Role balance of Ukrainian university students during wartime

Balancing work, study, and personal life was a major concern among university students. This study aimed to answer the research questions concerning challenges Ukrainian university students face while balancing roles within education, employment, and personal life during wartime and the strategies which can help Ukrainian university students to balance work, study, and life roles. Research indicated that conflicting roles and demands lead to emotional exhaustion, stress, and anxiety. Inter-role conflict theory served as the basis for this research, and the findings supported its main principles: the competing interests of different fields create role conflict, which affects the individual in all spheres. This study employed a mixed methods design. A survey was conducted among 80 Ukrainian university students. 62.5% of the surveyed prioritise academic work, 37.5% prioritise part-time job. 57.5% of Ukrainian respondents do not have enough time for hobbies and entertainment. A thematic analysis was performed with the help of MAXQDA 24 software. The results revealed the challenges Ukrainian students confront: environmental instability (war, power cuts), performance anxiety, emotional depletion. The role conflict within work-study-life led to high levels of stress. The participants struggled with managing time, felt exhausted and burnt out. Among the effective strategies that can help Ukrainian university students to balance work, study, and life roles, the following ideas were mentioned: setting clear boundaries between work, education, and free time, taking rest, avoiding multitasking. Ukrainian students expected changes at the system level, such as remote options for education and flexibility. The findings of the study can provide a framework for further empirical research and open interdisciplinary dialogue between psychological and pedagogical fields. Balanced roles of work, study, and life may improve students’ academic performance and overall quality of life and well-being