How the Ongoing War Affects Ukrainian Youth

burned out apartment building

This is a summary of a story that originally appeared on Duke Social Science Research Institute.

Last month marked the four-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For Ukrainian youth growing up during war, stress is not a single event, but an ongoing condition. 

Since February 2022, more than 45,000 air alarms have sounded across Ukraine, and more than 12,000 explosions have devastated the country. For young people living there, it’s a part of daily life. 

A recent study of Ukraine youth found this ongoing exposure to war is associated with both psychological distress and a biological marker of chronic stress. The study is the first known to examine the relationship between youth’s levels of hair cortisol, war exposure, and psychological distress in an active war zone. Cortisol is a hormone that regulates the body’s response to stress.

Levels of cortisol in hair offers a window into longer-term stress physiology. Unlike salivary cortisol, which reflects momentary or short-term responses, hair cortisol captures patterns of cortisol output over time. This makes it especially useful for understanding chronic stress, such as living under sustained threats during war.

With hair samples collected from 221 participants across Ukraine, researchers found that youth who experienced more air alarms had lower hair cortisol concentrations. The same pattern emerged for exposure to explosions: greater exposure was associated with lower levels of hair cortisol. 

“As you can imagine, collecting data from families in an active war zone is both challenging and time sensitive,” said Ann T. Skinner, research professor at Duke University, co-author of the study.

The findings are especially relevant in Ukraine, where stigmatization of mental health treatment can be a barrier to seeking care. Researchers note that future work should examine how potential protective factors, such as social support, may mitigate the effects of sustained conflict.

For more information about this study and other faculty work visit the Duke Social Science Research Institute.