Ukrainians Maintain Strong Sense of Purpose Despite War, New Well-Being Study Shows

Despite the prolonged war, Ukrainians continue to demonstrate a strong sense of purpose in life. According to the second wave of a national pilot study on well-being, conducted in December 2024, personal well-being remains at a medium level overall, with meaningful differences by age, gender, and circumstance.

The study was carried out by the Agency for Impact Strategy Development, Ruban Litvinova Social Impact Advisory, and the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), with the facilitation of Social Value Ukraine, the representative of Social Value International in Ukraine. It applies the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) framework, which measures subjective well-being through four key indicators: life satisfaction, feeling that life is worthwhile, happiness, and anxiety.

Results show that life satisfaction (5.4/10) is gradually improving, while the sense that the things done in life are worthwhile remains the strongest and most stable indicator (7.1/10), reflecting a key psychological resource for resilience. Happiness levels remain steady (5.6/10), whereas anxiety continues to rise, with nearly half of respondents reporting high levels.

“Despite stress, anxiety, and loss, Ukrainians maintain a high sense of purpose. This continues to be a powerful resource for adaptation and resilience,” said Olena Litvinova, Partner at Ruban Litvinova Social Impact Advisory and co-author of the study.

Regional and demographic differences were also noted: well-being is higher in rural areas and the West, while internally displaced persons and residents of regional centres report lower scores. Older people experience more anxiety and less happiness, while younger groups show more emotional fluctuation.

The study highlights the growing importance of subjective well-being as a measure of social resilience and quality of life during crisis.

About the initiators of the study

Ruban Litvinova Social Impact Advisory – the first Ukrainian agency to develop evidence-based social impact strategies. The agency uses the global Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology to measure social value, evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives, and communicate results transparently.
🌐 https://rubanlitvinova.com

Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) – one of Ukraine’s leading research companies, collaborating with international organisations, government bodies, and media.
🌐 https://kiis.com.ua

Social Value Ukraine – the first Ukrainian network dedicated to advancing the practice of social value measurement and social impact management.
🌐 https://www.svu.org.ua