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Voices of Resilience in Ukraine: Psychological Predictors of
Resilience in Survivor Narratives
Tomas M. Vanderkam, Dr. Peter Suedfeld
Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia
Edited by: Yukta Bhandari, Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia. Received
for review June 8, 2024, and accepted September 15, 2024. Copy-edited by Julia Murphy.
Correspondence should be addressed to Tomas M. Vanderkam, Department of Psychology, The
University of British Columbia.
Abstract
Despite growing interest in resilience research, there is a notable gap in understanding the psychological
characteristics predicting resilience in individuals who have experienced extreme adversity. The present
study examines narratives of Ukrainian survivors of Soviet concentration camps, or GULAG (ГУЛАГ—
Глaвное Управлeние исправительно-трудовых ЛАГерей, Main Directorate of Correctional Labour
Camps). Our aim is to identify psychological characteristics that predict resilience in oppressive
circumstances and to uncover unique motivational, cognitive, and social-personality factors associated
with distinct resilience outcomes. By analyzing 95 survivor narratives using thematic content analysis,
the study found that Achievement Motive, Integrative Complexity, and Identity Strength, particularly
cultural identity, were positively associated with resilience. Additionally, scores for Integrative
Complexity and Achievement Motive varied across different regions of Ukraine. The study enhances our
understanding of human responses to adversity, highlighting the predictive capacities of motivations,
cognitive factors, and social-personality aspects for psychological wellbeing. These insights could
inform interventions and support strategies for survivors of the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, as
well as other contexts of extreme adversity. This study contributes to the scientific understanding of
psychological states and outcomes through linguistic analysis, as well as the broader comprehension of
human resilience and post-traumatic growth in challenging environments.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
Keywords: Ukraine, resilience, survivors, war, extreme environments
During the Soviet era, the GULAG system was
a vast network of concentration camps where
millions of individuals were imprisoned under
brutal conditions. Established under Joseph
Stalin's regime in the 1930s, the GULAG
system served as a tool for political repression
and forced labor of Ukrainians and many others.
Prisoners in these camps endured harsh living
conditions, inadequate food rations, and
grueling labor in extreme weather conditions.
Overcrowded barracks, insufficient hygiene
facilities, and rampant disease characterised the
camps. Prisoners faced physical abuse, torture,
and arbitrary executions, with estimated death
tolls in the millions. The GULAG system
persisted until the 1960s, leaving a dark legacy
of suffering and oppression in the former Soviet
countries.
This history resonates powerfully in the
context of recent events in Ukraine, where the
Russian invasion has once again brought
extreme adversity to the Ukrainian people. The
brutality that characterized the GULAG system
is not a relic of the past; it is a reflection of
Russia's enduring aggression and relentless
cruelty towards Ukraine. From the mass
deportations and forced labour of GULAG to
the indiscriminate bombings, human rights
violations, and widespread destruction
witnessed in the recent conflict, Russia’s
aggression against Ukraine has not stopped—it
has simply taken on new forms. Understanding
the psychological resilience of GULAG
survivors offers crucial insights into the strength
and determination needed to withstand and
resist such ongoing brutality.
Survivor narratives from Ukraine offer
profound insights into human resilience amidst
extreme oppression and adversity. The present
study examines these narratives, collected from
oral histories of Ukrainians who survived
imprisonment in Soviet concentration camps for
activities or beliefs supporting an independent
Ukraine. The overarching questions guiding this
research are: What psychological features shape
resilience in the face of extreme circumstances,
and what distinct psychological outcome
patterns emerge when considering personal
motives, cognitive complexity, and social-
personality dimensions such as identity
strength?
By analyzing these survivor narratives
using thematic content analysis, the present
study aims to identify psychological
characteristics that predict resilience in adverse
circumstances and specify factors associated
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
with distinct patterns of resilience outcomes.
This exploration contributes to a more nuanced
understanding of human capacity for resistance,
resilience, and post-traumatic growth while
honoring the experiences of Ukrainian survivors
by presenting their stories in an academic
context.
