More than 45% of Ukrainian students who fled to Poland following Russia’s full-scale invasion showed signs of posttraumatic stress disorder, according to new research published in the Journal of Religion and Health. Yet the same group also demonstrated notably high levels of posttraumatic growth, suggesting that even in the most severe circumstances, psychological recovery and positive change are possible.
The study, led by researchers from the University College of Professional Education in Wrocław and the University of Lodz, examined 152 Ukrainian students aged 18–24 who had relocated to Poland after the outbreak of war. All participants had been exposed to war-related events, and the majority were female. The researchers sought to understand how spirituality and rumination, specifically the tendency to reflect on traumatic experiences, shaped both the negative and positive psychological outcomes of war trauma.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most recognised consequences of exposure to war. Symptoms include intrusive memories, emotional numbing, avoidance, and heightened reactivity. Among this group of Ukrainian students, those who had a prior history of trauma unrelated to war, or whose families had suffered war-related losses, showed significantly higher PTSD scores. Students who began their studies in Poland in 2022, in the immediate aftermath of the invasion, were also more severely affected than those who arrived later.
The research drew a clear distinction between two types of rumination. Intrusive rumination refers to automatic, uncontrolled thoughts that flood the mind without warning and contribute to PTSD symptoms. Deliberate rumination, by contrast, involves intentionally processing a traumatic experience in order to find meaning in it. The study found that intrusive rumination was strongly linked to higher PTSD severity, while deliberate rumination was associated with post-traumatic growth, a concept describing positive psychological change that can emerge following adversity, including a stronger sense of personal strength, improved relationships, and a deeper appreciation of life.
Spirituality also played a significant role, particularly in promoting growth rather than reducing distress. The harmony dimension of spirituality, referring to an individual’s sense of inner balance and coherence with the world, was the only aspect of spirituality to show a negative association with PTSD symptoms. All three dimensions of spirituality measured, which included religious attitudes, ethical sensitivity, and harmony, were positively linked to post-traumatic growth. Deliberate rumination was further found to mediate the relationship between spirituality and growth, meaning that spiritual individuals who also engaged in intentional reflection on their experiences were more likely to report positive change.
Women in the study showed higher levels of both types of rumination and reported greater post-traumatic growth than men, a finding consistent with broader research in the field. The study also noted that the PTG levels observed among these Ukrainian students were higher than those reported in comparable samples of British students who had experienced various types of trauma, which may suggest that war-related adversity, when survived, can generate particularly profound psychological transformation.
The researchers acknowledged that the cross-sectional design of the study limits conclusions about cause and effect, and that the sample was relatively small with a notable overrepresentation of female participants. They recommend that intervention programmes for war-affected individuals prioritise building skills for coping with trauma, encourage deliberate reflection on difficult experiences, and support the development of spirituality as a personal resource.