COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PSYCHOEMOTIONAL STATE AMONG FEMALE MILITARY PERSONNEL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2522-1795.2026.20.1.20Keywords:
depression, anxiety, sleepiness, heart rate variability, cardiovascular system, adaptive potentialAbstract
The article presents the results of a comprehensive study examining the psychoemotional state of female military students at a higher military educational institution who have lived in Kyiv for over a year.
The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between indicators of the psychoemotional state and cardiovascular function in the context of professional activities. The main methods used in the study included theoretical, sociological, physiological, heart rate variability measurement, and mathematical statistics.
Results. An analysis of the results from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale survey revealed characteristics of depression symptoms among female military personnel. The median depression level was 10 points, corresponding to a moderate level of depression symptoms, with high individual variability in the results (V = 42.9 %). Symptoms of depression of varying intensity were observed in 51.6% of respondents, including moderate symptoms in 41.9% and severe depression in 9.7%. The median sleepiness score was 9 points, indicating a higher than average level. Moreover, 61.3% of servicewomen had abnormal scores that significantly exceeded the established norm. The median anxiety level was 7 points, corresponding to mild anxiety. Meanwhile, 6.4% of individuals had a high level of anxiety.
Heart rate variability measurements showed decreased activity of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system in servicewomen. The median values of 31.9 ms for the RMSSD and 9.8% for the pNN50 were at the lower limit of the physiological norm. These values indicate strain on adaptive mechanisms and decreased regenerative potential. Additionally, sympathetic influences were dominant, as evidenced by the higher median value (0.64 arb.un.) of the low-frequency component of the heart rate spectrum than the high-frequency component (0.36 arb.un.). A reduction in total heart rate spectral power indicates limited functional reserves of regulatory systems and decreased adaptive capabilities of the body in response to increased psychoemotional stress. The orthostatic test results showed a moderate cardiovascular response in most subjects, with a median heart rate increase of 18.0 bpm.
Correlation analysis revealed a direct relationship between depression and sleepiness (r = 0.627, p < 0.001) and inverse relationships with parasympathetic nervous system activity indicators, particularly RMSSD (r = -0.388, p < 0.05) and pNN50 (r = -0.493, p < 0.01). These results confirm the relationship between psychoemotional state and functional reserves of the cardiovascular system.
Conclusions. The results confirm the importance of conducting comprehensive studies on the psychoemotional state and indicate close relationships between most of the indicators. Identified signs of strain on adaptive mechanisms and sympathetic dominance underscores the relevance of managing the psychoemotional state through health-enhancing fitness in order to maintain health.
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