THE IMPACT OF CANISTERAPY ON INTOLERANCE TO UNCERTAINTY IN MODERN UKRAINIAN CONDITIONS

Abstract

This study investigates the dynamics of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) in adults exposed to chronic stress within the context of ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, and evaluates the potential of canistherapy as a brief psychocorrectional intervention to reduce IU and improve emotional regulation. A sample of 60 participants aged 17 to 40 underwent a single session of canistherapy. The Ukrainian-adapted Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale–Short Form (IUS-12) was employed to quantitatively assess changes in IU levels, focusing on its two dimensions: prospective (cognitive) anxiety and inhibitory (behavioral) anxiety.
Baseline results revealed that the majority of participants exhibited moderate levels of IU, with a predominance of cognitive anticipation of threat over behavioral avoidance. Following the canistherapy session, statistically significant reductions were observed in both prospective and inhibitory anxiety scores (t = 2.08, p ≤ 0.05). Specifically, the proportion of participants with high prospective anxiety decreased from 20% to 3.3%, while those with low levels increased substantially. Similarly, inhibitory anxiety showed a positive shift toward lower levels among participants.
Overall IU scores demonstrated a significant decline, indicating enhanced psychological flexibility and improved capacity for adaptive coping with uncertainty. These findings suggest that even a single session of canistherapy can facilitate rapid reductions in cognitive and behavioral intolerance to uncertainty, likely through mechanisms involving emotional calming, increased feelings of safety, and activation of adaptive regulatory processes.
The study provides preliminary evidence supporting the use of canistherapy as an accessible and effective psychotherapeutic tool for individuals facing chronic stress and existential turbulence, particularly in conditions characterized by prolonged uncertainty such as armed conflict. The results advocate for further longitudinal research with extended intervention protocols to determine the stability and long-term benefits of canistherapy in enhancing emotional regulation and psychological resilience.