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Clinical Psychology and Special Education
2025. Vol. 14, no. 4, 5–18
doi:10.17759/cpse.2025140401
ISSN: 2304-0394 (online)

Psychological support for Paralympic athletes and participants in adaptive sports with combat trauma: A problem statement

 
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Abstract

Context and relevance. This work is a systematic review of literature on the problem of psychological support for Paralympic athletes and adaptive sports participants with disabilities who have sustained combat injuries. The relevance of the study is due to the unique psychological risks of this group (high prevalence of PTSD, depression, identity crisis), which are ignored in existing approaches despite the strategic role of sport in rehabilitation and social integration. Objective. Analysis of literary publications on the issue of psychological support programs for Paralympic athletes and adaptive sports athletes who were injured during military missions. Methods and materials. The primary source of Russian publications was the scientific electronic library eLIBRARY.ru. Additionally, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Academia.edu were used, as well as the official websites of relevant organizations such as Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation, the Russian Paralympic Committee. Results. The fundamental differences between Paralympic sports (achievement-oriented, with extreme loads and risks of burnout) and adaptive sports (aimed at rehabilitation, with metered loads and risks of social maladjustment) have been established; the specifics consequences of modern combat trauma (PTSD, transformation of the bodily Self, stigmatization) that aggravate sports risks were revealed. There is a lack of studies examining the interaction between these consequences and the needs of these sports groups, as well as the absence of adapted diagnostic and correction programs for these groups. Conclusion. The need for developing psychological support programs that take into account “dual adaptation” (to disability and sport) and different goals (high performance sport vs. rehabilitation) is emphasized.

General Information

Keywords: psychological support, combat trauma, rehabilitation, PTSD, adaptive sports, Paralympic sports

Journal rubric: Theoretical Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2025140401

Received 02.07.2025

Revised 17.12.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Kotelnikova, A.V., Zentsova, N.I., Nazaryan, S.E., Petrova, V.V., Reshkovich, A.S. (2025). Psychological support for Paralympic athletes and participants in adaptive sports with combat trauma: A problem statement. Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 14(4), 5–18. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2025140401

© Kotelnikova A.V., Zentsova N.I., Nazaryan S.E., Petrova V.V., Reshkovich A.S., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Anastasia V. Kotelnikova, Doctor of Psychology, Docent, Leading Research Associate, Professor, Chair of Pedagogy and Medical Psychology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9605-557X, e-mail: kotelnikova_a_v@staff.sechenov.ru

Natalia I. Zentsova, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Chair of Pedagogy and Medical Psychology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Rus-sian Federation (Sechenovskiy University), Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4097-8885, e-mail: zentsova_n_i@staff.sechenov.ru

Svetlana E. Nazaryan, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Docent, Leading Research Associate, Head of the Sports Psychology Department, State Research Center — Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Biological Agency, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6199-872X, e-mail: sveta-nazaryan@yandex.ru

Victoriya V. Petrova, Candidate of Science (Medicine), Docent, Leading Research Associate, Head of the Experimental Sports Medicine Laboratory, Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, State Research Center — Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Biological Agency, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9987-6816, e-mail: vpetrova@fmbcfmba.ru

Artem S. Reshkovich, Medical Psychologist, Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, State Research Center — Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Biological Agency, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7700-0661, e-mail: aartums@ya.ru

Contribution of the authors

The authors contributed equally to the research, data analysis, and preparation of this manuscript. All authors participated in the discussion of the results and approved the final text of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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