At first, students felt worse — then they got a little better in 2023 — but by 2024, they felt even worse than before. This means they didn’t just get used to the war — their mental health got worse again.
Scientific Claim
The mental health of Ukrainian female university students shows a non-linear trajectory over three years of war, with temporary improvement in 2023 followed by deterioration in 2024, challenging assumptions of gradual adaptation.
Original Statement
“One-way ANOVA shows a significant decrease in fear of war, depression and burnout in 2023 compared to 2022; however, there was a marked increase in 2024. The present results partially support the study hypothesis... it is not possible to claim that such changes evidence lasting mental health and well-being improvement.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The claim describes observed group trends over time using language consistent with observational design. The authors themselves caution against interpreting changes as adaptation, supporting the non-linear interpretation.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Mental health and well-being among Ukrainian female university students: The impact of war over 3 years
The study found that Ukrainian female students felt better mentally in 2023 after the war started, but then felt worse again in 2024—showing their mental health didn’t just get better over time like some expected.