Psychological Defenses of Students in Confronting the Stressors of Military Actions
Abstract
The study aims to determine the relationship between the implementation of psychological defenses, acceptable for current adaptation, and the level of stressful neuropsychiatric tension among students (civilians) under the influence of stressors of military actions. Methods. 109 students of Bachelor and Master degree levels of higher education (aged 18 to 55) were participants of this research. The following methodologies were used in this research: the methodology “Life style index” (H. Kellerman, R. Plutchik, H.R. Conte); Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI, form “В”); the methodology of C. Spielberger in order to determine the level of trait and situational anxiety; the scale of psychological stress PSM-25; the methodology for determining the level of stress by V. Shcherbatuh. Results. One-third of a total group of subjects (32.11 %) have significantly pronounced tension states of anxiety and stress. Among three groups of subjects identified via cluster analyses, there are significant differences in the following indicators: the level of stress (χ2 = 10.423; df = 2; p = .005); situational anxiety (χ2 = 14.461; df = 2; p = .001); trait anxiety (χ2 = 9.318; df = 2; p = .009). Using psychological defenses significantly changes with the increase of stressful neuropsychiatric tension in the groups: projection (χ2 = 77.289; df = 2; p < .001), rationalization (χ2 = 63.652; df = 2; p < .001), and compensation (χ2 = 12.367; df = 2; p = .002). There are two factors identified via exploratory factor analysis that explain 41.87 % of accumulated variance: Factor 1 (combining all parameters characterizing the presence of stressful neuropsychiatric tension and parameters related to the subjects’ loss of stress resistance resources and opportunities for adequate resistance to stressful influences) and Factor 2 (combining the vast majority of psychological defenses). Discussion and Conclusions. Psychological defenses of students (civilians) from the stressors of military actions are conceptually defined as a method of adaptive response to current threats, which is usually characterized by a general acceptance of reality, partial content inadequacy of response to significant impacts of threatening circumstances in order to eliminate or significantly weaken the impact of emotionally difficult, undesirable for perception, psychologically traumatic information. Among the psychological defenses of students in confronting the stressors of military actions, projection, rationalization, and compensation were the most expressive and significant. With excessive expressiveness of tense states and difficulty in organizing mental actions, compensatory resources of rationalization and compensation, as well as other psychological defenses, become insufficient for the necessary reduction of neuropsychiatric tension. As distress develops, the activation of destructive projection also increases.
25; the methodology for determining the level of
Downloads
References
Candeias A. A., Galindo E., Reschke K., Bidzan M., Stueck M. Editorial: The interplay of stress, health, and well-being: unraveling the psychological and physiological processes. Frontiers in Psycholodgy. 2024. Vol. 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1471084
Carvalho L. de Francisco Reis A. M., Pianowski G. Investigating Correlations Between Defence Mechanisms and Pathological Personality Characteristics. Revista Colombiana de Psiquiatría. 2019. Vol. 48(4). P. 232–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcpeng.2018.01.004
Cheban Yu., Chebykin O., Plokhikh V., Massanov A. Mental resources for the self-mobilization of rowing athletes. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2020. Vol. 20(3). P. 1580–1589. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2020.03216
Cramer P. Psychological maturity and change in adult defense mechanisms. Journal of Research in Personality. 2012. Vol. 46(3). P. 306–316.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2012.02.011
Gireesh Y. M., Hiremath N. V., Nagaraj B. V., Hiremath S. R., Manjunath K. V. A Novel Job Stress Scale for Employees in the Midst of Post Covid Work Environment: Empirical Evidence from Indian IT Sector. Journal of Mines, Metals and Fuels. 2023. Vol. 71(2). P. 223–229. https://doi.org/10.18311/jmmf/2023/33385
Irfan S., Amin R., Khizar U., Saeed W. The Relationship between Employee Attitude Toward Change and Organizational Commitment: The Moderating Role of Psychological Defense Mechanisms. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies. 2021. Vol. 7(3). P. 761–772. https://doi.org/10.26710/jbsee.v7i3.1929
Khraban T., Khraban I. A Psychosemantic Study of Compensation Psychological Defense Mechanism in the Novice Military Leaders. East European Journal of Psycholinguistics. 2020. Vol. 7(2). P. 97–106. https://doi.org/10.29038/eejpl.2020.7.2.khr
Коваль С. М., Пенькова М. Ю., Мисниченко О. В., Литвинова О. М. Хронічний стрес воєнного часу як чинник тривожних і депресивних розладів у хворих на цукровий діабет 2 типу та артеріальну гіпертензію. Проблеми ендокринної патології. 2023. No 3. C. 48–54. https://doi.org/10.21856/j-PEP.2023.3.06
