Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Relationship of service members’ deployment trauma, PTSD symptoms, and experiential avoidance to postdeployment family reengagement
Journal Name
Journal of Family Psychology
Journal Volume
30
Issue Number
1
Page Numbers
52-62
DOI
10.1037/fam0000152
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have an impact on an individual's close relationships. Using data from Service members, their partners, and their children, researchers examined the relationship between PTSD symptoms among Service members and the interactions they had with their families post-deployment. PTSD was found to have an impact on the interactions Service members had with their families through reduced social interactions, responsiveness, and cooperation.
Key Findings
Service members’ avoidance of negative experiences was associated with less positive engagement and more withdrawal during interactions with their spouses.
Those Service members who experienced more PTSD symptoms also exhibited less positive engagement with and responsiveness to their children.
Service members with lower avoidance of negative experiences were able to engage with their spouses and children in more constructive and supportive ways than those with higher avoidance.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer classes for Service members that teach skills for how to positively engage with their children in ways that strengthen parent-child relationships
Sponsor support groups for partners of Service members to discuss issues that arise pre- and postdeployment in order to increase social support
Organize meetings for Service members to discuss difficulties engaging at home or in the community after deployment with other Service members
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend development of programs that help Service members and their spouses discuss deployment with their children
Continue to support events for Service members and their families throughout the deployment cycle
Encourage collaboration among professionals who provide health care to Service members and their families to establish partnerships to care for returning Service members
Methods
Participants were recruited at mandatory pre-deployment and reintegration events in Minnesota.
Data were collected from consenting participants and their partners through separate online assessments and in-home assessments. The online assessments measured combat-related trauma, and PTSD symptoms, while the in-home assessments measured the Service member’s positive engagement, social withdrawal, and distress avoidance, as well as partner and child behavior.
Analysis of online and in-home assessments were used to examine factors such as Service members’ involvement, social responsiveness, and cooperation with others.
Participants
The participants were 184 Service members, their spouses, and one of their children between the ages of 4 and 13 years. Men had a mean age of 37 years old (SD = 6.5 years). Spouses had a mean age of 36 years old (SD = 6 years). Children had a mean age of 8 years old (SD = 2.4 years).
The men primarily served in the Army National Guard or Army Reserves (73%), with the remainder serving in the Reserve Component of other branches.
The Service members were primarily White (85%). Information regarding other races was not included.
Limitations
Data were correlational, so conclusions cannot be made about causation.
Conclusions are based on a sample composed of Service members from the Reserve Component, so results cannot be extended to Active Duty Service members.
The measure of PTSD was a self-report of symptoms, so it is unclear how results extend to those with a clinical PTSD diagnosis.
Avenues for Future Research
Follow families over time, examining changes in relationships and child functioning after time has passed since deployment or over multiple deployments
Include Active Duty Service members in the sample to determine how PTSD symptoms are associated with changes in interpersonal interactions
? Investigate this relationship in a clinical population with diagnosed PTSD to determine whether a similar relationship exists in that population
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
This research examined whether military Service members’ deployment-related trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and experiential avoidance are associated with their observed levels of positive social engagement, social withdrawal, reactivity-coercion, and distress avoidance during postdeployment family interaction. Self reports of deployment related trauma, postdeployment PTSD symptoms, and experiential avoidance were collected from 184 men who were deployed to the Middle East conflicts, were partnered, and had a child between 4 and 13 years of age. Video samples of parent_ child and partner problem solving and conversations about deployment issues were collected, and were rated by trained observers to assess Service members’ positive engagement, social withdrawal, reactivity-coercion, and distress avoidance, as well as spouse and child negative affect and behavior. Service members’ experiential avoidance was reliably associated with less observed positive engagement and more observed withdrawal and distress avoidance after controlling for spouse and child negative affect and behavior during ongoing interaction. Service members’ experiential avoidance also diminished significant associations between service members’ PTSD symptoms and their observed behavior. The results are discussed in terms of how service members’ psychological acceptance promotes family resilience and adaption to the multiple contextual challenges and role transitions associated with military deployment. Implications for parenting and marital interventions are described.
Abstract Document
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