PSYCHOLOGICAL JOURNAL

INTERPERSONAL ATTACHMENT AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCE FOR COPING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA

Olha Shevchuk — 2026-07-30

Background. Traumatic events substantially affect individuals’ mental health, contributing to the development of posttraumatic symptoms and complicating the process of psychological adaptation. One of the factors influencing individual responses to traumatic experiences is interpersonal attachment, which affects emotion regulation, the willingness to seek and use social support, and the choice of coping strategies.

Aim. To investigate interpersonal attachment as a psychological resource for coping with traumatic experiences, to examine the relationships between attachment styles, posttraumatic symptoms, and coping strategies, and to determine the predictive role of attachment styles in the use of coping strategies.

Methods. The study involved 50 participants aged 18–25 years who had experienced traumatic events. Ukrainian-language versions of the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) were used to collect empirical data. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rank-order correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis.

Results. Statistically significant positive associations were found between anxious attachment and overall posttraumatic symptom severity, re-experiencing symptoms, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and the escape–avoidance coping strategy. Fearful and dismissive-avoidant attachment styles were associated with a lower tendency to seek social support. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that attachment styles significantly predicted the use of the escape–avoidance coping strategy (R² = 0.240, p = 0.013). Anxious attachment increased the likelihood of using this maladaptive coping strategy, whereas secure attachment demonstrated a protective effect and was associated with a lower likelihood of its use.

Conclusions. The findings confirm that interpersonal attachment is an important psychological resource for coping with traumatic experiences. Secure attachment promotes the use of adaptive coping strategies, whereas anxious attachment increases vulnerability to maladaptive coping responses. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of considering attachment characteristics when providing psychological support to individuals who have experienced traumatic events.

Keywords: interpersonal attachment, traumatic experiences, posttraumatic symptoms, coping strategies, psychological resources, social support.

COGNITIVE APPRAISAL, EMOTION REGULATION, AND PARENTAL BURNOUT IN UKRAINIAN MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A THREE-GROUP COMPARATIVE STUDY UNDER WARTIME CONDITIONS

Anna Chuprii — 2026-06-30

Background. Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder experience sustained psychological demands related to intensive caregiving, unpredictable child behaviour, restricted social participation, and limited access to specialised services. During the full-scale war in Ukraine, these demands have coincided with displacement, disruptions to educational and rehabilitation services, deterioration of established social-support networks, and pervasive uncertainty. Most previous studies, however, were conducted in peacetime settings and used two-group designs that could not distinguish characteristics associated specifically with raising a child with autism from the broader psychological burden of caring for a child with another neurodevelopmental disorder.

Aim. To examine cognitive appraisal of stressful situations, emotion-regulation difficulties, coping strategies, personal and social resources, subjective well-being, and parental burnout among Ukrainian mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder in comparison with mothers of children with other neurodevelopmental disorders and mothers of typically developing children.

Methods. A cross-sectional, three-group comparative design was employed. The sample comprised 163 women: 56 mothers of children with a documented autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, 52 mothers of children with other neurodevelopmental disorders, and 55 mothers of typically developing children. Data were collected between February and December 2024 across seven regions of Ukraine. Nine validated Ukrainian-language instruments were administered: the Stress Appraisal Measure, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Brief COPE, Personal Resources Inventory, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale-10, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, modified BBC Subjective Well-being Scale, and Parental Burnout Assessment. Group differences were examined using Welch’s analysis of variance and Games–Howell post hoc comparisons with Holm adjustment for multiple testing.

Results. The largest between-group differences were observed for threat appraisal (η² = .547), perceived social support (η² = .457), appraisal of uncontrollability (η² = .399), and parental burnout (η² = .368). Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder reported the highest levels of threat, uncontrollability, emotion-regulation difficulties, emotional depletion, and parental burnout, together with the lowest levels of resilience, self-efficacy, perceived social support, and subjective well-being. Within the emotion-regulation profile, the largest differences concerned limited access to regulation strategies (η² = .196) and impulse-control difficulties (η² = .194), whereas the difference in emotional awareness was small (η² = .042). Total subjective well-being differentiated both clinical groups from mothers of typically developing children; however, the proportions classified as having low well-being were similar among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder and mothers of children with other neurodevelopmental disorders, at 48.2% and 46.2%, respectively.

Scientific novelty. The study applies a three-group design that makes it possible to differentiate psychological characteristics shared across prolonged caregiving for children with neurodevelopmental disorders from characteristics that are more pronounced among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. The findings indicate that the largest group differences are concentrated not only in emotional outcomes but also, and more prominently, in threat and uncontrollability appraisals, perceived social support, and parental burnout.

Practical significance. The findings may inform the development of psychological screening and support programmes for mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Assessment should encompass cognitive appraisal of stressful situations, access to emotion-regulation strategies, perceived social support, subjective well-being, and parental burnout. The results also provide a rationale for further experimental evaluation of interventions addressing regulation skills and the restoration of social connections.

