Personal Well-being of Ukrainians: Finding Meaning Amid Uncertainty
By Olena Litvinova, Co-founder and Partners, Ruban Litvinova Social Impact Advisory, and Chair of the Board at Social Value Ukraine
For the first time, Ukraine has conducted three consecutive waves of national research measuring personal well-being using the ONS4 methodology of the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This marks a milestone in understanding how Ukrainians perceive their own quality of life during one of the most challenging periods in modern European history. This isn’t just about how people feel about surviving war and disruption, but whether they continue to find meaning in their lives.
The initiative emerged from a collaboration between members of Social Value Ukraine, including: Ruban Litvinova Social Impact Advisory, which develops evidenced-based social impact strategies and provides social value measurements; and the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), a research institution that has studied happiness and life satisfaction among Ukrainians for over two decades.
The first survey took place in June 2024 (wave 1.0), with follow up surveys conducted in December 2024 (wave 2.0) and August 2025 (Wave 3.0 - to be released). Collectively, more than 4,000 people across Ukraine have shared how they feel about their lives and their sense of purpose, happiness and anxiety.
“The strength of Ukrainians lies not only in surviving - but in continuing to live with purpose.”
Why ONS4?
The ONS4 framework is one of the most widely used methodologies for assessing personal well-being. It measures four key indicators: life satisfaction; the feeling that things done in life are worthwhile, happiness and anxiety. Each are rated on a scale from 0 (“not at all”) to 10 (“completely”).
This approach allows direct comparison between Ukraine’s results and those of other nations, including the United Kingdom.
What the Numbers Tell Us
The latest results show that while life satisfaction and happiness among Ukrainians remain at moderate levels, anxiety continues to be elevated, though this has slightly decreased in recent months.
Meanwhile, the sense of purpose stands out as the strongest and most stable aspect of well-being.
Even amid war, displacement and uncertainty, people consistently report that the things they do in life feel worthwhile.
This indicator - 7.4 out of 10 in the latest wave - is comparable to the British average (7.8).
Together, these findings reveal something profound: despite emotional strain, Ukrainians retain a strong inner compass. A belief that their actions matter.
What These Findings Mean
The data highlight a fundamental paradox: moderate satisfaction and high anxiety coexist with a deep sense of purpose, showing that emotional strain does not necessarily diminish people’s belief that their lives matter.
These findings remind us that resilience is not only about survival - it is about the ability to find meaning, to stay connected, and to keep believing that what we do matters.
The strength of Ukrainians lies not only in surviving - but in continuing to live with purpose.
Monitoring personal well-being during wartime is not just an academic exercise. It is a way to measure the human side of resilience, to ensure that national recovery strategies address people’s emotional and social realities, not just infrastructure and GDP.
As Ukraine rebuilds, these insights can help design policies that strengthen psychological recovery, community cohesion and sustainable development; helping policymakers and international partners focus on what truly improves people’s lives.
The “Well-being of Ukrainians” study was conducted by Ruban Litvinova Social Impact Advisory and the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), facilitated by Social Value Ukraine.
For any inquiries regarding the study, please contact Social Value Ukraine at: manager@svu.org.ua
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