EXPLORING THE ROLE OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN SUPPORTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF UKRAINIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH PTSD.

INTRODUCTION: PTSD manifests as a range of emotional and psychological symptoms that can be debilitating, affecting a person's ability to function in daily life. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in improving the mental health of Ukrainian military personnel diagnosed with PTSD. METHODOLOGY: An experimental pre-post-test design with 40 Ukrainian military personnel was conducted over six weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive, inferential, and thematic analyses. RESULTS: Demographically, the experimental group had more females (66.7%) and younger mean age (36.60±1.61 years). PTSD symptoms, measured by the PCL-5, significantly decreased in the experimental group, with a mean change of -16.50 (t=9.042, p=.000), compared to the control group's -4.74 (t=2.18, p=.042). Anxiety levels dropped significantly in the experimental group (-4.28, t=4.31, p=.000) versus the control group (-2.00, t=3.16, p=.005). Depression saw the most marked reduction in the experimental group (-6.48, t=5.67, p=.000) compared to -1.08 (t=1.07, p=.300) in the control group. CONCLUSION: The study highlights that incorporating VR therapy with traditional PTSD treatments significantly reduces PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms among Ukrainian military personnel.