THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND ANTIFRAGILITY IN MILITARY PERSONNEL UNDER COMBAT STRESS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the relationship between psychological well-being and antifragility of military personnel under conditions of combat stress. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to expand scientific understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying positive functioning in extreme conditions, taking into account not only the negative but also the positive outcomes of traumatic experiences. The theoretical part analyzes contemporary approaches to post-traumatic growth, resilience, and antifragility as the individual’s ability to derive developmental benefits from stress, difficulties, and uncertainty. The study employed the Scales of Psychological Well-Being by C. Ryff and a pilot version of the Psychological Antifragility Scale developed by the authors. The sample consisted of military personnel with combat experience, differentiated according to the level of antifragility. Correlation analysis was applied to identify relationships between the studied variables. The results showed that among military personnel with a low level of antifragility, the relationships between psychological well-being and the ability to benefit from stress, difficulties, and uncertainty are fragmented. In contrast, the group with a medium level of antifragility demonstrated more pronounced and systematic relationships, particularly with such components of psychological well-being as purpose in life, environmental mastery, and overall well-being. The findings confirm that antifragility acts as an important psychological resource associated with maintaining and enhancing the psychological well-being of military personnel. The ability to interpret stressful events as opportunities for growth contributes to the development of a positive attitude toward life experience and increases the effectiveness of adaptation under combat stress conditions.