2023, Volume 19, Issue 1
Stress among Ukrainian and Polish women during the period of Russia-Ukraine war
Karol Görner1, Alexandra Predoiu2, Ryszard Makarowski3, Inha Petrovska4, Andrzej Piotrowski5, Radu Predoiu6, Adina Geambașu7
1Faculty of Sports, University of Presov, Presov, Slovak Republic
2National University of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Sports and Motor Performance Department, Bucharest, Romania
3Academy of Applied Medical and Social Sciences in Elblag, Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences, Elblag, Poland | University of Social and Economics in Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
4Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Department of Psychology, Lviv, Ukraine
5University of Gdańsk, Institute of Psychology, Gdańsk, Poland; Pomeranian University in Słupsk Institute of Pedagogy, Słupsk, Poland
6National University of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Teachers\' Training Department, Bucharest, Romania | University of Craiova, Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Craiova, Romania
7National University of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Physiotherapy, Bucharest, Romania
Author for correspondence: Alexandra Predoiu; National University of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Sports and Motor Performance Department, Bucharest, Romania; email: alexandra.predoiu@yahoo.com
Full text
Abstract
Background & Study Aims: Russia’s attack on Ukraine has caused a sense of threat to safety and existence among the civilian population in both Ukraine as well as Poland. The cognitive aim of the current study was knowledge about the experienced stress levels among women from two different countries – Ukraine (conducting a defensive war against the aggressor) and Poland neighbouring Ukraine.
Material & Methods: The study was carried out in the summer of 2023 on a sample of Ukrainian women (n = 53), Polish women training combat sports (n = 54), and Polish women non-athletes (n = 73). Stress intensity was measured using the Stress Questionnaire by Makarowski (2022). Empirical variables measures: emotional tension, external stress, intrapsychic stress, fight-or-flight, and mobilization.
Results: The highest levels of emotional tension, external stress, intrapsychic stress, and the so-called fight-or-flight were reported by the Ukrainian women, while the lowest were reported by the Polish women training combat sports. The highest levels of mobilization were also reported by Polish women training combat sports, while the lowest were reported by Ukrainian women. In the Ukrainian women sample, no statistically significant correlations were observed between mobilization and the four factors of stress that were measured.
Conclusions: Ukrainian women’s war experience leads to the exhaustion of mental resources. Polish women, in particular women training combat sports, have more resources, and thus higher resistance to different types of stressors. It seems necessary to further study stress, post-traumatic stress, and coping among women from these countries, as well as to provide psychiatric and psychological support aimed at reducing the consequences of the experienced stress.
Key words: emotional tension, external stress, fight-or-flight, INNOAGON, intrapsychic stress, mobilization
