Abstract
The stress of the current war is one of the most powerful and dangerous distress factors, which is closely related to the risk of psychopathological disorders, psychosocial maladjustment and significant deterioration in the quality of life and psychosocial functioning, especially in the most vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons. One of the most promising psychological phenomena aimed at offsetting the negative effects of severe psychosocial distress is post-traumatic growth (PTG).
Aim
To study the mechanisms of formation of post-traumatic growth in forced displaced persons with stress-associated disorders.
Material and methods
In 2022 & 2024 we examined 67 internally displaced persons with adaptation disorders according to ICD-10 criteria (code F43.2), who were forced to leave their place of residence because of full-scale russian aggression on the basis of informed consent. The survey included the use of The Mississippi Scale for Civilian PTSD, The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Maddi 2-item modification of Hardiness test, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Ways of Coping Questionnaire Folkman & Lazarus, Zimet Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.
Results
PTG is a psychological phenomenon, the ability to form which is conditioned by the state of intrapsychic and interpersonal sources of the personality resource base, and variants of their interaction, authentic for each patient. The level of resilience is associated with a higher expression of constructive coping strategies. The core coping strategy for internally displaced persons with adjustment disorders is self-control, which in individuals with low PTG is combined with confrontational coping, and in individuals with high PTG - with strategies for seeking social support, accepting responsibility, planning problem solving, and positive reassessment. The ability to resist stress and recover from distress (resilience and resistance) are basic parameters of intrapsychic functioning, the state of which directly correlates with the level of resilience. A high level of social support is a significant interpersonal resource of PTG.
Conclusions
The identified patterns should be taken into account when formulating treatment and rehabilitation tactics for the management of patients with stress-related mental disorders.