Psychological Resilience of Mental Health Workers During the Russia-Ukraine War: Implications for Clinical Interventions.

Objective

To examine the prevalence and key correlates of psychological resilience in Ukrainian mental health workers (MHWs), using a novel discrepancy-based psychiatric resilience (DBPR) analytic approach.

Methods

A total of 178 Ukrainian MHWs, recruited via convenience sampling from July to August 2023, completed a survey assessing their war-related exposures, occupational stress, and mental health symptoms and sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics. DBPR scores were computed by regressing composite distress scores onto measures of war- and work-related stressors. Psychological resilience was defined as lower actual, relative to predicted, composite distress scores. Multivariable and relative importance analyses were conducted to identify and quantify factors associated with greater resilience.

Results

A total of 55.6% of MHWs were classified as resilient. Greater levels of close social relationships, presence of meaning in life, and optimism were independently associated with greater resilience.

Conclusion

A slight majority of Ukrainian MHWs exhibit psychological resilience in the face of ongoing conflict and occupational stressors. Clinical interventions to bolster social connectedness, meaning in life, and optimism may help promote resilience in this population. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2024;26(5):24m03761. Author affiliations are listed at the end of this article.