Military-related relocation stress and psychological distress in military partners.

Abstract

Spouses/partners play a crucial role in providing support to military service members (SMs), maintaining a sense of stability for the family, and supporting the overall mission of the armed forces. However, several aspects of the military lifestyle may impact their own psychological health. Much research has focused on the role of SMs’ deployments and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in partners’ distress, but no study has yet quantitatively investigated these factors in tandem with the common military life stressor of frequent relocations. The present study investigated the degree to which problems from service-related moves, couple deployment separation, and SMs’ PTSD symptoms uniquely predict partner psychological distress. Data were collected from female partners of Army soldiers who completed online surveys across four timepoints (over 1.5 years) following a deployment. Surveys assessed psychological distress, perceptions of SMs’ PTSD symptoms, problems from service-related moves, and deployment separation. Multilevel modeling was used, with longitudinal data treated as repeated measures (i.e., not modeling change over time). Results indicated that problems from service-related moves were associated with greater psychological stress, even when accounting for SMs’ PTSD symptoms and deployment separation. Deployment separation itself was not a significant predictor of psychological distress. Findings indicate that problems associated with frequent moves may be a significant contributor to increased psychological distress for partners above and beyond challenges associated with SMs’ PTSD symptoms. Recommendations for future research and limitations are also provided.

Marital status and living apart affect sleep quality in male military personnel: a study of the China’s Navy during COVID-19

“…Studying the effect of marital status on sleep can help unit commanders target the condition of officers and soldiers for timely intervention. Moreover, military personnel who are married but living separately are common in the Chinese military community, and separation from spouses may cause plenty of problems, making their marriage at more risk than others ( 29 ). A survey of United States military couples also showed that separation of male service members from their wives increased the odds of marital instability for couples ( 30 ).…”

Psychological intervention programme for developing resilience in the military personnel. A randomized controlled trial

“…MRTR facilitated the development of immediate adaptive resources and the strengthening of family and partner support, which supported professional motivation and recovery after facing adversity. Additionally, given that family life can be affected by perceived stress at work(Ribeiro et al, 2023), the results can be extended beyond the professional implications by improving the support relationships of military gendarmerie.When facing a stressful situation, if adaptive resources are considered sufficient, the context can be perceived as challenging, and as triggering positive emotions(Delahaij et al, 2006). The training programme represented for the military gendarmes an opportunity to raise awareness, capitalize and strengthen their own values and resources, together with self-control and stress control techniques.…”