Psychological aspects of sustainable development of society

Abstract

The aim was to identify psychological factors that supported the resilience of Ukrainian society under martial law, as well as to reveal the potential of sustainable development as an adaptive resource. The methodology included a sociopsychological survey, a content analysis of the Ukrainian media space and a comparative analysis of sustainable development practices in Poland, Germany, and Sweden. The main results were that 60% of respondents rated the psychological resilience at 4-5 points, 75% considered participation in social initiatives important or very important, and 80% agreed with the relevance of sustainable development in wartime. 62% of respondents changed the attitude towards environmental issues, and 66% recognised the feasibility of integrating European resilience support practices into the Ukrainian context. The most prioritised aspect of sustainable development was identified as social (45%). Content analysis confirmed the dominance of psychological support topics (in 22 materials) and civic mobilisation (in 28), with a clear presence of grassroots initiatives and effective communication between government and the public. The results obtained testified to the high mobilisation readiness of society, the presence of internal adaptation reserves, the growth of civic responsibility and the strengthening of environmental awareness. Sustainable development, even in wartime, was perceived not only as a theoretical model but also as a practical tool of survival and recovery. The study consisted in forming a basis for adapting European models of sustainable development to the Ukrainian context. It was proposed to implement digital psychological support services (as in Sweden), municipal volunteering programmes (as in Poland), and integrative educational initiatives (from the German experience). The findings may inform the development of state and local post-war reconstruction strategies, social cohesion programmes, and information policy.