A MODEL OF INTERACTION BETWEEN A MILITARY PSYCHOLOGIST AND A MILITARY CHAPLAININ THE SYSTEM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL

Abstract

Background. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing need for comprehensive assistance to military personnel experiencing the consequences of combat stress, moral injury, and existential crises arising during the performance of combat tasks. Under contemporary wartime conditions, psychological assistance and spiritual care are increasingly regarded as complementary resources for enhancing the psychological resilience of servicemen and servicewomen. The aim of the article is to provide a theoretical analysis of the interaction between a military psychologist and a military chaplain within the system of psychological support for personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Methods. The study employed theoretical methods of scientific inquiry. The method of analysis was used to examine scientific sources concerning psychological support for military personnel, the areas of activity and professional duties of military psychologists and chaplains, as well as international experience in organizing psychological and spiritual assistance within the armed forces of NATO member states. The method of synthesis was applied to integrate the obtained theoretical provisions in order to determine the possibilities for interdisciplinary cooperation between specialists. Generalization and systematization made it possible to structure the typical requests of military personnel and identify the areas of professional competence of psychologists and chaplains. The comparative method was used to compare the areas of activity of these specialists and identify points of intersection and differences in their work.
Results. The article analyzes the areas of activity and professional duties of military psychologists and military chaplains and identifies the spheres of their professional competence in working with military personnel experiencing the consequences of combat stress. It was established that certain areas of chaplaincy service, particularly liturgical and ritual activities, do not directly intersect with the work of psychologists; however, they perform an important value-oriented, meaning-making, and stabilizing function for religious servicemen. The analysis of typical requests from military personnel demonstrated that their experiences may have psychological, spiritual-existential, or complex characteristics. On this basis, a three-component model of interaction between a military psychologist and a military chaplain was proposed, which provides for the initial assessment of the serviceman's request, differentiated support depending on the nature of the problem, and integrative interaction in cases of complex psychological and spiritual crises.
Conclusions. An effective system of psychological support for military personnel requires coordination among specialists of different professional profiles, including psychologists and military chaplains. The proposed three-component model of interaction may be applied in the organization of psychological and spiritual support within the psychological support system for personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.