Differences in military personnel's hardiness depending on their leadership levels and combat experience: An exploratory pilot study.

Constant challenges and permanently stressful conditions at military workplaces demand high levels of hardiness for military personnel. We aimed to determine possible differences in Ukrainian military personnel's hardiness depending on their leadership levels and existing combat experience. The study involved 543 Ukrainian service members (85.8% male and 14.2% female, aged 18 to 61 years). We used the Professional Hardiness Questionnaire and the Brief Resilience Scale. The obtained data showed that the higher leadership levels the military personnel had, the higher their hardiness was (up to the company commander level in our study). We revealed a significant predominance of professional challenge acceptance in the structure of military personnel's hardiness, followed by professional control and professional commitment. This proportion of professional hardiness components did not differ depending on service members' leadership levels. Additionally, we showed significantly higher hardiness stability after participating in combat operations in military leaders compared to service members without subordinates. Our findings necessitate hardiness examination during military personnel selection and its development during military training, in particular for deployment.

SCHOOLTEACHERS' PERSONAL-PROFESSIONAL HEALTH-PROTECTING FACTORS.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To study the risk factors in patients with prediabetes that can lead to the progression of impaired glucose tolerance in the form of type 2 diabetes mellitus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The selection of patients for this study was carried out on an outpatient basis at the Department of Therapy and Family Medicine, Uzhhorod National University. Patients with prediabetes were identified based on the American Diabetes Association criteria. Informed consent was obtained from all patients before the start of the study. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group 1 (n=37) that received typical treatment according to the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association and the control Group 2 (n=42). At the 3rd year of the study, we determined the body mass index, glucose levels and glycated hemoglobin levels of the patients, also their medical documentation was analyzed and patients were interviewed about concomitant diseases. RESULTS: Results: Analyzing the 3-year follow-up of patients with prediabetes, cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus were detected in both groups, but there is no statistically significant difference when comparing the indicators between the groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: In our study, we analyzed the risk factors in patients with prediabetes that can lead to type 2 diabetes. During a 3-year follow-up, we identified cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The personal growth resources of the adult population following the first months of the war in Ukraine.

We aimed to determine the peculiarities of personal growth resources among the adult population following the first months of the war in Ukraine. The study, which included 1257 respondents (32.3% male and 67.7% female, aged 18-61+ years), used the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Expanded, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Professional Hardiness Questionnaire and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. We found the following descending sequence of expression of the components of personal growth: appreciation of life, spiritual and existential changes, relations to others, new possibilities and personal strengths. Personal resources included resilience, professional commitment, professional control, professional challenge acceptance and self-efficacy, of which the last two were the most important. All indicators of personal growth were significantly higher in women but were more closely related to personal resources in men. Our findings suggest directions interventions should take to promote the Ukrainian adult population's personal growth and prevent negative mental health consequences.

Military personnel's stress reactivity during pre-deployment in a war zone.

Many studies have been conducted on the numerous negative post-deployment outcomes for military personnel. However, data on service members' pre-deployment stress reactivity are absent. This is a serious gap in existing research, as stress has an important regulatory role. This study aimed to determine possible manifestations of military personnel's stress reactivity during pre-deployment in a war zone in eastern Ukraine. The study involved 270 Ukrainian service members (all male, aged 18 to 58 years). Sample 1 (n = 108) were preparing to be deployed for the first time, sample 2 (n = 84) were preparing to be deployed and had previous experience of deployment, and sample 3 (n = 108) were not preparing to deploy and had no previous deployment experience. We used the Ukrainian adaptation of the Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-24), the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Short Screening Scale for DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder and the Combat Exposure Scale (CES). We found that indicators for physical complaints, psychological problems and psychopathological and posttraumatic symptoms among service members from samples 1 and 2 were significantly higher than those of sample 3 in 15 of 18 cases (p < 0.001-0.05). The indicators obtained for sample 2 were higher than those of sample 1 in six of nine cases (p < 0.001-0.05). Both our study hypotheses were confirmed. The present findings can be used to develop efficient psychological interventions for military personnel during pre-deployment in a war zone.

