The Impact of Military and Nonmilitary Experiences on Marriage: Examining the Military Spouse's Perspective

Accepting influence in military couples: Implications for couples' communication and family satisfaction

In popular relationship resources, accepting influence is regarded as a couple-level process vital for relational satisfaction. However, empirical research has demonstrated inconsistent evidence for these suppositions, with several studies identifying no associations between accepting influence and relationship outcomes, and, furthermore, several gaps in the literature remain with regard to our knowledge on accepting influence (e.g., little identified research on military couples or family outcomes). To address these gaps, a measure of perceptions of one's partner accepting influence was retrospectively created to examine accepting influence in Army couples (N = 244). With theoretical underpinnings from family systems theory, this study used an actor-partner interdependence approach to investigate the associations between partners' accepting influence and couple communication satisfaction and satisfaction with the family. Service members' perceptions of their partners' accepting influence were associated with their own outcomes, whereas civilian spouses' perceptions of partners' accepting influence were related to both partners' outcomes. Results suggest accepting influence may be an intervention point to improve couple and family outcomes.

The effect of war injury and combat deployment on military wives' mental health symptoms

BACKGROUND

Although much has been learned about the physical and psychological impacts of deployment and combat injury on military service members, less is known about the effects of these experiences on military spouses.

METHODS

The present study examined self-reported mental health symptoms (using the Brief Symptom Inventory [BSI]-18 and the posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] Checklist [PCL-C]) in wives of service members who were combat-injured (CI; n = 60); noninjured with cumulative deployment longer than 11 months (NI-High; n = 51); and noninjured with cumulativel deployment less than 11 months (NI-Low; n = 53).

RESULTS

36.7% and 11.7% of CI wives endorsed above threshold symptoms on the PCL-C and overall BSI-18, respectively. Multivariate linear regressions revealed that being a CI wife was associated with higher PCL-C, overall BSI-18, and BSI-18 anxiety subscale scores compared to NI-Low wives in models adjusted for individual and family characteristics, as well as prior trauma and childhood adversities. Compared with the NI-High group, the CI group was associated with higher overall BSI-18 scores.

CONCLUSIONS

While CI wives evidenced fewer mental symptoms than expected, these findings suggest a negative impact of service member's combat injury on wives' mental health above that attributable to deployment, highlighting the need for trauma-informed interventions designed to support the needs of military wives affected by combat injury.

Associations of warzone veteran mental health with partner mental health and family functioning: Family Foundations Study

INTRODUCTION

Warzone participation is associated with increased risk of stress-related psychopathology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Prior research suggests that the mental health of spouses of warzone veterans (WZVs) is linked to that of their partners. Additionally, PTSD among WZVs has been associated with marital dysfunction. Less is known about the effects of depression among WZVs on partner mental health and family relationships. We sought in this study to examine associations between WZV PTSD and depression and partner mental health and relationship outcomes.

METHODS

Using a nationally dispersed sample of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their married and unmarried intimate partners, 245 dyads completed structured psychiatric interviews and psychometric surveys assessing family functioning and relationship aggression.

RESULTS

Adjusted regression analyses indicated that depression among WZVs was associated with partner depression and anxiety disorders. WZV PTSD and depression were also associated with partner-reported relationship dysfunction, dissatisfaction, and communication issues, and higher rates of intimate partner aggression victimization and perpetration.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health consequences of war extend beyond WZVs to the mental health of their intimate partners and their relationships with intimate partners.