Examining the Power of Life Purpose During Times of War: Exploring the Relationship Between Purpose Orientations and Career Adaptability in Ukrainian University Students

Examining the Power of Life Purpose During Times of War:Exploring the Relationship Between Purpose Orientations and Career Adaptability in Ukrainian University Students Mariya Yukhymenko-Lescroart (bio), Gitima Sharma (bio), and Olena Voiedilova (bio) Times of adversity often require an intentional focus on fostering people's inherent strengths to help them not give up on their life's most cherished aspirations. The outbreak of the Russian war in Ukraine has created unprecedented struggles and uncertainties among the entire Ukrainian population, including college students (Limone et al., 2022). The war has specifically impacted university students' mental health, leading to concerns such as post-traumatic stress disorder (Gupta Sharma Wang et al., 2020; Yukhymenko-Lescroart, 2022). Recently, Yukhymenko-Lescroart and Sharma (2022) demonstrated three specific purpose orientations: (a) others-growth encourages efforts to benefit others; (b) self-growth encompasses the desire to grow as a person and manifest one's End Page 321 full potential; and (c) career-focused reflects people's resolve to excel in their profession. The aim of this study was to examine the role of each of these purpose orientations in career adaptability among Ukrainian university students during unprecedented, challenging, and traumatic times. Phase 1 took place during the COVID-19 pandemic before the onset of the Russian war, while Phase 2 occurred during the war following the Russian siege. METHOD The convenience samples in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 were derived from the same target population: students enrolled in the Physical Education Department at a public university in Ukraine. This university is located in an oblast (the primary administrative division within Ukraine) that shares a border with Russia and was significantly impacted during the initial 6 weeks of the war. Phase 1 took place from December 2021 to early February 2022 (before the war but within the COVID-19 context) and involved 154 university students (66.0% male), who were 19.4 years old on average (Mdn = 19.0, SD = 2.46). Phase 2 of the study was conducted from April to June 2022 (after a 6-week Russian siege that inflicted disproportionate harm on civilian infrastructure) and involved 104 students (62.5% male), who were 19.9 years old on average (Mdn = 20.0, SD = 1.16). The response rates were similar across the two phases: 53% and 54%. The college experience was consistent across both study phases, with online instruction in Phase 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the war in Phase 2. The commencement of the war led to the suspension of classes on February 24, 2022, with a resumption occurring after the Russian siege in late April 2022, marking Phase 2 of the study. Throughout...