PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF LONG-TERM ADAPTATIONAL STRESS FOR THE PERSONALITY TRAITS OF UKRAINIAN FORCED EMIGRANTS

Olesia  Diundina

doi:10.48020/mppj.2025.02.05

Olesia Diundina Kyiv Institute of Modern Psychology and Psychotherapy (KIMPP)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.48020/mppj.2025.02.05

Keywords: forced migration, prolonged acculturative stress, diffuse identity, psychological adaptation, personality transformations.

Abstract

This article presents a review of the psychological aspects of forced migration of Ukrainians caused by the 2022 war and the consequences of prolonged adaptation stress. The aim of the review is to systematically summarize scientific evidence on the impact of adaptation stress on the transformation of basic personality traits and to identify vulnerability and resilience factors among migrants.

The methodological approach is based on a systematic analysis of scientific literature in the fields of migration psychology, acculturation, and stress. The review indicates that adaptation stress in forced migrants is characterized by cognitive exhaustion, emotional burnout, the formation of a «blurred identity,» increased neuroticism, and decreased extraversion.

At the same time, some migrants activate implicit competence–the ability to act effectively in new conditions–which serves as a compensatory resource for adaptation. Resilience develops at the intersection of internal resources (cognitive flexibility, optimism) and external factors (social support, integration policies).

The review highlights that prolonged uncertainty and loss of social connections can lead to both maladaptation and the development of new adaptive strategies, which is relevant for the design of psychological support programs for forced migrants.

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