Kurova A., Popovych I., Hrys A., Koval I., Pavliuk M., Polishchuk S., Kolly-Shamne A. Dispositional optimistic and pessimistic mental states of young athletes: gender differentiation. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2023. Vol. 23(4). P. 857–867. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2023.04109
Lazarus R. S., Folkman S. Transactional theory and research on emotions and coping. European Journal of Personality. 1987. Vol. 1. P. 141–169. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2410010304
Луценко О. Л. Фрайбурзький особистісний опитувальник FPI – перевірка валідності та локальна стандартизація. Вісник Харківського національного університету імені В. Н. Каразіна. Серія: Психологія. 2016. No 61. С. 49–54. http://nbuv.gov.ua/UJRN/VKhIPC_2016_61_11
Marwaha K. Examining the Role of Psychosocial Stressors in Hypertension. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. 2022. Vol. 55(6). P. 499–505. https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.21.266
Милославський Д. К., Коваль С. М. Розлади адаптації, артеріальна гіпертензія і цукровий діабет 2-го типу: погляд кардіолога (огляд літератури). Mìžnarodnij endokrinologìčnij žurnal. 2023. Vol. 19(5). P. 383–390. https://doi.org/10.22141/2224-0721.19.5.2023.1303
Nater U. M. Recent developments in stress and anxiety research. Journal of Neural Transmission. 2021. Vol. 128. P. 1265–1267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-021-02410-3
Наугольник Л. Б. Психологія стресу: підручник. Львів: Львівський державний університет внутрішніх справ, 2015. 324 с. https://library.megu.edu.ua:9443/jspui/handle/123456789/2128
Неурова А. Б., Капінус О. С., Грицевич Т. Л. Діагностика індивідуально-психологічних властивостей особистості. Львів: НАСВ, 2016. 181. https://ep3.nuwm.edu.ua/21224/1/07-03-332%D0%9C.pdf
Nutten J. Motivation, Planning, and Action: a Relational Theory of Behavior Dynamics. Leuven & Hillsdale, New York: Leuven University Press & Erlbaum, 1984. 251. URL: https://www.amazon.com/Motivation-Planning-Action-Crosscurrents Contemporary/dp/0898593328
Peters A., McEwen B. S., Friston K. Uncertainty and stress: Why it causes diseases and how it is mastered by the brain. Progress in Neurobiology. 2017. Vol. 156. P. 164–188. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301008217300369
Pfeifer L. S., Heyers K., Ocklenburg S., Wolf O. T. Stress research during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2021. Vol. 131. P. 581–596. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.045
Плохіх В. В. Обмеження психологічних захистів на формування часової перспективи студентів. Інсайт: психологічні виміри суспільства. 2022. No 8. С. 39–55. https://doi.org/10.32999/2663-970X/2022-8-4
Plokhikh V., Popovych I., Kruglov K., Sabadukha O., Melnyk N., Omelianiuk S., Hoian I. Strategies for extreme self-organization among handball players. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2024. Vol. 24(8). P. 1849–1859. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2024.08205
Плохіх В., Супонєва Л. Психологічні захисти в організації часової перспективи студентів в умовах COVID-обмежень. Наука і освіта. 2021. No 3. C. 12–21. https://doi.org/10.24195/2414-4665-2021-3-2
Плохіх В., Чіпіленко О. Прояви психічного здоров’я в організації часової перспективи вимушено переміщених осіб. Наука і освіта. 2023. No 4. С. 54–62. https://doi.org/10.24195/2414-4665-2023-4-8
Popovych I., Plokhikh V., Hrys A., Pavliuk M., Nosov P., Zinchenko S. Operationalization of footballers’ emotional intelligence in the dimensions of motivational orientation: analysis based on the basic positions. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2023. Vol. 23(3). P. 772–781. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2023.03095
Popovych I., Shcherbak T., Kuzikova S., Blynova O., Nosov P., Zinchenko S. Operationalization of tactical thinking of football players by main game roles. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2021. Vol. 21(5). P. 2480–2491. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2021.05334
Popovych I., Zavatskyi V., Tsiuniak O., Nosov P., Zinchenko S., Mateichuk V., Zavatskyi Yu., Blynova O. Research on the Types of Pre-game Expectations in the Athletes of Sports Games. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2020. Vol. 20(1). P. 43–52. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2020.01006
Salari, N., Hosseinian-Far, A., Jalali, R., Vaisi-Raygani, A., Rasoulpoor, S., Mohammadi, M., Rasoulpoor, S. & Khaledi-Paveh, B. Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Global Health. 2020. Vol. 16. P. 57. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00589-w
Sattar K., Yusoff M. S. B., Arifin W. N., Yasin, M. A. M. & Nor, M. Z. M. Effective coping strategies utilised by medical students for mental health disorders during undergraduate medical education-a scoping review. BMC Medical Education. 2022. Vol. 22. P. 121. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03185-1
