mental health; perceived hope; attitudes toward peace; attitudes toward war

Background: Studies indicate that recent crises and negative events have adversely affected the psychological well-being of the Central European population. Given the stressors induced by the ongoing war conflict, increased attention is warranted for the examination of protective factors influencing mental health. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the role of perceived hope in the levels of mental health and psychological distress associated with the armed conflict in Ukraine, elucidating its connections to attitudes towards peace and war. Method: One thousand adult Czech respondents (51% female, mean age 45.3 years) completed an online anonymous questionnaire, including the Perceived Hope Scale (Krafft et al., 2017), Mental Health Continuum (Keyes, 2002), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (Spitzer et al., 2006), and Attitudes toward Peace and War Scale (Bizumic et al., 2013). Demographic data such as age, gender, level of education, and marital status were also collected. Results: Descriptive findings reveal that over three-quarters of respondents perceive the effects of the war in Ukraine on their country, with almost half feeling personally threatened by the conflict. Nearly half of the respondents experienced increased stress and negative emotions, and most held pessimistic expectations about the socio-political situation's future development. Nevertheless, almost three-quarters of the participants remained hopeful. Correlation analysis indicated that a higher level of perceived hope positively correlated with positive mental health (r = 0.58) and attitudes toward peace (r = 0.31), while negatively correlating with levels of anxiety and depression (r = -0.32) and attitudes toward war (r = -0.15). Hope emerged as a significant predictor of positive mental health, associated with a more positive attitude toward peace than war. Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings underscore the pivotal role of perceived hope as a protective factor in mitigating the adverse impact of armed conflict on the mental health of the Central European population. The positive correlation between hope, positive mental health, and pro-peace attitudes highlights the importance of fostering hope as a targeted intervention for enhancing psychological resilience amidst ongoing crises.