Publication year
2016
Citation Title
Effect of short-term separation on the behavioral health of military wives.
Journal Name
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services
Journal Volume
54
Issue Number
6
Page Numbers
45-51
DOI
10.3928/02793695-20160518-07
Summary
Military spouses are separated from one another for a variety of reasons, including deployment and residential training. This study investigated the effect of short-term separations on military wives’ well-being as well as the ways in which other factors are associated with well-being. Findings suggest no effect of separation for training on wives’ well-being; yet other constructs were associated with wives’ well-being.
Key Findings
There was no observed effect of separation for training on wives’ well-being.
Wives who experienced high levels of stress tended to have higher levels of depression, while high levels of resilience and relationship satisfaction were associated with lower levels of depression.
Decreased social support for wives was associated with higher levels of depression prior to separation but there was no association between these two constructs during separation.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer support groups for spouses of Service members so that they can form connections with one another and increase their levels of social support
Develop classes that assist military couples to learn healthy communication habits so that they are able to form a solid foundation that will persist during separations
Provide workshops about stress relief and stress management to Service members and their partners
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to promote programs that support Service members’ families during separations
Recommend training for professionals who work with military families regarding the need for social support before separations
Encourage investigation of strategies for enhancing resilience in military families
Methods
Wives of male U.S. Army officers whose husbands were participating in a 12-week training program were invited to participate. There was a 42% response rate.
Participants completed surveys prior to separation and two weeks prior to their husbands’ return with questions about demographics, communication during spousal separation, social support, stress, relationship satisfaction, and depression.
Data were analyzed to determine the effect of separation on well-being and whether social support and communication mitigated that effect.
Participants
Participants were 32 female spouses of male U.S. Army officers with an average age of 34 years old and had been married ten years on average.
Most (75%) of the participants were White and 56% did not work outside the home.
None of the wives were currently pregnant or taking antidepressants to treat depression.
Limitations
All participants were wives of Army officers; these results may not extend to spouses of enlisted Service members or other branches.
The participants had been married on average ten years. The experience of separation may be different for couples who have been married for a shorter period of time.
Researchers excluded women who were currently pregnant or who were taking antidepressants. Inclusion of these women may have allowed for different or more nuanced findings.
The participants were separated because of trainings so results may not be able to be generalized to other separations, such as deployment.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine the experience of separation for spouses of enlisted Service members
Investigate the different outcomes of separation for younger or newly married military couples
Include women who are pregnant or who have diagnosed depression in the study to determine how their experiences may differ from those of other women
Focus
Army
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
In the current prospective observational study, the impact of short-term separation on female spouses of male military officers who were scheduled to participate in a resident training program was evaluated. Using pre- and post-survey designs, participants were assessed 2 weeks prior to separation and 2 weeks prior to their husbands’ returns. Participants completed the following scales: the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Relationship Assessment Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory II Scale. No significant differences were found in perceived social support, resilience, perceived stress, relationship satisfaction, or depression scores pre- and post-separation. As predicted, depression scores were positively correlated with perceived stress scores and negatively correlated with resiliency and relationship satisfaction scores. Women with higher levels of resilience experienced lower levels of
post-separation stress.
post-separation stress.
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