PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING RESILIENCE IN COMBAT-EXPERIENCED MILITARY PERSONNEL

Abstract

Resilience in military personnel with combat experience is considered a key psychological characteristic that determines an individual’s ability to effectively adapt to extreme conditions, cope with stress and the consequences of traumatic events, and maintain emotional balance in crisis situations. It serves as an internal resource that ensures the effectiveness, decisiveness, and motivation of a service member even after experiencing combat. Resilience is a dynamic quality that develops under the influence of individual, social, familial, cultural, and professional factors. Research indicates that its development is shaped by social support, effective coping strategies, emotional stability, self-efficacy, optimism, belief in one’s abilities, endurance, and the capacity for self- reflection. Particular importance is attached to the interaction of individual and collective factors, as in military units resilience is formed not only at the personal level but also through trust, cohesion, and a sense of shared purpose. Psychological interventions aimed at enhancing resilience include mindfulness practices, cognitive-behavioral therapy, diaphragmatic breathing, and comprehensive stress-management programs. These approaches reduce psychophysiological reactivity, increase cognitive flexibility, regulate emotions, and develop adaptive skills that contribute to post-traumatic growth. The study’s findings emphasize the multidimensional nature of resilience, which provides psychological immunity, enhances task performance, supports morale and volitional strength, and fosters the overall well-being of personnel. The development and implementation of comprehensive psychological interventions in military units is a strategically important task, as such measures contribute to the preservation of mental health, combat readiness, motivation, and inner strength of service members operating under challenging combat conditions.