Bulletin of National Defence University of Ukraine

This article presents the results of a theoretical and empirical study of the gender-specific characteristics of intrapersonal conflict in adolescents under conditions of chronic war-related stress. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing psycho-emotional burden placed on adolescents during martial law, accompanied by heightened levels of anxiety, emotional tension, internal disorganisation, and disturbances in the processes of personal self-determination. The issue is of particular significance during adolescence, which is a sensitive period for the development of self-esteem, identity, and systems of interpersonal relationships. The aim of the study was to identify the gender-specific characteristics of adolescents' experience of intrapersonal conflict under conditions of prolonged war-related stress and to determine the specific characteristics of their emotional responses and methods of psychological adaptation. The theoretical analysis was based on contemporary scientific approaches to understanding intrapersonal conflict, the psychological characteristics of adolescence, and the impact of chronic stress on individual mental development. The empirical study was conducted among adolescents aged 13-16 years living under conditions of systematic exposure to war-related events. A set of psychodiagnostic methods was used to investigate the characteristics of intrapersonal conflict, focusing on the assessment of anxiety levels, self-esteem characteristics, frustration responses, coping strategies, and psychological defence mechanisms. Quantitative analysis methods and Student's t-test were employed for the statistical processing of the results. The empirical findings revealed gender-specific characteristics of intrapersonal conflict among adolescents under conditions of chronic war-related stress. It was established that girls demonstrated higher levels of trait anxiety (49 points) and state anxiety (50 points), a predominance of intropunitive reactions (62%), and greater use of the coping strategy of seeking social support (67%), whereas boys more frequently exhibited extrapunitive reactions (58%) and avoidance coping strategies (61%). The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of applying the findings to the development of gender-oriented programmes of psychological support and psycho-emotional assistance for adolescents under martial law. The results may be used by psychologists, social educators, and mental health professionals to prevent maladaptive manifestations, enhance resilience to stress, and promote the development of effective psychological adaptation strategies among adolescents

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