Background
The existing body of psychological research
highlights a remarkable human capacity to resist
oppression and thrive amid even the most
extreme forms of adversity. In his seminal work,
Homo invictus: The indomitable species,
Suedfeld (1997a, p. 196) attests to the “fortitude
and resilience of human beings in the face of
severe environmental demands”. His body of
work emphasizes the adaptability of both
individuals and communities, highlighting their
ability to cope with widespread danger and
disaster, maintain rational problem-solving
behaviours, and derive renewed strength from
challenging experiences. Suedfeld (1997a) calls
for a deeper exploration of positive reactions to
even the most extreme stressors, urging
psychologists to address theoretical, scientific,
and practical questions surrounding this
phenomenon.
Suedfeld (1997b) suggests investigating
the roles of integrative complexity, an
individual's ability to recognize and integrate
multiple perspectives and dimensions of an
issue (Suedfeld et al., 1992; Suedfeld, 2010) and
motive imagery, a person's underlying motives
and desires as expressed through language
(Winter, 2010) in understanding individual
responses to adversity. Such factors, he
proposes, may play a crucial role in shaping
human resilience (Higgins, 1994) in the face of
oppressive circumstances. Notably, individuals
commonly rebuild their lives, citing greater
strength, insight, altruism, and a sense of
purpose as consequences (Suedfeld, 1996).
Resilience has a large cultural component
(Ungar, 2008). In North American indigenous
communities, a strong cultural identity has been
found to safeguard against the negative effects
of political oppression, enabling them to
manage their own significant challenges
resulting from colonization, cultural
suppression, and bureaucratic dominance
(Chandler et al., 1998; Kirmayer et al., 2011).
Similarly, Boulègue et al. (2018) find bolstered
levels of resilience in individuals and
communities in Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova
through increased involvement in cultural
community projects. These projects, aimed at
raising awareness about local and national
cultures, are shown to foster a sense of pride and
coherent identity rooted in community, region,
and nation, contributing to favourable
psychological outcomes despite the backdrop of
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ongoing political injustice in these countries.
Korostelina (2020, p. 2) similarly uncovers how
“effective practices of resilience developed by
the national community of Ukraine,” which
include volunteerism and “a critical approach to
history and dialogue,” aid not only in adaptation
to chronic violence but also in mitigating the
impact of the violence on the national
community. Goodwin et al. (2023) find that
resilience during the period of Russian
occupation starting in 2022 is positively
associated with having lived and/or remaining in
a Ukrainian-speaking area, citing resulting
interpersonal trust and other factors predicting
favourable resilience outcomes. Similarly,
Oviedo et al. (2022, p. 1) find that development
of cultural or religious “interior life” among
Ukrainians serves as “psychological capital,”
increasing resilience.
These favourable outcomes persist
across generations. Kazlauskas et al. (2017)
explore the association between a coherent
identity and psychological resilience in the
offspring of survivors of political violence.
Their findings indicate that a strong sense of
identity—cultural or otherwise—in a family’s
first generation is positively linked to
psychological resilience in the second
generation.
Building on these insights, this study
seeks to explore how motivational, cognitive,
and socio-cultural factors, such as identity
strength, influence resilience and psychological
outcomes. By analyzing narratives of Ukrainian
survivors of political violence, the study aims to
deepen our understanding of these factors and
their impact on resilience in the context of
extreme adversity.
Present Study Rationale
Despite extensive research on adverse and
extreme circumstances, critical gaps remain in
our understanding of the psychological factors
involved in resilience and how these factors
may interact to predict psychological outcomes
in survivors. The present study addresses these
gaps by examining survivor narratives,
employing thematic content analysis as its
methodological approach. Through examination
of these narratives, this project aims to
investigate diverse characteristics contributing
to psychological strength, including cognitive
and motivational factors, social-personality and
cultural components and other adaptive factors
involved in resilience. This exploration aims to
understand psychological outcomes stemming
from extreme stressors within Ukraine’s context
and beyond.
Hypotheses
Several hypotheses guide this study’s analyses:
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
1. Personal Motives Differentially
Predict Resilience. Thematic content
analysis of survivor narratives will
reveal that favourable resilience
outcomes (low stress, high wellbeing)
are associated with higher levels of
motive imagery (achievement,
affiliation, power) expressed within the
narratives.
