A survey among Estonian residents one month after the Russian invasion of Ukraine: resilience is key

Abstract

The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between resilience and symptoms of depression and anxiety, perceived stress, and post-traumatic stress in Estonia one month after the start of the war in Ukraine. The survey was responded to by 342 participants and included information about the study, a set of demographic questions as well as self-report scales. Resilience was negatively correlated with perceived stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Perceived stress and post-traumatic stress symptoms were both positively correlated with depression and anxiety. Based on the results of the path analysis, higher resilience predicted less perceived stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. In addition, higher depression and anxiety scores predicted higher scores in perceived stress and post-traumatic stress. We can conclude that resilience plays an important role in predicting psychological distress, perceived stress, and post-traumatic stress.