Nearly 1 in 3 Ukrainian civilians meets criteria for PTSD or complex PTSD
· Medical Xpressedited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
Sadie Harley
Scientific Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process
Andrew Zinin
Chief Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process Editors' notes
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
fact-checked
trusted source
proofread
The GIST Add as preferred source
A national survey of Ukrainian residents provides one of the clearest estimates to date of the psychological impact of the ongoing war Published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology, the peer-reviewed study analyzed data from a nationally representative survey of civilians living in government-controlled regions of Ukraine.
It provides new estimates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD), finding that 31.2% of respondents met the criteria for one of these mental health conditions.
People living in conflict zones face a heightened risk of traumatic experiences, such as physical violence, forced displacement and the loss of loved ones.
PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing trauma, causing persistent symptoms including intrusive memories, anxiety, irritability and sleep problems. CPTSD is a related but more severe condition that typically follows prolonged or repeated trauma, such as chronic abuse or captivity.
The findings indicate that PTSD and CPTSD are common among Ukrainian civilians living through an active war.
"A decade of Russian aggression, followed by a full-scale invasion in February 2022, has placed a profound psychological burden on the population. Many people continue to face the threat of shelling, displacement, bereavement and uncertainty in their daily lives, highlighting the urgent need for sustained mental health support.
What stands out most from these findings is the sheer scale of trauma exposure," says senior author Dr. Deirdre MacManus, a clinical reader in forensic psychiatry at King's College London (KCL).
"The vast majority of people we surveyed had experienced multiple traumatic events across their lives, and many had also been directly affected by the ongoing war through displacement, bereavement, destruction of their communities or concern for loved ones. Despite this, many Ukrainians continue to function and adapt in extraordinarily challenging circumstances."
Co-author Volodymyr Kulyk, a professor in the Department of Social Sciences at Kyiv School of Economics, adds, "It is important to keep in mind that PTSD and CPTSD are not limited to veterans or people close to combat zones. They are also widespread among other groups heavily affected by the war, such as internally displaced people, people who suffered from missile and drone attacks on their cities and towns far from the front line, and those taking care of wounded or traumatized people."
The study involved what the authors describe as "an unusual collaboration" of mental health researchers and social scientists. All had a specific interest in the impact of psychological trauma in Ukraine on both mental health and sociopolitical outcomes.
Alongside those at KCL and Kyiv School of Economics, the team included academics from The George Washington University; The University of Manchester; The Center for East European and International Studies (ZOiS); and Combat Stress, the U.K.'s leading mental health charity for veterans.
The study was initiated by the research network "Conflict and Cooperation in Eastern Europe" (KonKoop) and led by Professor Gwendolyn Sasse (ZOiS).
Assembling an interdisciplinary team enabled rare access, under the current circumstances, to a robust, nationally representative sample. A telephone survey assessed lifetime exposure to traumatic events, war-related traumas and symptoms of trauma-related mental health conditions.
Among the 2,504 adults surveyed, the results showed:
- Most participants reported high levels of exposure to lifetime and war-related traumatic events, including fires or explosions, shelling, destruction caused by the war, and the injury, displacement, disappearance or death of family members or other loved ones.
- Overall, 31.2% of respondents met the criteria for PTSD or CPTSD.
Breakdown
- Respondents meeting the criteria for PTSD: 25.2%.
- Respondents meeting the criteria for CPTSD: 6%.
Factors associated with a greater likelihood of PTSD or CPTSD included being female, older age, lower educational attainment, previous military service, displacement due to the war, and a greater number of lifetime traumatic events and war-related stressors.
Being single was the only factor specifically associated with CPTSD rather than PTSD.
Because data were collected at a single point during an active conflict, the findings represent a snapshot of the population's mental health rather than how symptoms change over time.
"One finding we found particularly interesting was that PTSD was much more common than complex PTSD in this representative national sample," says lead author Dr. Emma Facer-Irwin, a child and adult clinical psychologist and clinical lecturer at KCL.
"This may suggest that psychological responses to ongoing war do not always fit neatly into models developed in post-conflict settings. When the threat remains active and unpredictable, the ways people experience and adapt to traumatic stress may be different, and this is an important area for future research."
Kulyk adds, "As pressure on Ukraine's health system grows and uncertainty around future humanitarian support increases, understanding the prevalence of PTSD and complex PTSD is essential for planning both immediate and long-term mental health services.
"Further research will be essential to understand how the psychological impact of the war on the general population evolves as the conflict continues."
Principal investigator Sasse, director of ZOiS in Berlin, concludes, "As a collaborative, we were acutely aware of the need to expand the discussion about resilience in wartime into sound empirical research on trauma.
"Our hope is that our results help inform both immediate and long-term investment in mental health services in Ukraine.
"Trauma-focused treatments are important, but our findings also highlight the value of community support, social connection and population-level mental health initiatives. As the war continues, supporting the psychological well-being of civilians must remain a public health priority."
The authors note that the study relied on self-reported symptoms, which may be influenced by how participants interpreted the survey questions.
Their next area of research is the potential effects of trauma on political attitudes.
More information
Prevalence of exposure to lifetime and war-related traumas, PTSD and complex PTSD in a sample from the Ukrainian general population, European Journal of Psychotraumatology (2026). DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2026.2697563
Key medical concepts
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Clinical categories
PsychiatryPsychology & Mental health Provided by Taylor & Francis Who's behind this story?
Sadie Harley
BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →
Andrew Zinin
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
Citation: Nearly 1 in 3 Ukrainian civilians meets criteria for PTSD or complex PTSD (2026, September 28) retrieved 28 September 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-ukrainian-civilians-criteria-ptsd-complex.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.