Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

The mental health toll of the Russian-Ukraine war across 11 countries: Cross-sectional data on war-related stressors, PTSD and CPTSD symptoms

  • Argyroula Kalaitzaki (First Author)
  • , Robin Goodwin
  • , Anton Kurapov
  • , Mona Vintila
  • , Gianina Lazarescu
  • , Serhii Lytvyn
  • , George Tsouvelas
  • , Alexandra Tamiolaki
  • , Ivan Danyliuk
  • , Jano Ramos-Diaz
  • , Augusto Gnisci
  • , Ida Sergi
  • , Francesca Mottola
  • , Larysa Stulnikova
  • , Claudio López Calle
  • , Gonzalo Salas
  • , Mai Helmy
  • , Yi Lung Chen
  • , Cheng Fang Yen
  • , Kamila Czepczor-Bernat
  • Adil Samekin, Gulmira Topanova, Viktor Nikolaevich Zhamuldinov (Last Author)
  • Hellenic Mediterranean University
  • University of Warwick
  • University of Salzburg
  • West University of Timisoara
  • Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University
  • National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
  • Universidad Privada del Norte
  • University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
  • Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Cuenca
  • Universidad Católica del Maule
  • Sultan Qaboos University
  • Menoufia University
  • Asia University Taiwan
  • Kaohsiung Medical University
  • National Pingtung University of Science and Technology
  • Medical University of Silesia in Katowice
  • KAZGUU University
  • Kazakh National Women's Teacher Training University
  • S. Toraighyrov Pavlodar State University

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Exposure to war is a severe traumatic experience with disastrous mental health effects. This study examined the mental health among 5,560 residents in 11 countries worldwide at different geographic distances from the epicenter of the Russian-Ukrainian War (RUW). An online questionnaire assessed war-related variables (e.g., personal experiences with RUW, perceived concern and threat), previous life stress experiences, and mental health (i.e., resilience, anxiety, depression, perceived stress, ICD-11 PTSD, and CPTSD). Results showed regional differences. Ukrainians had the worst mental health indices, followed by participants in the bordering countries, and then by those in the distal ones. War-related variables were associated with worse mental health. The common predictors for PTSD and CPTSD were previous mental disorder, anxiety, and perceived stress, whereas unique predictors were also found (PTSD: female gender and impact of news on mental health; CPTSD: being single, overall impact of war on mental health, sum of lifetime traumatic experiences, resilience (inversely), and depression). Given the continuing uncertainty about the threat of war for many of the nations in this study, findings suggest the need for practitioners to support concerned populations.

Original languageEnglish
Article number116248
JournalPsychiatry Research
Volume342
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2024
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Complex post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Psychopathology
  • Trauma-related disorders
  • Ukraine
  • War-related trauma, war

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The mental health toll of the Russian-Ukraine war across 11 countries: Cross-sectional data on war-related stressors, PTSD and CPTSD symptoms'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this