Researcher from Ukraine studies and displays resilience

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Yaryna Andrushko, a clinical psychologist in her native Ukraine, was displaced by war in her home country in October 2022. Having never been on a plane before and despite not knowing anyone in town, she moved sight-unseen to State College. Since that time, she has worked as a postdoctoral scholar in the Penn State Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (PRC) where she studies resilience.  

Recently, Andrushko collaborated with Stephanie Lanza, professor of biobehavioral health and Edna P. Bennett Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research at Penn State, to understand what contributes to building — or failing to build — resilience among people who were displaced to the U.S. from Ukraine due to the war.  

Their study, recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, demonstrated that community engagement and support are the most important factors for building resilience and a healthy life among forced migrants. 

Though Andrushko originally planned to investigate trauma — which she studied in Ukraine — she said the topic was too painful for her. So, while planning this project, she pivoted to a related topic — resilience.  

“Stories of trauma were too emotional for me because I was — and still am — processing my own secondary trauma from the war in my home country,” Andrushko said. “So, I needed to find a more hopeful topic to study, and resilience was perfect. It allowed me to engage with people who suffered trauma in order to help them. I was amazed by how resilient these people have been after being forced to migrate.” 

Understanding and supporting Ukrainian migrants 

Andrushko and Lanza conducted an online survey of 502 Ukrainians who live in the United States because of the war in Ukraine. Participants responded to 190 questions about topics ranging from intercultural relations to resilience to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.   

Many study participants reported that displacement was difficult to process, with 76% reporting that the experience of migration was traumatic. Additionally, 61% said that they avoided thoughts and feelings about the war in Ukraine, and 46% reported feeling guilty for not being in Ukraine. 

Despite the trauma and evidence of post-traumatic stress, people in the study had high resilience scores, on average. Those with high resilience scores were less likely to report high levels of depression and anxiety, the researchers said.

Building resilience 

One aim of the study was to understand what builds resilience. Based on existing theory and the results of the study, the researchers identified three aspects of resilience. They defined “functional resilience” as the ability to adapt to new social and cultural conditions and changes in one’s environment. They defined “health resilience” as positive psychological and physical health. And they defined “spiritual resilience” as working towards a goal and finding meaning in life after many of the routines and relationships in one’s life had been stripped away.  

Aside from physical health, the researchers said that all three aspects of resilience relied — more than any other factors — on two conditions of a person’s life: engagement and support.  

“People cannot get to a new country, find a place to live and then shut their door and stay inside,” Andrushko said. “That is an understandable urge — you are in a new place after a great struggle, and you may not know the language or any people. But our results showed that people who have a strong social network to support them are much more resilient. You cannot build a support network unless you are out of your home, learning the language, meeting people and otherwise building a new life.” 

Most people cannot build resilience on their own, however; they need a supportive community, Andrushko explained. Results showed that people who reported the presence of a support network were more resilient. Additionally, people who faced discrimination or exclusion in their new area were more likely to report feelings of isolation and stress. 

“Above everything else, a supportive community is critical for encouraging resilience among forced migrants,” Andrushko said. “I was not part of the study, of course, but my own experience has demonstrated this as well.” 

The personal value of a supportive community 

“Penn State, the College of Health and Human Development and the PRC have been unbelievably kind and supportive since I arrived,” Andrushko said. “I have faced many challenges here. My job as a quantitative researcher is different from my work as a clinical psychologist in Ukraine. I learned to manage and navigate many unfamiliar systems at Penn State to do my job. I even learned to drive, and, of course, I have done all this while working outside of my native language. But thanks to the support I received, I have had a marvelous experience in Happy Valley.” 

Andrushko especially credited her colleagues at the PRC for helping her find meaning and support. 

After long delays, Andrushko’s first flight to State College landed at 2 a.m. To her surprise, she was met at that late hour by Damon Jones, research professor of health and human development, and his wife with flowers to welcome Andrushko. From that moment forward, Andrushko said that faculty and staff in the PRC provided her with a broad range of support — from learning how to use data management software to helping furnish her new apartment. 

Lanza was one of several people who Andrushko singled out with thanks.

“Stephanie [Lanza] has been a mentor for me through every step of this study,” Andrushko said. “Whenever I did not know how to proceed with the internal review board or the project — anything — she provided me such kind guidance. She is at the heart of this research.”

Lanza, for her part, said that Andrushko demonstrated not only resilience but remarkable professional growth.

“Her positivity and personal resilience are remarkable,” Lanza said. “After migrating to the U.S. — as so many have done in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine — she recognized the need to better understand the population of Ukrainian adults who are now making their way in this country. She has been conducting quantitative and qualitative studies like this one, and now, she is also developing programs that promote resilience and well-being for this growing population.”

How to support migrants 

When people who live in communities with forced migrants find ways to support their new neighbors, Andrushko said they can help those people build resilience to thrive, despite what they may have experienced in their past.

“When you are living in a new place and do not speak the language, there are so many things you need,” she explained. “Learning the language, driving a car, completing your taxes, even finding things in local stores — all of it can be overwhelming. A little help from someone who knows the area can reduce stress and increase confidence while also helping you feel connected to your new home, whether it is temporary or permanent. If you have lived somewhere all your life, you have skills that a migrant won’t even know they need to learn. Listen to migrants to understand their needs and then share your skills. You will help people more than you know.”

Andrushko said she plans to carry her new skills, new friendships and newfound resilience with her as she continues to collaborate with international colleagues on studies related to displacement and psychological adaptation.

The Penn State College of Health and Human Development sponsored Andrushko as part of a government program that connected Ukrainian scholars with universities in the United States. The Mental Research Institute funded this specific study.