PSYCHOLOGICAL PECULIARITIES OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE PROCESSING PROCESS FOR SERVICEMEN COMMUNITY WHO OBTAINED MILITARY EXPERIENCE IN ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATION ZONE / JOINT FORCES OPERATION

Abstract

Given the theoretical framework to study peculiarities of collective coping the traumatic events (Shtompka, 2001), the article considers the psychological strategies to process and overcome military experience. These strategies are interpreted as partially unconscious but simplified behavioral models. The models can be analyzed throught cognitive, cone and behavioral components. The servicemen from ATO zone/JFO (anti-terrorist operation zone / joint forces operation) face difficulties in responding to the traumatic experience and adapting to peaceful life. The author used an empirical research to identify typical ways to cope the trauma of military personnel who gained experience in ATO zone / JFO. These are: self-control and friendliness of the outside world; zero self-control of the outside world; reflexive comprehension of the combat experience; subjective experience of one's own luck; introspective concentration; acute trauma experience; concentration on one's own emotions; concentration on one's own thoughts; positive image of oneself and the world; being stuck in the trauma experience; alienation from oneself and the world. In terms of adaptive potential, these strategies were divided into two groups – a conservative routine group (1) and a proactive transformative group (2). The first covers acute trauma experience, concentration on one's own emotions, concentration on one's own reflections, uncontrollability of the outside world, introspective concentration, alienation from oneself and the world. The second group covers controllability and benevolence of the outside world, positive image of oneself and the world, reflexive comprehension of combat experience, and subjective experience of one's own luck. The study demonstrates that during adaptation some strategies are used as temporary and transitional to more mature or, on the contrary, more regressive and infantile reactions, while the others are already formed and consolidated in the experience of Ukrainian communities. This approach allows for differentiated psychological intervention and efficient coping of specific destructive human states that provoke misadaptive behavior of the servicemen.