Keywords
psychopharmacotherapy
psychotherapy
wartime conditions
How to Cite
Abstract
Under wartime conditions, the prevalence of affective disorders among the general population of Ukraine has increased to 46%. Recent studies demonstrate significant gender differences in the manifestations, course, and response to therapy of these disorders, highlighting the need for the development of gender-sensitive therapeutic approaches. The study aimed to develop and test a gender-personalized therapy for affective disorders in individuals affected by hostilities. A comprehensive clinical-psychopathological and psychodiagnostic assessment was conducted on 148 patients with affective disorders, divided into two groups: Group I – 83 residents of frontline territories, and Group II – 65 internally displaced persons. To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed gender-oriented psychotherapeutic correction system, the participants were further divided into a main group (81 patients) and a control group (67 patients). Standardized psychodiagnostic scales were used in the study. A gender-personalized treatment system for affective disorders was developed, combining tailored psychopharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. For men, therapy focused on cognitive-behavioral, existential, and mindfulness-based approaches, with behavioral activation or art therapy added depending on group. For women, crisis therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and body-oriented psychotherapy were central, supplemented by art or acceptance and commitment therapy based on group assignment. The program varied by diagnosis and group, emphasizing gender-specific needs and therapy responsiveness. Efficacy evaluation confirmed the advantages of the developed gender-personalized therapy system for affective disorders. Implementation of the developed program resulted in significant reduction of severe anxiety episodes (to 11.4% in men and 10.8% in women in the main group versus 33.3% and 35.7% in the control group) and depression (to 9.1% and 8.1% respectively versus 30.7% and 32.1% in the control group). The average quality of life score was 30.4–30.6 in the main groups compared to 12.1–11.7 in the control groups.
Keywords: depressive disorders, psychotherapy, wartime conditions.
References
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