PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ATO PARTICIPANTS’ EXPERIENCE OF LIFE EVENTS

Abstract

In the article the author analyses psychological aspects of ATO participants’ experience of life events as a topical problem for ATO veterans and participants. Their life events and life stories are mostly traumatic; therefore experience of these events becomes a serious challenge for veterans and their families. Traumatic events which were not sufficiently experienced can cause symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD), sleep disorder, difficulty in adaptation to peaceful life and work and so on. The research shows that ATO participants’ experience of life events happens through telling life stories and narratives which results in expression of traumatic emotions and integration of life experience concerning this life event. According to the peculiarities of ATO participants’ experience of life events in narratives the author singles out three test groups. The first test group consisted of the veterans who refused to create and tell narratives about a life event, thus the process of experience through a story did not happen. The second test group included those who realized the life event as they gave short characteristics of its plot, but the process of experience and telling a life story did not happen. The third test group comprised ATO participants who told life stories with the characteristics of life events experience such as reflection, using metaphors, description and analysis of feelings and so on. Life stories of ATO participants are divided into such types as: a story of success, a story of failure, a story of betrayal, a story of loss, a love story, a story of courage and will power. The most positive in terms of life events experience for ATO participants were stories of courage and will power.

Keywords: life events, experience, story, narrative, life story, positive experience

Accepted: 12.08.2016

Reviewed: 25.08.2016

Published: 06.10.2016