THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING IN CIVILIANS
AND MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS
Authors:
N. M. Dembytska, Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor,
Head of the Department of Developmental Psychology,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
ORCID: 0000-0001-6978-7655
E-mail: natalyde@ukr.net
D. O. Mykoliuk, PhD student at the Department of Developmental Psychology,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
ORCID: 0000-0002-9917-9607
E-mail: diana.mikoliuk@gmail.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/upj.2025.1(23).8
Article Information
Issue: 1(23) 2025, pages: 169-186
Language: English
Received: 05.05.2025
1st Revision: 10.05.2025
Accepted: 16.05.2025
Abstract
This article presents an empirical study on the psychological factors of subjective well-being in civilians and military personnel with hearing impairments.
The study involved 270 respondents with hearing impairments, including 51 civilians and 219 military personnel.
The study results showed that for civilians with hearing impairment, statistically significant factors of subjective well-being included autonomy, environmental mastery, social support, self-esteem, as well as one negative factor – positive relationships. For military personnel with hearing impairment, the key factors were self-acceptance, social support, and self-esteem. Among civilians with hearing impairment, social support emerged as the strongest positive predictor – despite communication barriers – provided it was accessible. Adequate self-esteem contributed to adaptation and resilience, while autonomy and environmental mastery ensured a sense of control over one’s life and preservation of cultural identity. However, positive relations in this group had a negative impact, which may indicate external pressure or obligation to maintain such connections. For military personnel with hearing impairment, social support helped to reduce psycho-emotional stress, thereby facilitating adaptation and rehabilitation. Self-acceptance allowed individuals to integrate their experience of hearing loss into their identity. Adequate self-esteem reinforced military identity and provided a sense of personal value and the ability to make a meaningful contribution to the community. Thus, the recurrence of social support as a predictor in both regression models highlighted its fundamental importance for adaptation, well-being, and overcoming communication barriers among individuals with hearing impairments.
The obtained results deepen understanding of the factors influencing subjective well-being in individuals with hearing impairments and can be used for development of psychological rehabilitation and counseling programs for this population.
Key words: life satisfaction, psychological well-being, well-being factors, autonomy, social support, self-esteem, self-acceptance.
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