Psychological characteristics of grieving among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and methods of working with traumatic loss

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the psychological characteristics of the grieving process among internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have experienced lossing as a result of war. It highlights the specific features of traumatic grief, which has a multidimensional and cumulative nature and includes not only the loss of loved ones but also the loss of home, safety, social identity, and life perspective. The phenomenon of delayed and incomplete grief is outlined, associated with a prolonged state of uncertainty, retraumatization, and a crisis of self-competence. The results of an empirical study involving 150 IDPs are analyzed, revealing high levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and life stress, indicating systemic depletion of adaptive resources. Key factors intensifying the experience of the term «loss» are identified, as well as the role of social support as a buffer for traumatic distress. Based on the investigations and practical experience, a psychological rehabilitation program “Pangea. Resource” was developed, combining cognitive-behavioral and trauma-focused methods. A set of coping strategies is proposed, including routine restoration, emotional regulation, social reintegration, and meaning-making. The importance of a trauma-informed approach is emphasized here, it aimed not only at forgetting the losses but at integrating them into life experience. The main goal of psychological intervention is defined in the article like achieving post-traumatic growth, manifested in the restoration of inner integrity, reevaluation of values, and the formation of a new more resilient identity.