2. Integrative Complexity Predicts
Resilience. Higher levels of integrative
complexity are associated with higher
levels of resilience (low stress, high
wellbeing) along with more positive
emotion, and less negative emotion.
3. Personal and Cultural Identity
Strength Are Associated with
Resilience. Stronger individual and
cultural identity contribute to resilience
of survivors (low stress, high wellbeing),
yielding more positive emotion and less
negative emotion.
4. Regional Variations. Due to Ukraine's
unique cultural and historical regional
backgrounds, region will emerge as a
significant determinant of scores on
motivational, cognitive and social
variables, and of resilience outcomes.
Regional variations in these aspects will
be observed among survivors.
Figure 1
Regions of Ukraine
Method
Design and Data Source
This research employs both a qualitative and
quantitative approach, using thematic content
analysis (Anderson, 2007; Braun and Clarke,
2006; Joffe and Yardley, 2003) to investigate 95
survivor narratives consisting of transcribed oral
testimonies (i.e., interviews) sourced from
archival databases at two prominent institutions:
Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Museum
(document n = 61, paragraph n = 11,927) and
Ukraine's Center for Research into the
Liberation Movement (document n = 34,
paragraph n = 830).
The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection
Group (KHPG) is one of the oldest Ukrainian
human rights organizations, its mission to
safeguard human rights and fundamental
freedoms from infringement and to assist the
Ukrainian state in asserting and protecting these
rights. The Center for Research into the
Liberation Movement (TsDVR) is an
independent, not-for-profit scholarly
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nongovernmental organization that studies
various aspects of Ukraine's struggle for
liberation in the 20th Century. Both databases
focus on documenting the pro-independence
movement in Ukraine during the 20th century.
These databases were chosen because they
represent the most comprehensive and thorough
sources of survivor narratives available,
ensuring a complete and representative dataset
for analysis.
The interviews were recorded between
1995-2005 by KHPG, and in 2015 by TsDVR.
The narratives encompass a variety of
experiences, including but not limited to acts of
defiance, stories of extreme hardship, and
accounts of varying forms of dissident
resistance. The choice of thematic content
analysis was chosen for its suitability for
uncovering and quantifying psychological
characteristics embedded within verbal content
(Anderson, 2007; Vaismoradi et al., 2016).
Variables of Interest - Predictors
Motive Imagery (MI)
The scoring of Motive Imagery (Winter, 1991)
assesses the relative importance of three motives
in a person’s hierarchy. The three motives are
psychosocial necessities:
1. Achievement Motive. Scored based on
references to excellent performance,
goal attainment, and competitive success
(e.g., “aspire,” “better,” “capable,”
“goal”).
2. Affiliation Motive. Measured by
evidence of the desire to establish and
maintain warm, close relationships (e.g.,
“allegiance,” “belong,” “collaborate,”
“friend”).
3. Power Motive. Includes references to
impact, control, or influence over others
(e.g., “assert,” “authority,” “elect,”
“govern”).
The relative importance of these motives is
inferred from their frequency of mentions in the
text.
Integrative Complexity (IC)
Integrative Complexity (Suedfeld et al., 1992) is
an aspect of cognitive information processing. It
has two components: differentiation and
integration. Differentiation involves recognizing
that multiple dimensions or perspectives are
relevant to an issue; integration involves
perceiving that these differentiated dimensions
or perspectives can interact. Differentiation is a
prerequisite for integration.
High IC is associated with flexible
thinking, open-mindedness, and realistic
information processing but may also lead to
hesitancy and indecision. IC scores are based on
the structure, not the content, of thought. This
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
means any idea or belief can engage any level of
IC.
Identity Strength
Identity Strength, as conceptualized by
Ashokkumar & Pennebaker (2022), includes
three components—two social, one cognitive—
measuring the strength of an individual's sense
of identity:
1. High Affiliation. Reflects the degree of
connectedness individuals feel with a
group. Individuals with strong group
identities tend to use language that
emphasizes togetherness and expressions
of unity. Since affiliation is also one of
three Motive Imagery (MI) variables
under investigation, it is important to
note that Affiliation Motive on its own
did not significantly relate to Resilience
outcomes.
