Article

Received 20.01.2026

Revised 20.05.2026

Accepted 29.06.2026

Published 13.07.2026

Retrieved from Vol. 16, No. 1, 2026

Pages 20 -33

Grygorieva, S. (2026). Personality sensory restructuring of forced migrants: Neuropsychology and psychotherapy of adaptation. Psychology and Personality, 16(1), 20-33. https://doi.org/10.33989/2226-4078.2026.1.20

Personality sensory restructuring of forced migrants: Neuropsychology and psychotherapy of adaptation

Svitlana Grygorieva*

s.v.hryhorieva@op.edu.ua

The aim of the article was to examine the features of sensory adaptation in forcibly displaced Ukrainians, drawing on data from neuropsychology and psychotherapeutic practice. The study employed critical analysis to compare group outcomes with published evidence, psychoeducational and stabilization techniques during meetings with respondents, analytical observation and systematization methods to describe participants’ reactions and changes, as well as Hedges’ g calculations to assess effect sizes. At the initial stage of therapeutic work, respondents demonstrated impairments in predictive brain mechanisms, including decreased concentration, intensified shame associated with reduced personal autonomy, diminished cognitive flexibility and episodic memory, and a tendency toward isolation. A review of the literature indicated that the most effective approach for restoring these mechanisms is the multimodal stimulation framework, integrating visual, auditory, and tactile inputs. Observations revealed that approximately 70% of participants, before therapy, and about 25% afterward, exhibited elevated spatial–cognitive dissociation, indicating an initial disruption in the accurate processing of sensory signals. Among temporarily displaced individuals, muted or absent dreaming reflected a reduction in one of the key neuropsychological mechanisms for processing adverse experiences. Lateral neurophysiological differences between the mother’s and adolescent child’s brain functioning, under conditions of maternal anxiety, may contribute to the development of OCD-like symptoms in the child. Overall, the sensory adaptation of displaced individuals shows notable parallels with early developmental processes during the first 3–24 months of life, underscoring the depth and complexity of this reorganization. The practical significance of the findings lies in providing a foundation for developing sensory-informed therapeutic strategies and psychosocial support protocols for Ukrainian displaced persons

dissociation; thalamocortical pathways; neuroplasticity; traumatic experience; psychosomatics; sensory integration
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https://doi.org/10.33989/2226-4078.2026.1.20