Schönfeld P., Brailovskaia J., Bieda A., Zhang X. C., Margraf J. The effects of daily stress on positive and negative mental health: Mediation through self-efficacy Efectos del estrés cotidiano en la salud mental positiva y negativa: mediación de la autoeficacia. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. 2016. Vol. 16. P. 1–10. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/337/33743098001_1.pdf
Seligman M. E., Csikszentmihalyi M. Positive Psychology: An Introduction. In Flow and the Foundations of Positive Psychology. 2014. 279–298. Dordrecht: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9088-8_18
Selye H. A. Confusion and Controversy in the Stress Field. Journal of Human Stress. 1975. Vol. 1. P. 37–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0097840X.1975.9940406
Sheth M. S., Castle D. J., Wang W., Lee A., Jenkins Z. M., & Hawke L. D. Changes to coping and its relationship to improved wellbeing in the optimal health program for chronic disease. SSM-Mental Health. 2023. Vol. 3. P. 100–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2023.100190
Staude V., Romanenko K., Radzishevska Y.,Prozorovsky D., & Staude A. Rehabilitation treatment for patients with post-traumatic deformities of long bones of lower extremities in the long term after trauma. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2023a. Vol. 23(3). P. 748–755. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2023.03091
Staude V., Prozorovsky D., Radzishevska Y. Rehabilitation therapy for athletes after orthopedic surgery procedures on the forefoot. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 2023b. Vol. 23(6). P. 1468–1472. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2023.06179
Штепа О. С. Самоменеджмент (самоорганізування особистості): навч. посібник. Львів: ЛНУ імені Івана Франка, 2012. 362. https://filos.lnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Resurs-menedzhment.-Samomenedzhment-samoorhanizuvannia-osobystosti.-SHtepa-O.-S..pdf
Tanzilli A., Di Giuseppe M., Giovanardi G., Boldrini T., Caviglia G., Conversano C., Lingiardi V. Mental-ization, attachment, and defense mechanisms: a PsychodynamicDiagnostic Manual-2-oriented empirical investigation. Researchin Psychotherapy: Psychopathology, Process and Outcome. 2021. Vol. 24(1). P. 31– 41. https://doi.org/10.4081/ripppo.2021.531
Uribe Guajardo, M. G., Slewa-Younan, S., Smith, M., Eagar, S., Stone, G. Psychological distress is influenced by length of stay in resettled Iraqi refugees in Australia. International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 2016. Vol. 10. P. 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-016-0036-z
Valencia-Florez K. B., Sánchez-Castillo H., Baruch K., Vázquez P., Zarate P., Paz D. B. Stress, a Brief Update. International Journal of Psychological Research. 2023. Vol. 16(2). P. 105–121. https://doi.org/10.21500/20112084.5815
Van der Hallen R., Jongerling J., Godor B. P. Coping and resilience in adults: a cross-sectional network analysis. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping. 2020. Vol. 33(5). P. 479–496. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2020.1772969
Walkera G., McCabe T. Psychological defence mechanisms duringthe COVID-19 pandemic: Acaseseries. The European Journal of Psychiatry. 2021. Vol. 35(1). P. 41–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpsy.2020.10.005
Wersebe H., Lieb R., Meyer A. H., Hofer P.,Gloster A. T. The link between stress, well-being, and psychological flexibility during an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy self-help nterventionRelación entre estrés, bienestar y flexibilidad psicológica durante una intervención de autoayuda de Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. 2018. Vol. 18(1). P. 60–68. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/international-journal-of-clinical-and-health-psychology/vol/18/issue/1
Yaribeygi H., Panahi Y., Sahraei H., Johnston T. P., Sahebkar A. The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI Journal. 2017. Vol.16. P. 1057–1072. https://doi.org/ 10.17179/excli2017-480
Zeigler-Hill V., Chadha S., & Osterman L. Psychological defense and self-esteem instability: Is defense style associated with unstable self-esteem? Journal of Research in Personality. 2008. Vol. 42(2). P. 348–364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2007.06.002
Zimbardo P. G., Boyd, J. N. Putting time in perspective: a valid, reliable individual-differences metric. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1999. Vol. 77. P. 1271–1288. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.77.6.1271

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with scientific journal agree to the following terms:
• All scientific papers may be freely copied and distributed on any medium and in any format, provided that the references to the initial data of the scientific work are indicated.
• Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed Creative Commons Attribution License .
• Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non- exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (institutional repository, your website, monograph), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.