2. High Personal Pronoun Use. Indicates
an elevated level of social focus,
emphasizing both collective (“we,”
“ours”) and personal (“I,” “mine”)
identities. Heightened personal pronoun
use underscores identity as a holistic
concept, where both collective and
personal identities coexist without
exclusion (Swann & Buhrmester, 2015).
3. High Certainty. Reflects confidence
and conviction in one's identity. Strongly
identified individuals express higher
levels of certainty in their language,
demonstrating a sense of assurance and
confidence in their identity.
Together, the language markers associated with
these components provide a valid and reliable
means of assessing identity strength through
linguistic analysis, allowing us to effectively
measure the intensity of individuals' self- and
group-identification.
Additionally, language measures
associated with culture and home (Boyd et al.,
2022) were incorporated to emphasize national
and cultural identity (e.g., “civil,” “citizen,”
“neighbour,” “territory,” “nation,” “vote”).
Analyses were conducted with and without the
inclusion of these measures to examine the
impact on the results.
Variables of Interest - Outcomes
Resilience (Low Stress and High Wellbeing)
Resilience, as conceptualized by Higgins
(1994), involves self-righting and growth in
survivors. It was broken down into two
dimensions:
1. Low Stress. Reflects the absence of
negative emotional states or tension.
2. High Wellbeing. Reflects positive states
of emotional and psychological
flourishing.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
Together, these dimensions contribute to an
individual's overall adaptive capacity (Davydov
et al., 2010; Fletcher, 2013). Stress language
included terms related to demanding situations,
threats to well-being, and feelings of being
overwhelmed (Lazarus, 1966; Cohen et al.,
1983). Wellbeing language included expressions
of psychological wellness and life satisfaction
(Ratner et al., 2019).
Positive and Negative Emotion
Positive and negative emotion dimensions
(Boyd et al., 2022) assess the frequency of
words conveying positive or negative affect:
• Positive Emotion. Includes words
related to happiness, joy, love, and
excitement (e.g., “happy,” “love,”
“hope,” “joy”).
• Negative Emotion. Measures words
associated with sadness, anger, fear, and
anxiety (e.g., “sad,” “angry,” “anxious,”
“fear”).
Procedure
Sampling
This study utilized a dataset of 95 interviews
selected through a comprehensive inclusion
approach. Specifically, the dataset comprised all
available English-language interviews from the
Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
(KHPG) and all Ukrainian-language interviews
from TsDVR, which were subsequently
translated into English by two independent
translators to ensure accuracy. This approach
was not random or purposive but rather aimed to
include every available interview from these
institutions, ensuring a broad and representative
dataset thereby enhancing the analysis's depth
and breadth. The inclusion of 95 narratives
ensured adequate statistical power upon
analysis.
The inclusive sampling strategy aimed to
provide unbiased representation, contributing
findings that reflect a broad range of survivor
experiences within Ukraine and beyond.
Ethical Considerations. Informed consent was
obtained from the source institutions. Any
personally identifiable information was handled
carefully to protect the privacy and dignity of
the survivors. The study used publicly available
archival data, so participant consent was not
required.
Thematic Content Analysis (TCA)
Thematic content analysis (Anderson, 2007;
Braun and Clarke, 2006; Joffe and Yardley,
2003) is a qualitative research method used to
identify, analyze, and report patterns or themes
within data. It involves coding the data,
grouping similar codes into themes, and
interpreting these themes to understand the
underlying meanings and insights. In the present
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
study, TCA was used to systematically identify,
quantify, and analyze patterns (themes) within
the narratives. This approach facilitated the
exploration of psychological dimensions,
identifying recurring linguistic markers for
motivations, cognitive complexity, resilience,
and other psychological factors.
The study focused on two major
variables: Motive Imagery (MI), which
compares the prominence of achievement,
affiliation, and power motives in the text, and
Integrative Complexity (IC), a measure of
cognitive state (as opposed to trait) complexity.
In this study, we also advance three more
recent content analysis measures: Identity
Strength (Ashokkumar and Pennebaker, 2022),
Stress (Wang et al., 2022), and Wellbeing
(Ratner, 2019). The latter two measures
constitute the components of Resilience.
