Comprehensive study of psycho-emotional condition of university students in time of war in Ukraine

Abstract

Relevance. The prolonged military aggression against Ukraine has created unprecedented challenges for higher education institutions, significantly affecting students’ mental well-being, learning motivation, stress tolerance, and social adaptation. Constant exposure to air raids, uncertainty, forced displacement, and concerns for personal safety may contribute to anxiety, depressive manifestations, obsessive thoughts, and reduced academic performance. Therefore, assessing psycho-emotional responses among students and academic staff in wartime conditions is essential for developing effective educational and psychological support strategies.

Materials and methods. he study involved 120 respondents aged 17 to 50+, including students and academic staff of National University “Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic”. The survey was conducted from November to December 2025. To evaluate psycho-emotional status, validated screening instruments were applied, including the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Comparative analysis was performed considering gender, age, and professional activity.

Results. The findings demonstrate that prolonged exposure to wartime stressors contributes to increased anxiety, depressive symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Most respondents reported mild or moderate obsessive manifestations associated with repeated thoughts about danger and insecurity. Approximately 12% of participants aged over 35 experienced high levels of anxiety, while women demonstrated a greater prevalence of severe anxiety symptoms compared with men. Moderate depressive manifestations were observed in the majority of respondents (62% of men and 85% of women), predominantly among participants younger than 25 years. The deterioration of the regional security situation negatively influenced concentration, educational motivation, sleep quality, and the ability to perform academic tasks effectively.

Conclusions. The students are provided with methodological recommendations for controlling negative psycho-emotional reactions and taming internal discomfort, which can manifest themselves at different stages of the educational pro-cess in conditions of extreme danger. The potential predisposition of students to depressive manifestations requires academic staff at Labour and Environmental Protection Department to provide students with lecture material on the introduction of psychological safety and the development of stress resistance in war conditions to provide individual consultations at a convenient time for students.