Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Finding resilience: The mediation effect of sense of community on the psychological well-being of military spouses.
Journal Name
Journal of Mental Health Counseling
Journal Volume
37
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
164-174
DOI
10.17744/mehc.37.2.07054x614489204m
Summary
Military lifestyle can be challenging for military spouses. The study explored factors that were related to the psychological well-being of military spouses, and also examined how a sense of community may play a role in military spouses’ well-being. Results showed that the psychological well-being of military spouses was linked to a sense of community, which was in turn associated with social support and affect.
Key Findings
Social support and positive affect were associated with an increased sense of community, which was related to better psychological well-being in military spouses.
Friendship support had a more important role for military spouses than support from family members.
A sense of military community was important for military spouses’ well-being.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer support groups for military spouses that promote healthy coping and family well-being
Build stronger military communities by organizing events such as parent group meetings and fitness classes
Increase military spouses’ participation in community activities by offering more individually tailored help
Implications for Policy Makers
Raise awareness of the importance of military communities for the well-being of military families
Continue to offer support programs to military spouses so that they may experience more positive affect and more social interactions
Recommend professional development courses for professionals who work with military families about the roles of lack of social support and negative affect on military spouses’ well-being
Methods
Participants were recruited through a social media website and they completed online surveys.
Each participant’s psychological well-being, perceived social support, sense of community, and affect were assessed through questionnaires.
Data were analyzed to examine the associations between affect, social support, and psychological well-being, and also to examine how a sense of community may influence the associations.
Participants
The sample included 207 female spouses of Active Duty Service members (mean age = 32.20 years, SD = 7.13).
The female spouses were predominately White (73%), followed by Black (10%), Latino (7%), Asian American (3%), Native American (2%), and Others (5%).
The military branches that the participants’ husbands served in were Army (77%), Navy (10%), Air Force (9%), and Marines (4%).
Limitations
The sample only included female military spouses, so the results may be hard to generalize to male military spouses.
Some variables that may potentially affect the relationship between sense of community, affect and psychological well-being (e.g., duration of connection with the current community, and length of spousal relationship) were not included in the study.
The data were collected anonymously online, therefore the results might not represent the true status of the participants (e.g., some of the participants might not actually be military wives).
Avenues for Future Research
Recruit both male and female military spouses to complete the survey
Examine the effects of other important variables (e.g., duration of connection with the current community) so that the results are more comprehensive
Collect longitudinal data to determine the direction of the association between affect, sense of community, and psychological well-being
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
The goal of this study was to identify positive factors that increase the psychological well-being of military spouses in the areas of environmental mastery. We proposed that positive affect and social support from family and friends would have indirect effects on psychological well-being through their association with a greater sense of community with the military culture. Participants were 207 female spouses of active-duty service members. Data were analyzed using MEDIATE to test the mediational effect. Results indicated that social support from friends and positive affect did predict a sense of community, which in turn was associated with increased feelings of psychological well-being. The findings suggest that a perceived sense of military community helps military spouses gain a sense of mastery and control in a constantly changing environment.
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