PECULIARITIES OF ASSESSMENT AND PREDICTION OF SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS IN COMBATANTS. Kalnish V. V., Shvets A. V., Maltsev A. V.

https://doi.org/10.33573/ujoh2018.02.029

Kalnish V. V., Shvets A. V., Maltsev A. V.

PECULIARITIES OF ASSESSMENT AND PREDICTION OF SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS IN COMBATANTS

Ukrainian Military Medical Academy, Kyiv

Introduction. The duration and dynamics of transformation of the functional state in the recovery of combatants' psychophysiological functions are not identical, as they depend on conditions of armed conflict zone, intensity of stresses experienced, the initial level of the serviceman's functional state before being deployed to the operation area, etc. Therefore, it is extremely important to carefully analyze the spontaneous recovery process of servicemen after they leave this zone and further performance of their official duties.

The purpose of research – evaluation and prediction of the dynamics of psycho-physiological functions recovery of relatively healthy soldiers who took direct part in the hostilities and continued their professional career after returning from the armed conflict zone.

Materials and methods. The analysis of the survey results covered several groups of servicemen aged from 20 to 35: Group 1, who did not take part in the Joint Forces operation (JFO) zone (54 persons), Group 2, whose term of service was at least 1 month after returning from the zone of JFO (52 persons ) , Group 3, whose term of service at the time of return from the zone JFO was from 1 to 3 months (34 persons), Group 4, the term of service which after returning from the zone of JFO was from 3 months or more (46 persons). In order to assess individual-typological functions of the nervous system, indices of functional mobility of the nervous processes and strength of the nervous processes were studied, and, characteristics of the reaction to the moving object for evaluation of psychodynamic functions. The study of the vegetative nervous system was conducted in accordance with the generally accepted standards for analysis of heart rate variability.

Results. The presence of different mechanisms of spontaneous recovery of psycho-physiological functions after being in the combat zone was found, based on the analysis of the dynamics of the level of servicemen’s psychophysiological functions. Based on these patterns, it can be assumed that mechanisms of adaptation to the effect of the excessive stress in these individuals are also significantly different. The presence of the significant effect of the time factor on the process of the spontaneous recovery of the psychophysiological state after participating in the JFO zone using heart rhythm regulation data of studied groups has been revealed (p < 0,05). A discriminant model is developed, allowing to refer a serviceman, who has not yet been in potentially traumatic conditions of the combat situation, to groups with different processes of recovery of the psychophysiological state. Conclusions. It is proved that servicemen should be considered as a heterogeneous contingent, consisting of two groups, differed by their professionally important psychophysiological functions at the stage before participation in the hostilities. Servicemen with low psychophysiological indicators, as well as those in which the spontaneous recovery of the psychophysiological state was short-termed, can be attributed to groups of the increased risk as concerns the procedure of the secondary psychophysiological selection. The recovery of psychophysiological functions and the regulation of heart rhythm are of the same tendency in all studied military personnel; the recovery of the heart rhythm regulation in the group with higher psychophysiological indices occurs more quickly, and the recovery of psychophysiological functions themselves differs by their structure and level (simple psychodynamic functions are recovered unequally whereas combined individual-typological functions are recovered more identically). The decision support model for prediction of the reaction on the potentially traumatic events has been developed; it allows to refer a serviceman, who has not yet been in potentially traumatic conditions of the combat situation, to groups with the different process of recovery of the psychophysiological state.

Key words: psychophysiological state, working capacity, operation of the United forces, armed aggression, recovery period

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ORCID ID of co-authors and their contribution to the preparation and writing of the article:

Kannysh V.V. (ORCID ID 0000-0002-5033-6659) - evaluation of individual-typological functions of the nervous system of military servicemen - participants in combat operations, evaluation of the obtained results, formation of conclusions;
Shvets AV (ORCID ID 0000-0002-9461-7129) - research and evaluation of the state of the autonomic nervous system of military personnel participating in combat operations; development of a model for supporting decision-making on forecasting reactions to potentially traumatic events, forming conclusions;
Maltsev OV (ORCID ID 0000-0002-5432-8701) - studying the level of psychophysiological functions of military personnel, reviewing literature on the subject of work, carrying out statistical processing of the obtained data, forming conclusions.