Features of depressive reactions in medical university students in wartime

Abstract

Annotation. In the aim to study the features of depressive reactions in medical university students in the context of socio-psychological maladaptation in wartime, a survey of 167 students of higher medical education was conducted using a questionnaire, a scale of social-psychological adaptation C. Rogers et R. F. Dymond and A. Beck depression inventory. Statistical analysis of differences in quantitative variables was performed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test, categorized – using Fisher’s exact test (one-sided), correlation analysis – using the Spearman rank correlation method at p<0.05. It was found that in the conditions of wartime, recipients have a significant prevalence of depressive reactions, mostly sub-depressive and mild level. At the same time, applicants with signs of socio-psychological maladaptation were characterized by more severe manifestations of depression, especially in the group with severe socio-psychological maladaptation; at the same time, the psychometric examination revealed a low level of depression in all groups: 1.94±1.57 points in test takers without socio-psychological maladaptation, 3.92±2.51 points – with separate manifestations of socio-psychological maladaptation, and 6.94±2.40 points – with pronounced socio-psychological maladaptation (p<0.0001). The worse state of socio-psychological maladaptation was associated with cognitive-affective manifestations of depression, on the other hand, the presence of socio-psychological maladaptation, and not its expressiveness, was decisive for somatic manifestations of depression. The same regularities were inherent in asthenic symptoms, while manifestations of affective lability were more associated with a low level of socio-psychological maladaptation, and with regard to dyssomnic symptoms, no significant differences were found depending on the expressiveness of socio-psychological maladaptation. The presence of a significant inverse correlation of a moderate and strong degree between the indicators of social and psychological adaptation and the general expressiveness of depression and cognitive-affective symptoms, and an inverse correlation of a mostly weak degree – with the somatic symptoms of depression was established. The obtained results allow us to draw a conclusion about the significant prevalence of depressive phenomena in military service recipients in wartime conditions, with low expressiveness of depression, as well as about the complex nature of changes in the affective sphere, which requires a differentiated approach to corrective and preventive measures.