Page 22 - IJSA, Vol. 6, No 2, 2023

International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2023
рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa

SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES. Psychology

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the

Psychological Well-Being of Students

Authors’ Contribution: 1,2 ACDE 3,4 BDE
A – Study design; Pypenko I. S. , Stadnik A. V. ,

B – Data collection; Melnyk Yu. B. 1,2 AEFG , Mykhaylyshyn U. B. 4,5 BD
C – Statistical analysis; 1 Kharkiv Regional Public Organization “Culture of Health”, Ukraine
D – Data interpretation; 2 Scientific Research Institute KRPOCH, Ukraine
E – Manuscript preparation; 3 Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, Ukraine
F – Literature search; 4 Uzhhorod National University, Ukraine
G – Funds collection 5 Transcarpathian Research Expert Forensic Center of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs of Ukraine, Ukraine
Received: 29.10.2023; Accepted: 30.11.2023; Published: 25.12.2023

Abstract
Background and The war in Ukraine affects the psychological state and life activities of university students.
Aim of Study: Aim of the study: to identify the state of psychological well-being of students and the
peculiarities of students’ use of coping strategies in overcoming life crises on their own.
Material and Methods: The study was conducted among 323 Ukrainian university students aged 20-35 in October
2023. According to the impact of the hostilities on them, the respondents were divided into 3
groups: Group 1 – 111 persons living in the area of active hostilities; Group 2 – 104 persons
living in the areas where missiles and drones were fired; Group 3 – 108 persons living on the
territory of Ukraine, where there were no hostilities and shelling, and in the EU countries.
The Psychological General Well-Being Index, PGWBI, and the Coping Strategies Inventory,
CSI, were included in an online survey. Both techniques were found to have adequate internal
consistency (Cronbach’s alpha was 0.928 and 0.759, respectively).
Results: Respondents in all groups are moderately distressed. The highest level of distress (the lowest
level of PGWBI) was found among students in Group 1 (55.1 points). Students in Groups 2
and 3 had lower scores (60.1 and 63.5 points, respectively), which corresponds to moderate
distress. Students use a variety of coping strategies in stressful situations. However, the
coping strategy of cognitive restructuring was used more often (9.8 points in Group 3, 9.5
points in Group 1). This was due to a general rethinking of the meaning of life, of attitudes
toward oneself and others because of the war. Coping strategies of social support (8.9 points)
and self-criticism (8.7 points) were also important for Group 1. This was due to the
importance of social support, reassessment of one’s own behavior and thinking in the war.
Conclusions: The obtained data indicate that the war in Ukraine has a negative impact on the psychological
state of students. The level of impact was higher the closer the students were to the active
combat zone. This influence determined the students' choice of coping strategies in dealing
with life crises on their own.
Keywords: students, psychological well-being, distress, coping strategy, war
Copyright: © 2023 Pypenko I. S., Stadnik A. V., Melnyk Yu. B., Mykhaylyshyn U. B. Published by Archives
of International Journal of Science Annals
DOI and UDC DOI https://doi.org/10.26697/ijsa.2023.2.2 UDC 159.972
Conflict of interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests
Peer review: Double-blind review
Source of support: This research did not receive any outside funding or support
Information about Pypenko Iryna Sergiivna (Corresponding Author) – https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5083-540X;
the authors: [email protected]; Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Affiliated Associate
Professor; Secretary of the Board, Kharkiv Regional Public Organization “Culture of
Health”; Co-Director, Scientific Research Institute KRPOCH, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Stadnik Anatoliy Volodymyrovych – https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1472-4224; Doctor of
Philosophy in Medicine, Affiliated Associate Professor, Kharkiv National University of
Internal Affairs; Uzhhorod National University, Uzhhorod, Ukraine.
Melnyk Yuriy Borysovych – https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8527-4638; Doctor of Philosophy
in Pedagogy, Affiliated Associate Professor; Chairman of the Board, Kharkiv Regional Public
Organization “Culture of Health”; Director, Scientific Research Institute KRPOCH, Ukraine.
Mykhaylyshyn Ulyana Bohdanivna – https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0225-8115; Doctor of
Psychological Sciences, Full Professor; Head of the Department of Psychology, Uzhhorod
National University; Transcarpathian Research Expert Forensic Center of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ukraine.
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