# The effect of proactive coping on posttraumatic growth among mobilized military personnel with various marital statuses after participating in combat operations

## TL;DR

This study explores how proactive coping strategies influence post-traumatic growth in married and unmarried military personnel after combat.

## Contribution

The study reveals how marital status moderates the relationship between proactive coping and post-traumatic growth in mobilized military personnel.

## Key findings

- Married service members showed PTG linked to 'Emotional Support Seeking' coping.
- Unmarried service members exhibited PTG influenced by 'Reflexive Coping' and 'Emotional Support Seeking'.
- Marital status moderated the impact of proactive coping on PTG, particularly for unmarried individuals.

## Abstract

The large-scale and intense combat actions that began in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, have necessitated an increasing mobilization of the civilian population for conscription into military service. Mobilized servicemen faced challenges in adapting to military service and the realities of intense combat. However, mobilization for military service also complicated the well-being of their families. The study aimed to determine the role of proactive coping in post-traumatic growth (PTG) among mobilized military personnel with various marital statuses after participating in combat operations.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine mobilized military personnel (N = 237 males, aged 20–59 years) participated in this study after engaging in combat operations. The study participants were divided into two groups depending on their marital status: the married group and the unmarried group. The “Proactive Coping Questionnaire” and “Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory” were used to investigate the relationship between proactive coping and PTG among mobilized military personnel. Correlation and hierarchical linear regression analysis were used to determine the contribution of proactive coping to PTG and the role of marital status among mobilized military personnel.

The level of statistical significance in the married group was achieved between the coping strategy “Emotional Support Seeking” and the PTG domains “New Possibilities” (r = 0.310, p < 0.001), “Personal strength” (r = 0.325, p < 0.001), and “Post-traumatic Growth Overall Score” (r = 0.287, p < 0.001). The level of statistical significance was achieved in the unmarried group between the coping strategies “Reflective Coping” (r = 0.358, p < 0.001), “Preventive Coping” (r = 0.340, p < 0.001), “Instrumental Support Seeking” (r = 0.423, p < 0.001), and the PTG domain “New Possibilities”. The PTG domain “Relating to Others” showed a statistically significant correlation with the coping strategy “Emotional Support Seeking” (r = 0.347, p < 0.001). Such relationships were also found in the “Proactive Coping Overall Score” and the “Posttraumatic Growth Overall Score.”

Both married and unmarried service members showed similar average scores in terms of proactive coping and PTG after their combat experiences. Among married service members, PTG was linked solely to the coping style of “Seeking Emotional Support.” In contrast, unmarried service members exhibited PTG that was influenced by two proactive coping styles: “Reflexive Coping” and “Seeking Emotional Support.” Additionally, marital status played a role in moderating the impact of the overall proactive coping score on PTG, but it was a significant predictor only for unmarried service members. This research adds to the existing body of knowledge on personal growth induced by traumatic events and the role of proactive coping in PTG of mobilized military personnel with marital status. The results obtained lay the groundwork for future research that could enhance our understanding of this process among military personnel after combat operations.