MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUTH UNDER MARTIAL LAW: RESILIENCE RESOURCES VS. RISK FACTORS

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive theoretical and analytical study of the problem of preserving the mental health of youth under prolonged martial law. The author argues that in a situation of systemic sociogenic crisis, traditional deficit-based approaches should be replaced by a resource paradigm, where mental health is viewed as a dynamic process of adaptation and self-regulation. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of cumulative war risks that block access to basic support systems, and the role of the environment in creating “compensatory pathways” (digital platforms, youth volunteer hubs, horizontal mutual aid networks). The work synthesizes leading world models of resilience: A. Antonovsky's salutogenic approach, A. Masten's “ordinary magic” of resilience, and M. Ungar's ecological model. A key aspect of the study is the differentiation between mechanisms of stabilization and personality development. Through the lens of the theory of L. Calhoun and R. Tedeschi, the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth (PTG) is analyzed as a qualitative transformation of self-perception and life philosophy. It is proved that the instrumental basis of such growth is psychological flexibility within the framework of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) by S. Hayes, as well as the multidimensional model of coping BASIC Ph by M. Lahad. It is concluded that resilience emerges as a universal internal mechanism that ensures the well-being of youth regardless of the socio-cultural and spatial context of their stay. The results emphasize that the combination of psychological flexibility and hardiness as “existential courage” allows not only to neutralize the influence of destructive factors but also to transform traumatic experience into a resource for self-realization and professional success.