The thematic issue (2026, No. 3), devoted to psychological trauma and its consequences, features nine articles, including three theoretical reviews and four articles presenting the results of empirical studies.
The “Theoretical Reviews” section opens with an analytical review by I.V. Kiseleva, which provides a comparative analysis of different approaches to the phenomenon of psychological traumatization. The article examines the limitations and strengths of each approach.
The authors of the second theoretical article, O.A. Sagalakova and D.V. Truevtsev, propose a continuum model describing how traumatic experiences shape persistent expectations of threat, which influence the construction of perceived reality from illusions to hallucinations. Notably, this model draws on developments in cultural-historical psychology, including the work of S.Ya. Rubinstein on the mechanisms of auditory hallucinations.
The final article in the section addresses a particularly pressing topic in the era of digitalization: the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) in trauma psychotherapy. The article presents a balanced overview of the debate between cyber-optimists and cyber-pessimists. The authors, L.I. Ivakhnenko and V.A. Maksimenko, demonstrate that cyber-optimists show considerable enthusiasm for the potential of AI technologies in psychotherapy but may overlook studies indicating the significant risks associated with using AI in trauma therapy, including possible errors and negative consequences of chatbot use.
All the remaining articles in the issue present original empirical research on psychological traumatization in adults and children.
The first two articles (Yu.Yu. Pentsak; A.I. Khain et al.) examine the role of trauma in somatic disorders. An important strength of these studies is their longitudinal design in a radiosurgery clinic and an oncology clinic. Although such a research design is relatively labor-intensive, it significantly increases the reliability and evidential strength of the findings and conclusions.
The next article in the section examines the specific characteristics of experiencing loss at a young age. The authors, N.E. Kharlamenkova and A.A. Agisheva, offer a new perspective on the problem of loss by distinguishing between symptoms of traumatic stress and pathological grief.
The final three articles in the issue address stress-related problems associated with the context of the special military operation (SMO) among different population groups.
E.V. Tikhomirova, A.G. Samokhvalova, and M.V. Saporovskaya, the authors of the first article in this group, emphasize that “the context of the special military operation radically exacerbates the risks of stress arising from information overload, which directly affects individuals’ psychological and existential security”.
A group of authors — M.V. Baleva, N.A. Rudnov, V.A. Plotnikova, A.N. Shatskaya, E.G. Maksimenko, and I.V. Sultanova — present a study examining the influence of maternal stress and parenting style on stress levels in preschool children. More than 3,500 mothers living in different regions of Russia, including areas affected by armed conflict, participated in the study.
The issue concludes with an article by A.A. Pirogova and colleagues assessing stress levels and the severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among combat participants admitted for treatment following acoustic barotrauma. Importantly, the study design made it possible to identify the sources of severe psychological distress that the wounded participants themselves considered most significant, as well as the resources that helped them cope.
The journal's editorial board hopes that, in these challenging times, the articles in this special issue will help specialists provide more effective support to different population groups experiencing high levels of stress, including traumatic stress.