Гнів як маркер емоційної дезадаптації цивільного населення в умовах війни: емпіричне дослідження

The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between the level of psychological tension and the frequency of anger as a dominant emotion in the civilian population, as well as to substantiate these indicators as reliable markers of emotional maladaptation.The study focuses on identifying the correlation between subjectively perceived psychological tension and the frequency of anger manifestations to determine the boundaries of the «window of tolerance» and the depletion of psychological resilience. Methods of the research. The empirical study was conducted in 2025, involving a representative sample of 500 civilians in Ukraine (88.6% female; 62.2% aged 36–60). The survey was conducted online using a specially developed questionnaire adapted for an operational snapshot of the emotional state in conditions of chronic stress. In particular, in addition to demographic data, the questionnaire contained 20 questions. In this article, we analyze the answers to the following questions: How would you assess the level of your psychological tension over the past two weeks? How often over the past two weeks have you felt anger as a dominant emotion? The results of the research. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between internal tension and anger frequency. While 26.6% of respondents reported high levels of psychological tension («often» or «very often»), 12.2% exhibited frequent explosive anger, signaling a breach of the window of tolerance. A three-tier typology was identified: the Adaptive Type (moderate tension/rare anger), the Latent Tension Type (high tension/suppressed anger), and the Maladaptive Type (high tension/frequent anger). The results indicate that for the middle-aged cohort (36–60 years), the accumulation of social responsibility serves as a catalytic factor for emotional de-compensation. Conclusions. The study confirms that anger frequency is an autonomous and reliable diagnostic marker of emotional maladaptation during war. The transition from latent tension to frequent explosive reactions indicates the exhaustion of the individual’s adaptive resources. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing targeted psychological interventions aimed at expanding the window of tolerance and preventing the chronification of maladaptive affective states in civilians experiencing long-term military-induced stress.