article · Nature Communications
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 generated widespread consequences beyond the immediate conflict zone. To examine its wider mental health effects, an experience-sampling study tracked 1,341 individuals across 17 European nations using tens of thousands of real-time assessments during the weeks surrounding the invasion. The findings revealed an immediate, significant drop in psychological well-being on the day the invasion occurred. Subsequent recovery in the following weeks varied according to individual personality traits, whereas factors such as age, gender, subjective social status, and political orientation showed no statistically significant link to recovery rates. Additionally, participants reported lower levels of well-being on days when content related to the war was more prominent on social media platforms. These findings highlight the psychological toll of international conflicts on populations residing outside the active conflict zone.
Armed conflicts cause massive global disruption, but their indirect psychological effects on neighbouring populations are often overlooked. This work shows that major geopolitical crises immediately diminish personal well-being across borders, with media exposure playing an active role. Recognising these patterns helps public health authorities and organisations understand how distant crises influence broad population mental health.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway or commercialisation opportunity, as it presents observational psychological research rather than a product, intervention, or tool.
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has had devastating effects on the Ukrainian population and the global economy, environment, and political order. However, little is known about the psychological states surrounding the outbreak of war, particularly the mental well-being of individuals outside Ukraine. Here, we present a longitudinal experience-sampling study of a convenience sample from 17 European countries (total participants = 1,341, total assessments = 44,894, countries with >100 participants = 5) that allows us to track well-being levels across countries during the weeks surrounding the outbreak of war. Our data show a significant decline in well-being on the day of the Russian invasion. Recovery over the following weeks was associated with an individual's personality but was not statistically significantly associated with their age, gender, subjective social status, and political orientation. In general, well-being was lower on days when the war was more salient on social media. Our results demonstrate the need to consider the psychological implications of the Russo-Ukrainian war next to its humanitarian, economic, and ecological consequences.
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44693-6
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