction with others, self-acceptance, internal locus of control, and dominance. At the same time, pronounced post-traumatic symptoms were recorded: the mean score on the Mississippi Scale significantly exceeded the clinical PTSD threshold. Correlation analysis revealed paradoxical associations – high levels of PTSD were combined with elevated self-acceptance, dominance, and emotional comfort, which may indicate psychological compensation or manifestations of post-traumatic growth. The most vulnerable areas of adaptation were identified as behavioral flexibility and subjective life satisfaction. The results emphasize the multidimensional and contradictory nature of veterans’ adaptation profiles and highlight the urgent need to develop comprehensive psychological support programs aimed simultaneously at reducing trauma- related symptoms and strengthening personal resources.