The Bulletin of National Defence University of Ukraine

  • Received 13.11.2025,
  • Revised 26.02.2026,
  • Accepted 30.03.2026
  • Published 16.04.2026
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Vol. 21, No. 2, 2026
  • existential identity; continuity of meaning; subjectivity; ethical-value vertical; spiritually oriented model; ontological system; forced isolation
  • https://doi.org/10.33099/2617-6858-26-21-2-90-98
  • Pages 90-98

In the context of war and forced isolation, there is a growing need to conceptualise personal resilience as the capacity to preserve psychological and existential integrity and to remain oneself under conditions of extreme traumatic pressure. The aim of the article was to provide a theoretical substantiation of the author’s concept of the core of resilience as a deep integrative structure of personality that ensures self-preservation under conditions of moral, physical, and existential threat. Within the study, a generalisation of empirical observations obtained through work with individuals who have experienced captivity, isolation, and repression was carried out. The research also employed the method of phenomenological analysis, elements of logotherapeutic and existential approaches, a cognitive-ethical paradigm, and an interdisciplinary interpretation of psychological mechanisms for maintaining integrity. As a result of the theoretical analysis, a structure of the core of resilience was proposed, comprising four key components: psychophysiological (bodily integration and regulation), cognitive (reflectivity and the capacity to think under crisis conditions), moral (internal ethical boundaries and principles), and spiritual (the ability to rely on meaning that transcends physical survival). It was emphasised that the presence of such a structure enables an individual not only to maintain functional activity but also to preserve dignity, value orientations, and a meaningful trajectory of existence even in the most difficult circumstances. The distinction between the core of resilience and other psychological constructs lies in the fact that it performs not only an adaptive but also an ontological function – it protects identity in boundary situations. The core of resilience emerges as a mechanism of existential self-defence grounded in integrity, dignity, and indestructible meaning. The practical value of the study lies in the application of the concept of the core of resilience as a diagnostic and intervention tool for the rehabilitation of former captives, veterans, and victims of extreme violence, as well as for the training of military personnel and specialists through the development of bodily, cognitive, moral, and spiritual resilience

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