Psychological resources of the family as a condition for the adaptation of veterans (participants) of the special military operation

Abstract Context and relevance. Participants in special military operations (SMO) are a category of military personnel who require assistance and special services for social and psychological rehabilitation. The specificity of this category is due to the fact that the condition of demobilized military personnel who have participated in combat operations is characterized by difficulties in adapting to their usual living conditions, a lack of acceptance of their changed social status, and a decrease in their social activity. Timely professional social and psychological support can help prevent the development of social and psychological distress, which can significantly worsen the situation of SMO veterans and their families. Objective. To determine the conditions for the adaptation of veterans (participants) of the special military operation. Hypothesis. There is a relationship between the level of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans (participants) of special military operations and their wives’ personal readiness for change (changes in the veteran’s behavior and personality). Methods and materials. 44 respondents participated in the study, including 22 veterans (participants in combat operations) and 22 spouses of veterans (participants in combat operations). The severity of the adaptation disorder in the veterans (participants) of the SMO was assessed using the Mississippi PTSD Scale. The psychological readiness of family members (wives) of military veterans to change was studied using the questionnaire “Personal Change-Readiness Survey” (PCRS) adapted by N.A. Bazhanova, G.L. Bardier. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the results. Results. Not all men who have been demobilized from the SMO zone have adaptation disorders, and most of the military personnel have learned to regulate their emotional state and cope with anxiety on their own, thanks to their personal resources and support from their families. However, both military personnel with adaptation disorders and those who do not have signs of adaptation disorders but have been in the SMO zone for more than one year require social and psychological rehabilitation, the success of which depends on the psychological readiness of the military personnel’s family members (wives) to accept the changes in their personalities caused by the performance of combat missions. Conclusions. One of the conditions for the successful adaptation of veterans (participants) of the SMO is the psychological readiness of their family members to accept changes, and the effectiveness of psychological correction and rehabilitation of veterans is ensured by working with their families to develop their readiness and acceptance of psychological changes in the veteran’s personality caused by the performance of combat missions.