Relational Turbulence and the Post-Deployment Transition: Self, Partner, and Relationship Focused Turbulence

Researchers examined how the relational turbulence model applied to post-deployment couple reunions. They used relational uncertainty (uncertainty about the relationship) and partner interference (a behavior of one partner that interrupts the other’s routine or pursuit of a goal) to predict three markers of possible relationship distress: (a) relational maintenance, (b) partner responsiveness, (c) and turmoil appraisals. An online survey was used to collect data Service members and their partners. Findings suggest that the model is relevant for explaining the communication experiences of military couples during the post-deployment transition, and that relational uncertainty and partner interference explained unique variance in relationships distress markers beyond the effect of reported relationship satisfaction.