INVESTIGATIONS OF MANIFESTATION OF "EMOTIONAL BURNING SYNDROME" PECULIARITIES WITH DOCTORS IN UKRAINE.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: The purpose of the article is to present the results of research on the peculiarities of the symptoms of emotional burnout with doctors in Ukraine to justify the necessity to develop a set of preventive express measures to normalize their psychophysiological state after being in stressful situations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The study involved 270 doctors of different specializations. We used "Diagnosis of the level of emotional burnout" (Boyko V.). RESULTS: Results: The results of studies have shown a significant manifestation of the "emotional burnout" symptoms with doctors. The presence of symptoms in all phases of the syndrome has been stated. It has been found that the dominant phase of the syndrome with those under investigation is the phase of resistance. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The reasons which promote emergence of "emotional burnout" syndrome are described. The real problems that contributed to the development of effective measures with the aim to prevent the syndrome of emotional burnout with physicians, including the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, on advanced training courses at the Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Medical and Pharmaceutical Law at the Shupik National University of Health of Ukraine.

Examination of military personnel’s changed psychological statesduring long-term deployment in a war zone

Una de las formas más eficaces para prevenir las consecuencias negativas del despliegue en la zona militar para la salud mental de los militares es diagnosticar su estado psicológico. En el presente estudio se determinan las particularidades de los cambios en el estado psicológico de los militares (n = 192) durante el despliegue de seis meses en la zona militar en el este de Ucrania. Los resultados obtenidos confirmaron ambas hipótesis formuladas: en cuanto a la posibilidad de determinar, sobre la base del diagnóstico del estado psicológico, el plazo recomendado para el despliegue de los militares en la línea de demarcación en el este de Ucrania, que es de tres meses. Así como también sobre las posibles diferencias significativas en la dinámica del estado psicológico de los militares que tienen y no tienen experiencia en el despliegue. Asimismo, se argumenta la necesidad de monitorear el estado psicológico de los militares durante el despliegue con el propósito de prevenir oportunamente las consecuencias negativas para su salud mental y para la ejecución exitosa de las tareas de la subunidad militar.(AU)

Examining military personnel’s psychological states is an effec-tive way to prevent negative mental health consequences during their de-ployment in a war zone. The present study identifies changes in the psy-chological states of military personnel (n=192) during a 6-month deploy-ment in a war zone in eastern Ukraine. The results confirmed both of our proposed hypotheses. First, with regard to time limits on military person-nel’s deployment on the front lines in eastern Ukraine on the basis of ex-amined psychological states, the estimated recommended deployment du-ration was three months. Second, we found significant differences in the dynamics of the psychological states of service members with versus with-out previous deployment experience. The results also substantiate that mil-itary personnel’s psychological states should be monitored during deploy-ment in order to prevent negative mental health consequences and to en-sure that military units successfully accomplish their tasks.(AU)

TESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH: PROFESSIONAL HARDINESS QUESTIONNAIRE (ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VERSION).

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To develop and validate the English-language version of the Professional Hardiness Questionnaire (PHQ). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: A total of 425 skilled English-speaking respondents (188 men, 237 women; aged 19-75 years, M = 34.12 ± 13.18 years) from different countries of various professions participated in a remote online survey. The results were used to validate the English-language version of the PHQ. English-language versions of six other measures were also used to check the PHQ's competitive validity. RESULTS: Results: The 24-item PHQ determines eight indicators of professional hardiness: general level of professional hardiness; professional commitment; professional control; professional challenge; and the emotional, motivational, social and namely professional aspects of professional hardiness. We calculated means and standard deviations for each indicator and determined normative data (in points) for general level of professional hardiness, sorted into five levels: low, below average, average, higher than average and high. The PHQ had sufficiently high internal consistency (α = 0.76-0.90) and competitive validity. General level of professional hardiness was significantly correlated (r = 0.17-0.45; р < 0.001) with the scales of all of the additional six measures used. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The professional hardiness of specialists in different professions should be examined, both to strengthen specialists' hardiness and to prevent negative consequences of occupational stress on their mental health. It is also necessary to test the PHQ in various professional fields to clarify the quantitative indicators of professional hardiness for skilled people in various professions.

