Factors to Success in Life as Perceived by Ukrainian War Refugees

Abstract

This paper is to present the results of the research on how Ukrainian war refugees perceive the category of success in life. The information obtained shed some light on how the respondents understand success in life and which factors, in their opinion, contribute to achieving it. Additionally, the results unveil their opinions and beliefs regarding their own success in life and whether they believe achieving life success makes people happy. The full-scale war that has been ravaging Ukraine since February 24, 2022 has forced a significant Ukrainian population out of the borders of their own country. Fearing for their life and safety, most of them took temporary shelter in Poland. Scientific studies with Ukrainian refugees as participants are not something that scholars engage in frequently. There are many reasons for that, and the most important is the fact that a suitable and willing group of participants is hard to come by. However, researching this population has a very important social dimension, especially from the educational and psychological perspective, because the majority of Ukrainian refugees have been arriving in Poland with minor children, who are then enrolled in the Polish school system, are cared for by Polish teachers, and participate in Polish educational, socialisation, and adaptation processes. That is why, it is crucial to consistently investigate the refugees’ opinions on their personal and social life. Teachers are a particularly important group of readers who might benefit from this paper. It is them who are predominantly responsible for the processes taking place in the educational domain. Due to the vast numbers of refugee children and students from Ukraine taught in Polish kindergartens and schools, researching the topic of success and self-fulfilment factors may increase the effectiveness of teaching, upbringing, and care in educational institutions.