PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF CONSTRUCTIVE COPING AMONG GIFTED STUDENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF WAR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63437/3083-6425-2025-4(99)-01Keywords:
giftedness, gifted students, coping strategies, creativity, emotional regulation, academic achievement, psychological resilience, warAbstract
The article examines the coping strategies of gifted high school students in Ukraine under conditions of prolonged stress caused by the full-scale war. Theoretical analysis emphasizes that, despite their high intellectual and creative potential, gifted adolescents are a psychologically vulnerable group due to increased emotional sensitivity, perfectionism, and the pressure of high expectations from both themselves and others. These characteristics may heighten the risk of emotional exhaustion, social isolation, and maladaptive stress responses, particularly within a context of chronic uncertainty and disrupted social environments.
The empirical study compared coping strategies of gifted and non-gifted adolescents and explored correlations with emotional and cognitive factors. Results indicated that gifted students predominantly use constructive coping strategies, such as analytical-reflective, creative-developmental, and positive reinterpretation, while emotion-focused forms – especially self-blame – tend to increase with age. The overall indicator of coping constructiveness showed a statistically significant rise between ages 13 and 17, reflecting maturation of self-regulatory and adaptive mechanisms.
Correlation analysis revealed that constructive coping is positively associated with self-assessed creativity (r = 0,481, p < 0,001) and academic achievement (r = 0,350, p < 0,001), suggesting that both creative and academic giftedness contribute to the development of adaptive coping behaviors. Additionally, significant relationships between indicator of coping constructiveness and emotional parameters – specifically, the need for emotional richness and the emotional-value support of creative potential – highlight the role of emotional engagement as a resource for psychological resilience.
The findings confirm that gifted students possess substantial adaptive potential; however, its realization depends on the presence of social and emotional support. The results emphasize the importance of developing psychological assistance programs aimed at strengthening emotional regulation, self-reflection, and creative coping as protective mechanisms in wartime and post-war educational contexts.
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References
Використані літературні джерела
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