Conclusions. Psychological difficulties among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder under wartime conditions constitute a differentiated rather than uniform profile. The most pronounced between-group differences concerned threat and uncontrollability appraisals, limited perceived social support, and parental burnout. Mothers of children with different neurodevelopmental disorders shared some reduction in subjective well-being. In contrast, limited access to emotion-regulation strategies and parental burnout were more pronounced in the autism group. Because the study was cross-sectional, the findings do not establish causal relationships and require confirmation in longitudinal and intervention studies.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; mothers; cognitive appraisal; emotion regulation; coping; social support; subjective well-being; parental burnout.

Date of submission: 26 May 2026
Date of acceptance for publication: 21 June 2026
Date of publication: 30 June 2026

PHYSICIANS’ COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE AS A FACTOR IN PREVENTING CONFLICTS IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Yuliia Myroniuk — 2026-07-30

Background. Communicative competence is a fundamental component of physicians’ professional effectiveness and an important factor in preventing conflicts within clinical practice. The rapid digitalization of healthcare, widespread adoption of electronic health records, and increasing reliance on technology-mediated interaction have transformed traditional physician–patient communication. These developments may contribute to divided attention, reduced eye contact, weakened empathic engagement, and communication deficits, potentially affecting patient trust, treatment adherence, therapeutic alliance, and the risk of interpersonal and medico-legal conflicts.

Objective. To examine the role of physicians’ communicative competence in preventing professional conflicts by synthesizing evidence on physician–patient interaction and comparing communication patterns characteristic of the pre-digital era with those emerging in contemporary digitalized clinical environments.

Methods. The study employed a theoretical and analytical design based on a comprehensive retrospective review and comparative synthesis of classical and contemporary scientific literature published between 1987 and 2026. The analysis incorporated conceptual modeling and systematic examination of psychological, deontological, clinical, and medico-legal aspects of physician–patient communication. Particular attention was given to empirical evidence concerning non-verbal empathy, electronic health record use, patient-centered communication, treatment adherence, conflict and malpractice risk, therapeutic alliance, and structured communication models.

Results. The reviewed evidence demonstrates a consistent association between the quality of physician–patient communication and clinically relevant psychological, behavioral, and organizational outcomes. Non-verbal empathic behavior was strongly associated with patient satisfaction (r = .80), whereas the use of electronic health records was reported to account for up to 31% of consultation time directed toward the computer screen. Active listening and communication quality were associated with patient satisfaction (r = .54), while communication problems were identified in 71% of malpractice claims in one landmark analysis and accompanied medical errors in approximately 40% of cases in university clinical settings. Effective physician communication was associated with a 1.62-fold increase in the likelihood of treatment adherence. Patient-centered and empathic communication was additionally linked to favorable psychological and selected clinical outcomes, including reduced stress-related responses and improved management of chronic conditions. Evidence concerning structured approaches indicates that implementation of the Calgary–Cambridge model can enhance patient-centered communication without necessarily increasing consultation duration.

Conclusions. Communicative competence should be conceptualized not merely as a supplementary interpersonal skill but as an integral component of professional clinical competence, patient safety, and conflict prevention. Digitalization creates additional cognitive and relational challenges that require physicians to deliberately preserve empathic engagement, active listening, narrative competence, and patient-centered dialogue. The reviewed evidence supports the systematic integration of evidence-based communication training, including structured models such as the Calgary–Cambridge framework, into medical education and continuing professional development. Strengthening physicians’ communicative competence may contribute to maintaining the therapeutic alliance, improving treatment adherence, reducing interpersonal and medico-legal risks, and supporting psychologically safer clinical interactions.

Keywords: communicative competence; physician–patient communication; communication skills; conflict prevention; patient-centered care; healthcare digitalization; therapeutic alliance; treatment adherence; narrative competence; clinical empathy.

IN THE SPACE OF POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF PERSONAL AND RELATIONAL RESOURCES WITHIN THE PERSON -CENTERED APPROACH

Nariman Darvishov — 2026-07-30

Background. Posttraumatic growth is conceptualized as a positive psychological transformation that may emerge through the processing of traumatic experiences and manifest in changes in self-perception, interpersonal relationships, and life orientations. In the context of the prolonged impact of the war in Ukraine, investigating personal and relational resources associated with such transformations is particularly relevant. Carl Rogers’ person-centered approach provides a promising theoretical framework for understanding these processes, as it considers adaptability, self-acceptance, internality, acceptance of others, and the quality of interpersonal relationships as important resources for personal development.

Objective. To determine the nature and strength of the relationships between indicators of personal adaptability, conceptually aligned with the person-centered approach, and both the overall level and specific domains of posttraumatic growth, as well as to outline the potential significance of the identified personal resources for providing psychological support to individuals with experience of traumatic events.

