Youth Coping in the Context of the Stress-Inducing Impact of the Special Military Operation's Information Environment

Context and relevance. Young people in modern Russia find themselves in the complex context of a military conflict and the associated information impacts. In this regard, the task arises of searching for mechanisms to mitigate the risks of deterioration in the psycho- emotional health of young people against the background of specific stress. The theoretical basis of the study was a contextual approach to the study of stress in young people who found themselves in conditions of varying territorial proximity to the special military operation (SMO), as well as the dispositional theory of coping. The aim of the study was to identify and analyze the general and specific features of coping with the stressful impact of the information context of a special military operation in young people with different territorial proximity to the military conflict zone. Methods and materials. The study involved 582 people aged 17 to 36 years (M = 20.9; SD = 6.3). Methodological complex: a semi-structured questionnaire processed using the method of content analysis; An abbreviated version of the Russian-language method for assessing coping strategies (COPE- 30), a non-situational version (M.A. Odintsova, N.P. Radchikova, L.A. Aleksandrova, 2022); self-assessment scales for indicators of personal existential security; self-assessment scales for prevailing emotions arising in response to incoming information. Results. The level of stress associated with the information context in young people varies depending on their territorial proximity to the SVO, manifesting itself most acutely among residents of the border zone and Crimea. Young people from active combat zones are characterized by emotional blunting and decreased existential security; residents of border areas demonstrate higher levels of negative emotions. Quantitative data indicate a generalized tension in the use of coping strategies, which indicates a destabilization of psychological regulation. The most common coping strategies were limiting information exposure and distraction/switching, while at the dispositional level, resilience to information overload is associated with proactive coping strategies. Conclusions. Young people's coping with stress associated with the information context in the context of the SVO is complex, but often tense and internally contradictory. High activity in the use of coping strategies serves not so much as an indicator of successful adaptation as a symptom of the destabilization of psychological regulation mechanisms under the influence of a chronic stressor. The findings highlight the importance of considering the territorial context, including the paradoxical effects of adaptation to extreme conditions, and developing targeted psychological support programs aimed at developing flexible and effective information hygiene and emotional self-regulation skills.

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