The mental health impact of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war six months after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Anton Kurapov^1*, Argyroula Kalaitzaki², Vladyslava Keller¹, Ivan Danyliuk¹ and Tobias Kowatsch³

• ¹Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine
• ²Hellenic Mediterranean University, Greece
• ³University of St. Gallen, Switzerland

Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine on the mental health of Ukrainians, focusing on war-induced trauma, disturbances in self-organization, post-traumatic stress disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, stress, and depression.
Method:
Data was collected from 703 participants six months after the full-scale invasion using a structured questionnaire that included sections on socio-demographic information, trauma-related issues, and mental health.
Results:
The study found that levels of depression and anxiety were relatively low, while stress and resilience were relatively high among Ukrainians affected by the war. However, those who were directly exposed to military actions, physical violence, or severe human suffering had higher levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma-related symptoms. The war experience varied by gender, age, and living conditions. Participants who stayed in Ukraine had significantly lower anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma-related symptoms compared to those who moved abroad. Anxiety, depression, stress, low resilience, and subjective satisfaction with living conditions were predictors of trauma-related symptoms, including PTSD and CPTSD.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that the mental health of Ukrainians affected by the war was impacted differently depending on their level of exposure to violence and their living conditions. Additionally, the study identified several predictors of trauma-related symptoms, including PTSD and CPTSD, such as anxiety, depression, stress, low resilience, and subjective satisfaction with living conditions. Future research should further explore the relationships between trauma type, sociodemographic factors, resilience, stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD and CPTSD to better understand the mediation mechanisms underlying these relationships and to develop effective interventions to support the well-being of Ukrainians during this difficult time.