Unit of Analysis. Scores obtained through
thematic content analysis were aggregated and
analyzed at the document level. This approach
was chosen to avoid skewing effects from
document length (Conway, L. G., III & Conway,
K. R., 2022) and because sample size was
adequate, with no need to maximize analytical
power at the expense of time and labour by
favouring finer-grained analyses (Cohen,
1990).
Scoring Procedures. There are two major ways
to score texts for thematic content analysis:
manual scoring by trained individuals and
automated scoring using software. While
manual scoring is considered the standard
(Suedfeld and Tetlock, 2014), automated scoring
offers a reliable alternative, with equivalence
ranging from r = .70 to r = .82 (Conway et al.,
2014; Houck et al., 2014).
Manual Scoring Procedure. Trained scorers
apply predefined criteria to the text, identifying
relevant instances that align with criteria
outlined in scoring manuals (Baker-Brown et
al., 1992). Regular inter-scorer reliability checks
and statistical measures like Cohen's kappa (k)
ensure consistency.
Automated Scoring Procedure. Automated
systems were used in this study for their
efficiency in processing large volumes of data.
Scoring Integrative Complexity. Integrative
Complexity was scored using Automated
Integrative Complexity (Auto IC) software
(Conway et al., 2014). Auto IC aligns with the
manually coded integrative complexity
framework (Suedfeld et al., 1992) and provides
separate scores for differentiation and
integration, improving face validity.
Manually scored IC and Auto IC share the same
scoring scale. As shown in Table 1, IC scores
range along a 7-point scale. A score of 1
indicates a lack of cognitive differentiation,
while a score of 3 indicates differentiation
among several aspects. Integration, signified by
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
a score of 5, recognizes the relationship between
these components. A score of 7 reflects an
overarching cognitive schema. The mean score
for the complete set of materials is calculated at
the end of scoring.
Table 1
IC Scoring and Examples (adapted from Suedfeld, 2010)
Complexity
Example
IC score*
Undifferentiated
I refuse to even discuss it. I will tell them what
we’re going to do. I am not at all interested in what
they want to happen or what they think of my plans.
1
Differentiated, no integration
We are trying to find a solution. We will consult
various stakeholders. At some point, when we have
the relevant information, we will choose the best
program.
3
Integrated
Investing in new industries may boost some
economic sectors but harm others, potentially
hindering further investments. However, it could
also enhance profitability in other sectors, enabling
mutual benefits.
5
Integrated with overarching
cognitive schema
Redirecting manpower and funds from agriculture to
industrial development poses challenges for our
people. Yet, it promises a brighter future and serves
as a deterrent to foreign adversaries. This sacrifice
now paves the path towards fulfilling our historical
destiny in human progress.
7
*Scores of 2, 4, and 6 indicate that some characteristics of the next higher score were present, but not
sufficiently clear for that score to be assigned
Scoring Motive Imagery. As in the case of IC,
there are both manual and automated versions of
MI scoring. In this study, the latter was
employed. The three MI variables (needs for
Achievement, Affiliation, and Power) were
scored using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count
(LIWC) software (Boyd et al., 2022). These
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
variables are included in LIWC's default
dictionary. LIWC counts the frequency of words
stored in its dictionary within the text,
interpreting these words to reveal the source’s
motives, personality traits, cognitive styles, etc.
The scores reported reflect the number of times
such references appear per 100 words of text.
Scoring Identity Strength, Resilience, and
Positive/Negative Emotion. Like MI, Identity
Strength, Resilience, and Positive/Negative
Emotion were scored using LIWC software.
Identity Strength was measured using three
metrics proposed by Ashokkumar and
Pennebaker (2022): Affiliation, Personal
Pronoun Use, and Certainty. These metrics are
included within LIWC’s default dictionary.
Personal Pronoun Use combined plural and
first-person pronoun use, while Certainty was
measured inversely as cognitive processing
word use. The standardized average of these
metrics represents the overall measure of
identity strength.
Resilience, encompassing low Stress and
high Wellbeing, was measured using two
purpose-built LIWC dictionaries. Stress levels
were assessed with the Stress Words dictionary
(Wang et al., 2022), which includes words
related to demanding situations, threats to well-
being, and feelings of upset, uncertainty, and
frustration. Wellbeing was measured with the
Wellbeing dictionary (Ratner et al., 2019),
capturing expressions of psychological wellness
and life satisfaction. Scores for Stress and
Wellbeing are reported separately, representing
the number of references per 100 words of text.
