The structure of an individual's defensive behavior in a difficult life situation (based on examples from Mariupol and Saint Petersburg)

Currently, the problem of an individual overcoming the consequences of experiencing a complex (difficult) life situation, including the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is extremely relevant, especially in connection with the ongoing Special Military Operation (SMO) and other socio-psychological factors. The subject of the study is the psychological patterns associated with being in a difficult (complex, stressful) life situation. The object of the study is students of the A.I. Kuindzhi Mariupol State University and Herzen State Pedagogical University (St. Petersburg). The aim of this work is to clarify the relationship between the degree of risk for developing PTSD in a difficult life situation associated with being in a war zone, coping strategies, defense mechanisms, and other manifestations of personality, including sleep and dream characteristics, as well as to identify relevant differences between residents of Mariupol and St. Petersburg. Within the framework of the study, methods of testing, surveying, mathematical statistics, and interpretation were used. Among the methodologies used are: PTSD screening questionnaire; A. Lazarus's "Coping Strategies" methodology; M. Bond's Psychological Defense Structure Questionnaire; the Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The results obtained confirm the conclusions drawn in the framework of the pilot study, according to which a high risk of developing PTSD is interconnected with the “flight-avoidance” strategy and non-adaptive defense mechanisms, while, conversely, the development of personal agency is related to mature coping strategies and defense mechanisms. The study also shows that residents of Mariupol who have experienced life in a war zone, in general, and particularly those who have chosen a professional trajectory in psychology, have developed an adaptive coping model for dealing with the stressors of a difficult (complex) life situation (compared to residents of St. Petersburg). Practical significance: The results of the study can be used both in the practice of psychological correction of personality and educational work, as well as in the field of applied social psychology.