Abstract: Psychological well-being and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs are key indicators of mental health and personal resilience. The relevance of this study stems from the need to identify factors influencing these indicators amid the growing phenomenon of social loneliness. Loneliness is associated with deficits in relatedness, lowered self-esteem, reduced motivation, and diminished psychological integration, making it a critical issue for psychological prevention. The study aims to identify differences in levels of psychological well-being and basic psychological needs satisfaction among individuals with varying degrees of loneliness, as well as to establish correlations between these variables. The sample consisted of 216 participants aged 19 to 60, of whom 91.7% were women and 8.3% were men. The following psychological assessment tools were used: Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (RPWB), the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale (BPNSS), Beck’s Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and the Loneliness Experience Questionnaire (Manakova). Statistical analysis included the Shapiro–Wilk test, the Mann–Whitney U-test, and Cronbach’s alpha for reliability estimation. Statistically significant differences were found in psychological well-being and basic needs satisfaction between groups with moderate and high levels of loneliness. Individuals with higher loneliness scores demonstrated notably lower indicators across all well-being and needs satisfaction scales. Positive correlations were also found between the satisfaction of basic needs and all components of psychological well-being. The study is the first to reveal statistically confirmed differences in psychological well-being and basic needs satisfaction depending on the degree of loneliness. The novelty lies in establishing the role of basic needs as mediators in the negative psychological impact of loneliness. The findings confirm that the intensity of loneliness has a broadly negative effect on psychological functioning, reducing internal resilience, motivation, and social adaptability. Satisfaction of basic needs—especially autonomy and relatedness—serves as a protective factor supporting well-being. The results can inform the development of psychological support programs aimed at strengthening internal resources and preventing emotional disturbances associated with loneliness.

Keywords: social adaptation, personal resilience, mental health, competence, autonomy, relatedness, basic psychological needs satisfaction, loneliness, psychological well-being, experience of loneliness

Abstract: Currently, the problem of an individual overcoming the consequences of experiencing a complex (difficult) life situation, including the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is extremely relevant, especially in connection with the ongoing Special Military Operation (SMO) and other socio-psychological factors. The subject of the study is the psychological patterns associated with being in a difficult (complex, stressful) life situation. The object of the study is students of the A.I. Kuindzhi Mariupol State University and Herzen State Pedagogical University (St. Petersburg). The aim of this work is to clarify the relationship between the degree of risk for developing PTSD in a difficult life situation associated with being in a war zone, coping strategies, defense mechanisms, and other manifestations of personality, including sleep and dream characteristics, as well as to identify relevant differences between residents of Mariupol and St. Petersburg. Within the framework of the study, methods of testing, surveying, mathematical statistics, and interpretation were used. Among the methodologies used are: PTSD screening questionnaire; A. Lazarus's "Coping Strategies" methodology; M. Bond's Psychological Defense Structure Questionnaire; the Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The results obtained confirm the conclusions drawn in the framework of the pilot study, according to which a high risk of developing PTSD is interconnected with the “flight-avoidance” strategy and non-adaptive defense mechanisms, while, conversely, the development of personal agency is related to mature coping strategies and defense mechanisms. The study also shows that residents of Mariupol who have experienced life in a war zone, in general, and particularly those who have chosen a professional trajectory in psychology, have developed an adaptive coping model for dealing with the stressors of a difficult (complex) life situation (compared to residents of St. Petersburg). Practical significance: The results of the study can be used both in the practice of psychological correction of personality and educational work, as well as in the field of applied social psychology.

Keywords: Risk, Development, PTSD, Difficult life situation, Trauma, Coping strategy, Defense mechanism, Personality, Dreams, Integrity