THE ROLE AND PLACE OF A MILITARY PSYCHOLOGIST IN EFFECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT USING LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL

Abstract

The article reveals the role and place of a military psychologist in effective psychological support with the use of leadership potential. Attention is drawn to new challenges in terms of psychological support for military personnel with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine.Statistical data on the state order until 2022 and the percentage of students who signed a contract with military units after graduating from the Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv are presented.The article considers 2 approaches to building a psychological support network in the military sphere, namely, traditional and staffing. Their features are briefly outlined. It has been found that until 2022, Ukraine had a predominantly traditional system in which military psychologists were located at the highest command, within research centres and special departments. However, after the outbreak of a full-scale war, the situation changed, as military psychologists became necessary in all independent units. The article considers the role and importance of military psychologists at three stages of psychological training of military personnel: at the stage of selection and preparation for combat missions, before, during and after combat operations in the frontline zone and at the stage of support after returning from the frontline or captivity, assistance in the rehabilitation of military personnel and work with their families. Attention is drawn to the importance of developing and using leadership potential at the second stage, when a military psychologist has to prove that he or she is also a combat unit, ready to take responsibility and serve for the benefit of the unit. In general, the main categories of tasks performed by military psychologists were identified. To demonstrate the tasks most often performed by military psychologists in real life, a survey was conducted, which led to the conclusion that the profile of such specialists will change after 2022. Thus, specialists have become half as engaged in professional selection, counselling, and regular psychodiagnostics and research, but there has been an almost twofold increase in the number of tasks related to clinical work with military personnel and their families, and their rehabilitation. The importance of recruiting, training and preparing military personnel for combat missions to preserve their mental health was emphasised.