Methods. The study employed a quantitative correlational design. The sample comprised 103 Ukrainian citizens (90 women and 13 men) who voluntarily participated in an online survey. Personal adaptability was assessed using the Rogers–Dymond Social-Psychological Adaptation Scale, while posttraumatic growth was measured using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). The analysis included the total PTG score and its five domains: Relating to Others, New Possibilities, Personal Strength, Spiritual Change, and Appreciation of Life. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, and Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficients. The internal consistency of the PTGI scales was assessed using Cronbach’s α.

Results. A statistically significant positive association was found between overall personal adaptability and posttraumatic growth (ρ = .349, p < .001), whereas maladjustment was negatively associated with the total PTG score (r = −.249, p < .05). The strongest positive associations with overall PTG were observed for dominance (r = .362), adaptation (r = .351), internality (r = .348), and self-acceptance (r = .345). Domain-level analysis showed that Personal Strength was most strongly associated with adaptability (r = .416), self-acceptance (r = .392), and acceptance of others (r = .389), whereas New Possibilities was associated with adaptability (r = .402), internal control (r = .351), and dominance (r = .338). The Spiritual Change domain demonstrated predominantly weak associations with the examined characteristics of personal adaptability.

Conclusions. The findings demonstrate predominantly weak to moderate associations between personal adaptability resources and posttraumatic growth, indicating that these phenomena are conceptually related but not equivalent. Adaptability, internality, self-acceptance, and acceptance of others showed the most consistent associations with positive posttraumatic changes, particularly with Personal Strength and the recognition of New Possibilities. At the same time, the relative autonomy of Spiritual Change suggests the potential contribution of broader existential and sociocultural factors. These findings may provide an empirical basis for further research into the resources underlying posttraumatic growth and for the development of non-directive models aimed at facilitating such growth within the person-centered approach.

Keywords: posttraumatic growth; person-centered approach; personal adaptability; self-acceptance; internality; acceptance of others; psychological trauma; psychological resources.

Article received: 05 April 2026
Article accepted for publication: 21 July 2026
Article published: 30 July 2026

EMPIRICAL INDICATORS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF PERSONALITY IN COMBATANTS

Stanislav Khomenko — 2026-07-30

Background. The psychological functioning of military personnel under combat conditions encompasses interrelated cognitive, emotional-regulatory, motivational-value, behavioral, and social characteristics. However, presenting psychodiagnostic findings as a collection of separate test scores limits the possibilities for a systemic analysis of personality and makes it difficult to determine which specific psychological characteristics are represented by the empirical data obtained. This highlights the need for a theoretically grounded operationalization of the psychological structure of personality in combatants.

Objective. To substantiate a system of empirical indicators of the psychological structure of personality in combatants and to assess its analytical utility by identifying between-group differences and examining patterns of cross-domain organization of psychological characteristics according to current military service conditions.

Methods. A cross-sectional comparative design was employed. The sample comprised 252 male service members with experience in performing military and combat-related duties: 126 serving in combat positions and 126 in rear-service positions. The theoretical model was operationalized across five interrelated domains: cognitive-analytical, emotional-regulatory, motivational-value, behavioral, and social-integrative. Quantitative variables were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, Mann–Whitney U test, and rank-biserial correlation as an effect-size measure; categorical data were analyzed using Pearson’s χ² test and Cramér’s V. Cross-domain correlations were calculated separately for the combat and rear-service groups, and between-group differences in correlations were examined using Fisher’s z transformation.

Results. Between-group differences were identified across all five functional domains. Service members in combat positions demonstrated higher intellectual productivity (rrb = .302), intrinsic motivation (rrb = .408), and extrinsic positive motivation (rrb = .461), as well as more frequent use of emotional social support (rrb = .294) and behavioral disengagement (rrb = .383). They also showed higher levels of social expectations and vigilance. Active coping was more pronounced in the rear-service group (rrb = −.192). Of the 78 theoretically specified cross-domain pairs, 27 showed statistically significant between-group differences in correlations. The largest differences concerned associations between internality and social support, as well as between emotional characteristics and behavioral strategies. The findings indicate that current service conditions are associated not only with the levels of individual psychological characteristics but also with the configuration of relationships among them.

Conclusions. The proposed operationalization enables a transition from a fragmented analysis of psychodiagnostic indicators to a systemic examination of the psychological structure of military personnel. A specific psychological characteristic situated within a theoretically grounded functional domain should serve as the unit of empirical analysis, whereas a psychodiagnostic measure functions as the instrument for its assessment. The scientific value of the proposed approach lies in combining the analysis of individual psychological characteristics with an assessment of the configuration of cross-domain relationships, thereby providing a basis for differentiated psychological support tailored to current military service conditions.

Keywords: military personnel; combatants; psychological structure of personality; empirical operationalization; combat service; coping strategies; psychological adaptation; social support.