Positive and Negative Emotion were scored
using corresponding metrics available in
LIWC’s default dictionary (Boyd et al., 2022).
Analytical Strategy
Once content analysis scoring was complete, the
data analysis phase began with aggregating and
summarizing the scored data based on
established codes. Word frequency counts and
ANOVA were used to compare the prevalence
of each variable in the coded data. All analyses
were performed using R (R Core Team, 2023).
Statistical interpretation of findings involved
conducting linear regression analyses to
examine the associations between Integrative
Complexity, Motive Imagery, Identity Strength,
and Resilience factors such as Stress, Wellbeing,
and Positive or Negative Emotion. Linear
regression was also used to explore regional
differences in these attributes among survivors,
using region as an independent variable.
By employing regression models, we
aimed to discern whether Integrative
Complexity, Motive Imagery, and Identity
Strength serve as predictors of Resilience and
whether survivor attributes vary significantly
between different regions of Ukraine.
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Results
Correlations and Associations
Motive Imagery and Resilience
Achievement Motive. Achievement Motive
exhibited a strong association with Resilience.
We detected a significant, positive correlation
with Wellbeing, r(93) = .58, p = .03, and a
small, significant, negative correlation with
Stress, r(93) = -.22, p = .03.
Affiliation Motive. Affiliation Motive showed
small, non-significant associations with Stress,
r(93) = -.12, p = .26, and Wellbeing, r(93) = .09,
p = .40.
Power Motive. Power Motive displayed a
significant positive correlation with Stress, r(93)
= .39, p < .001. No relationship with Wellbeing
was found.
Integrative Complexity and Resilience
Integrative Complexity emerged as a marginal
predictor of Resilience among Ukrainian
survivors of political violence. Specifically, IC
showed a small, non-significant, positive
association with Wellbeing, rs(93) = .16, p = .13,
but no association with Stress.
Identity Strength and Resilience
The study found that Identity Strength was non-
significantly positively associated with
Resilience among Ukrainian survivors of
political violence. Specifically, strong identity
was associated with lower Stress, rs(93) = -.15,
p = .15. No association with Wellbeing was
detected.
However, when language measures
associated with Culture and Home (Boyd et al.,
2022) were incorporated into the Identity
Strength measure to emphasize national and
cultural identity aspects, a significant negative
correlation with Stress emerged, r(93) = -.21, p
= .05, as did a small positive correlation with
Wellbeing, r(93) = .11, p = .28.
Identity Strength and Positive/Negative
Emotion
Identity Strength showed a near-significant,
positive correlation with Positive Emotion, r(93)
= .18, p = .08, and no significant correlation
with Negative Emotion. This relationship was
not affected when language measures associated
with Culture and Home were incorporated into
the Identity Strength measure to emphasize
national and cultural identity aspects.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
Regional Differences
Motive Imagery (MI)
Figure 2
Motive Imagery of Ukrainian Survivors by
Region
Achievement Motive. An ANOVA by region
indicated no significant main effect, F(4, 90) =
1.42, p = .24, suggesting no major differences in
Achievement Motive across regions of Ukraine.
Subsequently, a Tukey Honestly Significant
Difference (HSD) post hoc test was performed
to examine pairwise differences between group
means. The results did not show significant
differences.
Affiliation Motive. An ANOVA by region
indicated no significant main effect, F(4, 90) =
2.00, p = .10, suggesting no major differences in
Affiliation Motive across regions of Ukraine.
However, a subsequent Tukey HSD post hoc
test was performed to examine pairwise
differences between group means. This test
demonstrated significant differences across
regions. Compared to the Central/North region,
the West scored higher on Affiliation Motive (p
= .05).
Power Motive. The ANOVA by region for
Power Motive did not yield significant
differences across the various regions of
Ukraine, F(4, 90) = 2.00, p = .10, nor did the
Tukey HSD post hoc test.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
Identity Strength
Figure 3
Individual and Cultural Identity Strength of
Ukrainian Survivors by Region
An ANOVA by region did not reveal a
significant main effect, F(4, 90) = 1.71, p = .15.
