Understanding willingness to fight: Motivational and personality predictors in Ukrainian military personnel with and without combat experience
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examined psychological predictors of willingness to fight among Ukrainian service members during the ongoing war and whether associations vary by combat experience. A cross-sectional sample of N = 172 personnel (121 combat-experienced; 51 non-combat) completed measures of motivation, Big Five traits, conflict-handling styles, communication skills, and professional hardiness. Descriptive group contrasts emphasized effect sizes (Welch’s t with Hedges’ g or rank-biserial r where appropriate). Bivariate Pearson correlations (Fisher-z CIs, false-discovery-rate adjustment for the set with willingness) and a theory-driven hierarchical regression with heteroskedasticity-robust standard errors were used; moderation was tested with Combat × predictor interactions. Combat-experienced personnel reported higher willingness to fight (g = .48, 95% CI [.15, .81]) and small-to-moderate differences on several traits (e.g. higher Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Competing; lower Avoiding). Zero-order correlations with willingness were strongest for Intrinsic motivation (r = .51), Professional control (r = .40), Professional commitment (r = .39), Openness (r = .37), and Challenge acceptance (r = .34). The final model explained R2 = .49 (adj. R2 = .41); two predictors made unique contributions to willingness to fight: combat experience (β = .43, 95% CI [.10, .77], p = .011) and Intrinsic motivation (β = .35, 95% CI [.17, .52], p < .001). A planned Avoiding × Combat interaction was significant (β = .49, p = .019) with opposite-direction but individually non-significant simple slopes. Findings underscore Intrinsic motivation as the central psychological predictor of willingness to fight, with combat experience providing an additional independent contribution and interpersonal tendencies showing experience-contingent nuances.
Source: Military Psychology
Authors: Oleg Kokun, Alisa Lizun
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4415375480