The Bulletin of National Defence University of Ukraine

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  • Vol. 21, No. 1, 2026

  • Existential challenges of war: The role of spirituality, meaning of life and value orientations in the psychological recovery of military personnel who have participated in combat operations

  • Received 13.09.2025,
  • Revised 29.12.2025,
  • Accepted 27.01.2026
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Vol. 21, No. 1, 2026
  • life meaning orientations; self-regulation; combat stress; post-traumatic adaptation; war veterans
  • https://doi.org/10.33099/2617-6858-26-21-1-115-121
  • Pages 115-121

The relevance of the study is determined by the growing psychological challenges associated with combat trauma among military personnel and the complexity of their post-war adaptation. The aim of the study was to determine the role of spirituality, awareness of the meaning of life and value orientations in the psychological recovery of military personnel who have participated in combat operations, as well as to substantiate practical recommendations for integrating existential factors into psychological support programmes. The methodological basis of the study was the provisions of existential and humanistic psychology, concepts of spiritual development of the individual, and modern models of post-traumatic adaptation. The study used theoretical analysis and generalisation of sources, content analysis, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and statistical data processing. The empirical part included standardised psychodiagnostic methods for assessing spirituality – the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES), meaning in life – the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), value orientations – Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ), psychological recovery and stress resistance – Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and post-traumatic manifestations – PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The results of the study showed that spirituality, awareness of the meaning of life, and stability of value orientations have a significant impact on the effectiveness of psychological recovery of military personnel. Positive correlations were found between the level of spirituality and overall psychological well-being, as well as between the formation of value orientations and the ability to adapt socially. Awareness of the meaning of life proved to be a significant predictor of post-traumatic growth and the formation of adaptive strategies for coping with stress. The data obtained confirmed the synergistic effect of combining spiritual and value-meaning resources in the process of psychological recovery after combat experience. The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of using its results in the development of comprehensive psychological support programmes for military personnel, aimed at restoring internal resources, increasing resilience and successful social reintegration in the post-war period

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