A theoretical model for maintaining the mental health of higher education students in the post-war period

Abstract

This article presents a theoretical analysis of the issue of maintaining the mental health of higher education students in the context of the post-war recovery of Ukrainian society. The relevance of the study is justified by the increasing psychological and emotional strain on students resulting from the war, the prolonged impact of stressors, uncertainty about the future, and the need to adapt to new social and educational conditions. Contemporary scientific approaches to understanding mental health as a multidimensional phenomenon, encompassing psychological well-being, emotional balance, social integration, the capacity for self-regulation and productive functioning of the individual, are analysed. The main personal, socio-psychological and educational-organisational factors for maintaining the mental health of students in the post-war period have been identified. Personal resources include resilience, life resilience, psychological capital, self-efficacy, optimism and emotional self-regulation skills. Social-psychological resources are defined as social support, the quality of interpersonal relationships and social integration, whilst educational and organisational resources include a psychologically safe educational environment, access to psychological support and a supportive academic culture. Based on the resource-based approach, a theoretical model for maintaining the mental health of higher education students in the post-war period has been developed. The model comprises four interrelated components: goal-oriented, resource-based, process-oriented and outcome-oriented. The mechanisms for implementing the model have been identified, including the development of adaptive coping strategies, the cultivation of self-regulation skills, the promotion of social support, and the provision of psychological support for students. The expected outcomes of the model’s implementation include an improvement in the psychological well-being, academic adaptation, stress resilience and post-traumatic growth of higher education students. The prospects for the practical application of the model within the system of psychological support for students in a post-war society have been outlined.