Psychological features in women of the Republic of Dagestan who survived the stress of the terrorist threat

Relevance. Currently, prevention and rehabilitation measures for injured in emergency situations, including terrorist acts, are especially important. The high level of terrorist threat refers to the stressors associated with vital threat and is characterized by a wide range of neuro-emotional, physiological, and clinical changes that persist over many years and decades. Intention. To define correlations between personality characteristics and the development of fertility disorders in women inhabitants of the Republic of Dagestan exposed to the terrorist threat during the occupation by militants in September 1999. Methods. 125 women of childbearing age from different regions of the Republic of Dagestan were surveyed in the antenatal clinics, 66 of them experienced traumas due to the terrorist threat during the occupation by militants in September 1999. Results and discussion. Psychological characteristics typical for women survived psychological trauma due to the high risk of a terrorist threat were identified. Low emotional stability, frustration and high anxiety were the most important personality characteristics of these women. Women survivors of vital stress due to terrorist threat are significantly more aggressive and hostile to people nearby; this manifests in all the behavioral responses and is associated with higher anxiety, low mood, increased neuro-emotional stress, impulsiveness, expansiveness, reduced self-esteem and lack of self-confidence as well as difficulties in interpersonal communication, resentment and suspiciousness. Neurotic disorders such as affective lability, asthenic, depressive, somatic and vegetative manifestations are also typical. Conclusion. The obtained results demonstrate effects of the vital stress on the formation of long-term mental disorders contributing to reproductive dysfunction.

emergency, terrorist act, Republic of Dagestan, vital stress, mental trauma, reproductive disorders, infertility, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological status, psychological testing

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