THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT IN FOSTERING RESILIENCE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNDER MARTIAL LAW AND SOCIETAL CRISES

Abstract

Purpose is to provide a theoretical justification of the role of social support in fostering resilience among university students under martial law and societal crises, to identify its resource-enhancing and stress-buffering mechanisms, and to outline the organisational foundations of a multilevel support system in higher education. Methodology. The study is theoretical and analytical. It applies conceptual analysis of resilience, hardiness and social support; comparison of trait-based, process-oriented and social-ecological approaches; synthesis of Ukrainian and international research; systematisation of support forms; and structural-functional modelling. The evidence base consists of peer-reviewed publications on resilience, stress, mental well-being and educational support for young people. Sources published in Russian or issued in the territory of Russia or Belarus were excluded. Social support is interpreted not as an isolated external resource but as a system of interactions through which students receive emotional acceptance, reliable information, practical assistance, evaluative feedback and a sense of belonging. Four interrelated mechanisms are substantiated: restoring safety and connectedness; reducing uncertainty and expanding access to resources; sustaining agency, perceived control and self-efficacy; and enabling shared meaning-making and future orientation. The analysis demonstrates that the positive effect depends less on the sheer number of contacts than on perceived availability, timeliness, fit with actual needs, voluntariness, confidentiality and the capacity of support to strengthen rather than replace the student’s own activity. Scientific novelty. A resource-buffer model of student resilience is proposed. In this model, social support performs a dual function: it directly strengthens resources for everyday functioning and buffers the impact of war-related and societal stressors during crises. The model integrates the micro-level of close relationships, the meso-level of peer and academic communities, the institutional level of university services and policies, and partnerships with communities and digital support networks. The paper offers guidelines for developing a higher-education support system that combines trauma-informed teaching, peer support, accessible psychological counselling, referral pathways, crisis protocols, hybrid services and regular needs assessment. Conclusions. Social support fosters resilience when it helps students remain embedded in meaningful relationships, retain ownership of decisions, gain access to tangible resources and restore their capacity to act. The institutional task is not to create an overprotective environment, but to ensure accessible, differentiated and ethically organised support that strengthens autonomy and shared responsibility across the educational community.