PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY TRAUMATIZATION AMONG PERSONNEL OF THE SECURITY FORCES OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article provides a theoretical analysis of the psychological determinants underlying the development of secondary traumatization among personnel of Ukraine’s security forces under conditions of full-scale war and chronic occupational stress. It is shown that the specific nature of professional duties (responding to the consequences of combat actions, interacting with victims and witnesses, and working with traumatic materials) generates persistent psycho-emotional strain, in which secondary traumatic stress may accumulate gradually and remain insufficiently recognized. The essence of secondary traumatization is уточнено as an indirect form of psychotraumatization arising from empathic involvement in another person’s traumatic experience and regular exposure to human losses, violence, and crisis events. The main manifestations of this phenomenon are outlined, including intrusions, avoidance, hyperarousal, sleep disturbances, emotional exhaustion, cognitive difficulties, somatic reactions, moral depletion, and a tendency toward emotional distancing.
A distinction is made between secondary traumatization and emotional burnout. Burnout is primarily associated with long-term overload and responsibility, whereas secondary trauma has a stronger connection to traumatic content and is often characterized by a more rapid onset. At the same time, both phenomena may coexist, increasing the risks of professional maladaptation and reducing the effectiveness of service performance. The role of key psychological determinants is substantiated: empathy may act as a risk factor in the absence of adequate self-regulation; resilience and personal resources reduce the intensity of secondary stress; coping strategies determine the adaptability of responses to occupational demands; and professional identity may serve a protective function, although under conditions of chronic traumatization it may undergo deformation. перспективні directions of prevention are identified, including supervisory support, workload regulation, restorative practices, and the development of self-regulation skills.