Pre-deployment Well-Being Among Single and Partnered National Guard Soldiers: The Role of Their Parents, Social Support, and Stressors

Families are a key source of support for National Guard Soldiers, yet little is known about the influence of parents on Soldiers’ pre-deployment well-being. In this chapter, we examine the potential role family may play in the psychological well-being of National Guard Soldiers. We present initial findings from the Readiness and Resilience in National Guard Soldiers (RINGS-2) study—an ongoing, prospective investigation of 2,089 National Guard Soldiers and their families. Single versus partnered Soldiers were compared on measures of pre-deployment well-being (post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression symptoms, and alcohol misuse). Prior to deployment, partnered Soldiers had higher PTSD and depression symptoms than single Soldiers, while single Soldiers reported greater alcohol misuse than partnered Soldiers. Multiple linear regression analyses examined the role of family contextual factors in understanding Soldiers’ pre-deployment well-being. Findings demonstrated the important role families can play in Soldiers’ well-being prior to deployment, both as a source of support and strain.