SOCIALIZATION ENVIRONMENT AS A FACTOR IN THE DYNAMICS OF EMOTIONAL STATES OF ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN WAR
Abstract
Relevance. The aim of the research was to identify age-specific features of anxiety, stress, and emotional regulation among young people, as well as to determine the role of family support, socialization environment, and informational influence in shaping their emotional state.
Methodology. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive set of methods was applied, including the Phillips School Anxiety Test, Boyko’s method for identifying communication difficulties, Shcherbatykh’s Stress Test, the Wessman-Ricks Emotional State Self-Assessment Method, Luchynkina’s «Institutions and Mechanisms of Socialization» questionnaire and psychological training. The study was conducted among Ukrainian school students aged 10-16, divided into two age groups − adolescents and youth.
Results. The results revealed increased levels of anxiety, social stress, and difficulties in emotional regulation in both groups, with adolescents showing greater emotional vulnerability. Youth more often experienced fear of not meeting others’ expectations and demonstrated lower physiological resistance to stress. It was found that orientation toward the Internet environment intensifies social stress and reduces emotional stability, whereas family support serves as a protective factor, helping to decrease anxiety and improve emotional balance. Factor analysis identified three components of psycho-emotional states − cognitive-somatic, stress-emotional, and interpersonal − which comprehensively reflect the mechanisms of emotional response among young people in wartime conditions.
The developed emotional support training program demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in levels of anxiety, stress, and emotional barriers, along with an increase in indicators of energy, self-confidence, and overall psychological well-being.
Conclusions. The conclusions emphasize the importance of family support, the development of emotional self-regulation, and the implementation of psychoprophylactic programs to ensure youth adaptation during wartime. Future research should focus on exploring the long-term effects of psychological interventions and the role of the media environment in fostering adolescents’ resilience.
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