The Tukey HSD post hoc test showed no
significant differences in Identity Strength.
Results were not meaningfully affected when
language measures associated with Culture and
Home were incorporated into the measure to
emphasize national and cultural identity, F(4,
90) = .82, p = .52.
Integrative Complexity (IC)
Figure 4
Integrative Complexity of Ukrainian Survivors
by Region
An ANOVA by region revealed a significant
main effect, F(4, 90) = 4.06, p = .005,
suggesting meaningful differences in IC across
regions of Ukraine.
Subsequently, a Tukey HSD post hoc test was
performed to examine pairwise differences
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
between group means. IC was significantly
higher in the Crimea region than in all other
regions of Ukraine: West region (p = .005),
Central/North region (p = .002), East region (p
= .01) and South region (p = .004).
Resilience
Wellbeing. An ANOVA by region demonstrated
a near-significant main effect in Wellbeing
across regions of Ukraine, F(4, 90) = 2.36, p
= .06. However, a subsequent Tukey HSD post
hoc test revealed no significant differences
between regions.
Stress. The ANOVA by region for Stress and
Tukey HSD post hoc test did not yield
significant differences across the various
regions of Ukraine.
Positive and Negative Emotion
An ANOVA by region and subsequent Tukey
HSD post-hoc test did not indicate significant
differences in Positive or Negative Emotion
between the different regions of Ukraine.
Discussion
General Discussion
Our analysis partially substantiated Hypotheses
1, 2, and 3 regarding differential predictors of
resilience among Ukrainian survivors of
political violence. The key findings are:
• Achievement Motive. Achievement
Motive emerged as a strong predictor,
positively correlated with Wellbeing and
negatively with Stress, highlighting its
close association with Resilience. This
aligns with existing literature that
associates goal-orientation with better
resilience.
• Affiliation Motive. Affiliation Motive
showed no significant correlation with
Resilience outcomes, suggesting that the
need for social connection may not
significantly predict resilience in
survivors.
• Power Motive. Power Motive was
linked with significantly greater Stress,
indicating that persons driven by
influence and authority might experience
lower resilience in politically oppressive
environments.
• Integrative Complexity. IC showed a
near-significant association with
increased Wellbeing, indicating that a
more complex cognitive style or the
ability to integrate multiple perspectives
may contribute to resilience.
• Identity Strength. Identity Strength
correlated significantly with lower
Stress, near-significantly with higher
Wellbeing and non-significantly with
higher Positive Emotion, suggesting a
strong sense of identity—particularly
cultural identity—may be associated
with Resilience.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
Together, these findings suggest that personal
motives, particularly Achievement Motive, play
a crucial role in resilience among Ukrainian
survivors. Achievement Motive, characterized
by the desire for mastery and accomplishment,
may provide individuals with a sense of purpose
and direction, contributing to their ability to
navigate and overcome adversities. Conversely,
the association of Power Motive with greater
Stress may stem from the potential for conflict
and power struggles inherent in oppressive
environments. Integrative Complexity's
association with Wellbeing and the role of
cultural identity highlight the multifaceted
nature of resilience.
Hypothesis 4 regarding region as a
determinant of resilience outcomes and
motivational, cognitive, and social variables
among Ukrainian survivors was partially
confirmed:
• Affiliation Motive. Ukraine’s
Central/North region exhibited higher
levels than the West region.
• Integrative Complexity. IC was higher
in Crimea, potentially due to the region's
diverse historical and cultural influences.
Further research is needed to explore
these regional differences.
• Identity Strength, Stress, Wellbeing,
Positive and Negative Emotion. These
factors did not show significant regional
differences, indicating consistency
across Ukraine.
These findings underscore the complexity of
resilience and identity among survivors, with
some aspects varying regionally while others
remain consistent. Further exploration of these
dynamics could enhance our understanding of
post-conflict adaptation and recovery processes
in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Limitations
While linguistic and thematic content analysis
methods lose something in comprehension of
the full experience as it was felt by the
individual, they minimize potential for
selectivity and bias on the part of the researcher
(cf. Langer, 199l) and represent a pragmatic,
quantitative approach to understanding the
survivor experience. Thematic content analysis
enables the identification of general trends
across individuals and groups and examination
of commonalities and differences among their
narratives. Given the wealth of primarily
qualitative material already present in resilience
literature, this trade-off seems reasonable.