THE INFLUENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS ON EMPLOYEES' MENTAL HEALTH.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To identify the features of the influence of occupational stress on occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: In total, 771 skilled Russian-speaking respondents (226 men, 545 women; aged 18-67 years, M = 32.32 ± 12.28 years) from different countries and representing various professions participated in a remote online survey. Occupational stress intensity was assessed using the Russian adaptations of the Organizational Constraints Scale, Quantitative Workload Inventory and Aggressive Experiences Scale. Occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health were assessed using the Russian adaptations of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Withdrawal Scale and Negative Affect at Work Scale. RESULTS: Results: The results showed a significant negative influence of occupational stress on occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health. All three indicators of occupational stress showed strong significant correlations (p < .001; r = .16-.60) with all five occupation-specific indicators of negative mental health. Constraints on performance at work had the greatest negative influence on employees' mental health, followed by aggressive experiences and workload. Constraints on performance at work caused withdrawal behaviors and workload caused emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment and withdrawal behaviors in men significantly more often than in women. Aggressive experiences caused depersonalization and negative affect at work in women significantly more often than in men. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Occupational stress had a significant negative influence on all occupation-specific indicators of employees' mental health. This influence had pronounced gendered characteristics. These results convincingly demonstrate the need for effective measures to prevent occupational stress.

Characteristic impacts of combat stressors on posttraumatic stress disorder in Ukrainian military personnel who participated in the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a leading health problem among military personnel involved in armed conflicts. The current study identified and examined the influence of combat stressors leading to the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Ukrainian military personnel (N= 188) who participated in the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine for a period of 4 to 16 months. The results showed that the leading combat stressors regarding Ukrainian service members' predisposition to PTSD were as follows: "witnessing someone get hit by incoming or outgoing rounds"; "being surrounded by the enemy"; "danger of being injured or killed, ambushed, in other very dangerous situations"; "corpses or blood"; "smells of gases, corpses, etc."; "stressors of family life"; "fear of a respondent's own death"; "inability to change a respondent's own living conditions"; "ruined buildings, machinery, structures, landscape"; "physical killing of an enemy"; "intense interpersonal conflicts"; "monotony of the surrounding conditions"; "stressors of a moral and ethical nature"; "dissatisfied biological and social needs"; and "long-term loads that cause fatigue." This study found a significant difference between Ukrainian military personnel's subjective perception of the power of a combat stressor and its real ability to cause Posttraumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. Those stressors that were subjectively evaluated by military personnel as more significant did not increase Posttraumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. These results may be useful for the prevention and treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in military personnel involved in armed conflicts

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Dynamics of indicators of expeditioners' psychological states during long Antarctic stay

This study examines the dynamics of expeditioners' psychological states during one year of work at the Antarctic station. It included twelve expeditioners of Akademik Vernadsky Ukrainian Antarctic Station. Thirteen series of monthly studies were carried out using the modified methodology of the scaled psychological state self-assessment. The states were assessed for the psycho-physiological (well-being, activity, mood, performance, health status) and social-psychological (satisfaction with relations with colleagues, satisfaction with the environment and work performed, life satisfaction) components. In general, the self-assessed indicators of expeditioners' psychological states rise significantly during the first four months of the year-long expedition. Further, their average self-assessments begin to decline gradually, reaching the lowest values in the last two months of staying at the Antarctic station. However, some indicators showed dynamics slightly different from the general tendency, and psychological states of some expeditioners remained quite stable during all expedition. The results of this study can be used for better psychological selection of Antarctic expedition participants and psychological support for them

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