Factors Influencing Family Environment Reporting Concordance Among U.S. War Zone Veterans and Their Partners

Abstract

A key challenge in the assessment of family variables is the discrepancies that arise between reports. Although prior research has observed levels of interpartner agreement on the family environment, no studies have investigated factors that may influence agreement. In this study, war zone veterans (WZVs) and their partners ( N = 207 couples) completed assessments of the family environment. We examined interpartner agreement in relation to WZV and partner posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, WZV time away from home, and family size. More severe WZV PTSD symptoms were associated with greater interpartner agreement on family environment, whereas more severe partner PTSD symptoms were associated with reporting more negative perceptions of the family environment relative to WZV reports. Family size was associated with greater interpartner agreement. Factors associated with concordance in this study should be considered by clinicians and researchers seeking to understand and address reporting discrepancies on the family.