A major limitation of this research is that it
cannot establish causal pathways, necessitating
future research to determine the direction of
these relationships, such as whether higher IC,
Achievement Motive and Identity Strength lead
to greater resilience, or vice versa.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
It is also essential to recognize the
circumscribed nature of this study. Due to
constraints in resources and scope, the research
focuses on a specific subset of experiences or
populations, potentially limiting the
generalizability of findings to broader contexts.
While every effort was made to ensure rigor and
validity, caution is needed when extrapolating
findings to other populations or contexts. Future
research should address these limitations by
employing more comprehensive methodologies
to provide a more nuanced understanding of the
phenomenon of resilience and consider
additional contextual factors to inform
interventions aimed at supporting the
psychological wellbeing of survivors of
oppression worldwide.
Conclusion
Overall, the study revealed that achievement
motive was positively linked to resilience,
whereas power motive was negatively linked.
Integrative complexity also showed a small
contribution to resilience. Additionally, stronger
individual and Ukrainian cultural identities were
associated with resilience and positive emotion.
These findings highlight the importance of
motivational, cognitive, and socio-cultural
factors in promoting resilience and favorable
mental health outcomes among individuals
affected by violence and oppression in Ukraine
and beyond. IC scores were higher in the
Crimea region than in all other regions of
Ukraine; affiliation motive was higher in the
Central/North region than in the West region.
These findings underscore the prevalence of
geographical and cultural nuances in the
survivor experience.
This research enhances our
understanding of human responses to hostile and
extreme environments, offering valuable
insights for therapeutic interventions.
Identifying specific psychological factors in
survivor narratives that predict resilience can
inform the development of targeted
interventions and support mechanisms for those
navigating severe adversity.
The focus on social-personality and cultural
features, such as identity strength, within
survivor narratives is crucial for understanding
and treating survivors. The findings extend
beyond Ukraine, contributing to broader
discussions on the intersection of psychological
experiences in politically challenging
environments. Unraveling the psychological
dynamics in Ukrainian survivors' stories
deepens our comprehension of human responses
to adversity and offers frameworks applicable to
diverse settings.
Analysis of narrative themes contributes
to literatures on personal and cultural resilience,
survival, resistance, and even flourishing under
VOICES OF RESILIENCE IN UKRAINE
oppressive circumstances. The implications of
this research extend beyond psychology into
political and social science, education, and
military and humanitarian efforts. By integrating
individual narratives, this study aims to
contribute to both academic knowledge and
practical understanding of how individuals,
communities, and societies build psychological
strength and heal from adverse and extreme
circumstances.
Acknowledgements
I extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Peter
Suedfeld, whose patience and insightful
feedback have been instrumental in shaping this
study. My sincere appreciation also goes to my
esteemed colleagues at the UBC R.E.S.T. Lab,
particularly Nicole Alakhverdiants and Dr.
Bradford Morrison, for their valuable counsel
and support.
Special thanks are due to Yuliia
Lytvynenko and Roman Chelyuk, whose
exceptional translation skills enabled the
analysis of materials in Ukrainian.
I am indebted to the Kharkiv Human Rights
Protection Group (KHPG), particularly to Boris
and Yevgen Zakharov and the late Vasyl
Ovsienko, whose meticulous archival work and
interviews with Ukrainian survivors constituted
the main data source for this study. I extend the
same gratitude to Daria Hirna for her
outstanding journalistic project “Faces of
Independence” which constituted the remainder
of our database, and for her work at Ukraine's
Center for Research on the National Liberation
Movement (TsDVR).
I also wish to acknowledge the
courageous survivors and liberators who upheld
their principles in the face of adversity, as well
as the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their
unwavering commitment to defending those
principles.
Finally, I dedicate this publication to the
memory of Vasyl Marmus—son of Ukrainian
liberator Volodymyr Marmus—of the 80th Air
Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the
Battle for Kharkiv on September 11, 2022. His
indomitable spirit, courage and dedication have
served as inspiration throughout this project.
May his legacy endure as a beacon of hope and
resilience.
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