The Impact adolescents' experience of chronic stress on their perceptions of their future

Relevance:The article addresses the issue of determining the impact of martiallaw on adolescents' experience of chronic stress. It highlights the current danger in Ukraine of negative consequences from this phenomenon for personal development.Research Objective:To determine the influence of adolescents' experience of chronic stress on their perceptions of their future. Research Methods:The empirical research involved the use of a method to assess adolescents' experience of the current stressful situation and a semi-projective method aimed at determining their perceptions of the future. An original questionnaire was developed, consisting of four scales: emotional, behavioral, cognitive and physiological. The semi-projective method included a creative task, specifically writing an essay titled "My Day in Five Years". The resulting texts were analyzed using content analysis. The sample included 127 adolescents aged 15-16, all ninth-grade students from a gymnasium in Kyiv. The study was conducted in May 2024. Research Results: It was found that a significant portion of respondents experience a very high level of stress, particularly affecting behavioral, cognitive and emotional scales. Adolescents in a state of chronic stress struggle to build relationships, display friendly behavior, think clearly, and experience emotional extremes. Content analysis of the essays indicates that adolescents have a low level of goal-setting. They do not plan their future, do not perceive themselves as active agents of their lives, and do not see life prospects. Certain strategies are proposed to mitigate the negative effects of the current reality, such as the need for socio-psychological rehabilitation and psychological support for youth whose chronic stress has already led to personal changes.