Ukrainian Refugee Women in the Czech Republic

Published Research on the Experience of Ukrainian Refugee Women in the Czech Republic

A recent research collaboration involving UNYP faculty members docent Marek Preiss and Dr. Edel Sanders has been published in the academic journal Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health. The study, titled War and Women: An Analysis of Ukrainian Refugee Women Staying in the Czech Republic, examines the psychological impact of war and forced migration on Ukrainian refugee women.

The summary below is adapted from the study’s abstract and impact statement.

War, Displacement, and Women’s Burden

War causes more than loss of life. It also brings profound interpersonal and psychological losses through forced displacement. While men are often involved in combat, women typically carry the primary responsibility for caring for their families. At the same time, they must cope with trauma, uncertainty, and the challenges of emigration.

This study explores how Ukrainian refugee women adapt to displacement and how both war-related experiences and earlier life events influence their levels of traumatization.

Research Methodology and Key Findings

Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with Ukrainian women shortly after their arrival in the Czech Republic. They supplemented these interviews with assessments of adverse childhood experiences, the Centrality of Events Scale, and a PTSD Checklist.

The findings revealed high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms and frequent exposure to adverse childhood experiences. Participants described the war as a deeply negative and central life event. Notably, 79% of the women reported that the war had fundamentally changed them.

Adaptation in a Regional Context

The results show a strong link between past experiences and present coping abilities. War is devastating, but it also highlights how people adapt under extreme conditions. This adaptation depends on regional and social factors, including how the war unfolds and how host countries respond to refugees.

The Czech Republic accepted a large number of Ukrainian refugees despite previously restrictive asylum policies. Even so, refugee women continue to face significant challenges as they adjust to life in a new country while carrying past trauma and uncertainty about the future.

Broader Implications

This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the psychological and situational factors that increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and maladaptive behavior, both in the Czech Republic and beyond.

Reference
Preiss, M., Fnašková, M., Berezka, S., Yevmenova, T., Heissler, R., Sanders, E., Winnette, P., & Rektor, I. (2024). War and Women: An Analysis of Ukrainian Refugee Women Staying in the Czech Republic. Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health, 1–40.

https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2024.7 

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/global-mental-health/article/war-and-women-an-analysis-of-ukrainian-refugee-women-staying-in-the-czech-republic/1D041E3804A305D6C18AF98662BFCF22