Publication year
2017
Citation Title
At-home partner sleep functioning over the course of military deployment.
Journal Name
Journal of Family Psychology
Page Numbers
1-10
DOI
10.1037/fam0000262
Summary
Readiness and Resilience in National Guard Soldier (RINGS-2) data were used to examine sleep complaint trajectories of at-home intimate partners of Guard members throughout the deployment cycle. Pre-deployment and deployment predictors (e.g., psychological well-being, substance use, family factors) associated with these sleep trajectories were also explored. Four trajectories of sleep were found and predictors varied by group. Understanding these patterns may help identify risk factors which would allow for more targeted intervention to support at-home spouses sleep throughout the deployment cycle.
Key Findings
An estimated 62% of intimate partners were categorized as resilient sleepers, those who had low levels of sleep complaints prior to and throughout the deployment cycle.
Intimate partners were categorized in the deployment-onset sleep problem group (21.7%) if they had low levels of sleep complaints pre-deployment but showed increasing complaints throughout the deployment cycle but declined post-deployment.
Almost 10% of intimate partners showed improved sleep throughout the deployment cycle, while 7% showed patterns of chronic sleep issues both prior to and throughout the deployment cycle.
Pre-deployment family stressors and increased depressive symptoms were significantly related to sleep problems for all groups reporting sleep complaints; increased alcohol use during deployment was predictive of spouses who had deployment-onset sleep issues.
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate military couples about how family stressors related to deployment can influence sleep patterns
Offer workshops to military spouses pre-deployment that focus on ways to enhance healthy sleep behaviors throughout the deployment cycle
Disseminate information regarding resources and services available to military spouses during deployment to help them cope with deployment-related stressors
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support programs that provide assistance to military families throughout the deployment cycle
Recommend collaboration among DoD programs and community-based organizations to support military spouses throughout the deployment cycle
Recommend education for service providers about the possible added stressors of deployment on military families and how these stressors can influence military spouses sleep and well-being
Methods
Participants were part of the RINGS-2 project; participants were recruited during mandatory Family Preparation Academies, where Soldiers could nominate their intimate partners (married or cohabitating) to participate.
Data were collected at four different time points throughout the deployment cycle: 2-5 months pre-deployment (Time 1), 4 months deployment (Time 2), 8 months deployment (Time 3), and 2-3 month post-deployment (Time 4).
Baseline data were collected during recruitment and follow-up data were collected via survey measures mailed to participants.
A total of 824 intimate partners completed baseline data pre-deployment, 608 intimate partners (74%) completed Time 2 measures, 582 partners (71%) completed Time 3 measures, and 487 partners (59%) completed Time 4 measures.
Participants
Intimate partners were included in the final sample of they completed the baseline measures and at least one post-baseline survey (n = 686).
A total of 528 participants were married and 158 were in a cohabitating relationship with a National Guard Solider.
The majority of partners were female (98%), White (94%), and were on average 31 years old.
Limitations
The sample only included intimate partners of National Guard Soldiers; therefore results may not be generalizable to other branches of the military.
The study did not include a validated sleep-specific measure, which may have been able to capture additional sleep complaints related to deployment stressors.
Data may not be representative of all Guard spouses' sleep trajectories because there were differences found between intimate partners who completed baseline measures and at least one post-baseline measure and those who did not: non-responders were racial minorities and younger.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine whether similar factors (e.g., family stress, spouse well-being, substance use) influence sleep trajectories of Active Duty military spouses
Examine how programs can effectively promote healthy sleep behaviors among military families
Explore how other military-specific stressors, such as relocations, influence military spouses sleep trajectories
Focus
National Guard
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Although the negative effects of deployment on the health of military spouses have been studied, research on sleep disruptions remains limited. This study investigates trajectories of sleep complaints over the course of deployment and predictors of these changes among a cohort of at-home partners. Data were drawn from the Readiness and Resilience in National Guard Soldiers (RINGS-2) project, a prospective, longitudinal study of National Guard soldiers deployed to Iraq/Kuwait (2011-2012) and their intimate partners. Spouses or cohabiting partners (N = 686) of soldiers completed assessments of risk/protective factors 2 to 5 months before their partners' deployment (Time 1), 4 months (Time 2) and 8 months (Time 3) into the deployment, and 2 to 3 months following the soldiers' return (Time 4). Latent class growth analyses (LCGA) revealed quadratic change in partners' sleep over the deployment cycle, characterized by 4 distinct trajectories: resilient (61%), deployment-onset sleep problems (22%), deployment improvement (10%), and chronic (7%) groups. Predeployment and during deployment predictors of partners' sleep complaints varied by group and included negative emotionality, depression symptoms, alcohol use, low negative communication, and family stressors. Understanding the course of sleep complaints and potentially modifiable risk-factors among at-home partners during deployment may be useful for prevention and targeted intervention efforts.
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