Stress, Coping, and Well-Being in Military Spouses During Deployment Separation

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between stress, coping, general well-being, and sociodemographic characteristics using Lazarus and Folkman's theory of stress and coping. A descriptive correlational design was used. The sample consisted of 105 female spouses of currently deployed active duty military members. Instruments included the Perceived Stress Scale, the Jalowiec Coping Scale, and the RAND-36. Perceived stress was the best predictor of both mental and physical well-being, accounting for 51.7% and 25.4% of the variance, respectively. Evasive and optimistic coping contributed an additional 1.9 % and 4.3%, respectively, to the variance in mental well-being. Differences in coping use were found among rank groups, those who grew up in a military family, and those with a previous deployment separation. Nurses are in an ideal position to identify military spouses at risk and provide education on effective coping behaviors shown to positively affect well-being during deployment separation.

Coping profiles characterize individual flourishing, languishing, and depression

“…Regardless of positivity level, public school teachers favored the three adaptive coping strategies over the three maladaptive coping strategies; however, this was not the case with military spouses, as depressed and languishing military spouses reported using the maladaptive strategy of venting more than any other coping strategy. This is especially problematic, as venting of emotions has been negatively associated with both physical and psychological well-being in military spouses during deployment separations (Padden, Connors, & Agazio, 2011). It may be that this overuse of venting is contributing to poor mental health in military spouses, as they experience rates of depression nearly three times that of the general population (Kessler et al, 2005;Mansfield et al, 2010).…”

The perceived effects of singing on the health and well-being of wives and partners of members of the British Armed Forces: a cross-sectional survey

“…Long and unpredictable duty hours together with periodic redeployments and the risk of injury or death, can have an impact on the psychological and physical wellbeing of family members (1). For wives and partners of members of the armed forces, separation can lead to assumption of the single-parent role and financial difficulties as well as emotional problems and relationship challenges (2). This paper reports an evaluation of the work of The Military Wives Choirs Foundation (MWCF), which supports a network of choirs for women who are wives, partners or relatives of British Armed Forces personnel.…”

Coping and quality of life of soldiers' wives following military operation

“…Maladaptive coping strategies (behavioral disengagement, denial, self-blame, self-distraction, substance use, and venting of emotions) showed negative links with positive emotions and resiliency, and positive links with depression (Dolphin et al, 2015). In sum, the greater the use of avoidant and emotion-focused coping and the lesser the use of problem solving coping, the higher the perceived stress and its consequences for mental and physical health (Padden et al, 2010).…”

“…Examining the context of soldiers' wives, deployment was appraised as a stressful event and resulted in a coping response (Padden et al 2010). One qualitative study highlighted several important coping strategies which emerged during interviews with the wives of deployed soldiers and were helpful.…”

“…The likely explanation is that older wives have more experience and more available resources (Padden et al, 2010).…”