The impact of trauma on mental health and violence in Ukraine

Abstract

During the past couple of years, Ukrainians have been experiencing major traumatic and stressful events, including the Russian annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine that started in 2014 and is ongoing. Moreover, in 2020, the whole world faced another disaster – the COVID-19 pandemic. Undoubtedly, such cumulative adverse events negatively influence life outcomes of this vulnerable population. Prior research has shown that pandemic and war-related stress can affect mental health and violent behaviour. However, there is a gap in the literature focusing on how various contemporary traumatic events, including war exposure and associated stressors, shape mental health and violence among Ukrainians. This study uses survey data recently collected among adults in Ukraine, which is a part of the larger project “A Cross-National Study of the Global Pandemic, Deviance and Health,” and conducts a series of regression analyses. It draws on two major theoretical perspectives in criminology and medical sociology, to examine how traumatic conditions, including exposure to war and pandemic-related stressors (contracting the virus and daily problems) influence depression and violence among Ukrainian people. First, using regression models, we found a significant relationship between reporting exposure to disasters (e.g., war, genocide) and depressive symptoms. Additionally, we found that those who experienced health stress (i.e., have contracted the virus) were more likely to report depressive symptoms. Further, Ukrainians reporting more family problems and financial issues experienced higher levels of depression. Next, we found that reporting frequent family problems and financial issues increased the likelihood of violent behaviour among Ukrainian residents. On the other hand, health stress and war exposure reports were not significantly associated with violence, which could potentially be attributed to stress reaching a ceiling effect, where Ukrainians may feel “numb” to traumatic conditions they experience routinely. Finally, we provide suggestions for future research and discuss implications for policy and practice.