Publication year
2013
Citation Title
A relational turbulence model of military service members' relational communication during reintegration.
Journal Name
Journal of Communication
Journal Volume
63
Issue Number
6
Page Numbers
1109–1129
DOI
10.1111/jcom.12059
Summary
In this study, researchers examined associations between relational turbulence (i.e., relational uncertainty and partner interference), relational communication (i.e., openness and aggressiveness), and relational inferences (i.e., affiliation and dominance) during the post-deployment transition (N = 220 Service members). Higher levels of relational turbulence predicted lower levels of openness and higher levels of aggressiveness during the post-deployment transition.
Key Findings
Less certainty about the state of their relationship for Service members and their partners was associated with fewer positive messages in the relationship from the Service member.
When partners interfered with Service members' goals, Service members were also less likely to send positive messages to their partners.
There was less openness and more interference for couples in which both individuals experienced deployment compared to those in which only one individual experienced deployment.
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide workshops that assist military couples in navigating post-deployment reintegration
Provide education to military couples to teach communication skills, such as increased responsiveness
Offer a range of educational workshops or courses to meet the needs of couples with varying communication styles and challenges
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend training for professionals who work with military families regarding the potential challenges dual-military couples face
Continue to support family programs and activities over the course of the deployment cycle
Encourage the development of programs that enhance positivity in relationships within military families
Methods
Participants were recruited through emails to family readiness officers, flyers at reintegration workshops, and posts in online forums for military families.
Online questionnaires were filled out by one eligible member of a military couple within six months of post-deployment reunion.
Existing measurement scales were used to assess the following variables: self, partner, and relational uncertainty; interference from partners; relationship satisfaction; relational maintenance behaviors; partner responsiveness; and appraisals of turmoil.
Participants
Participants included 235 members of military couples (128 Service members, 107 at-home partners) living in 30 states, with an average deployment length of 11.4 months and an average time home from deployment of 3.16 months.
The sample included military Service members (98 men, 30 women), civilian partners (2 men, 105 women), and dual-military couple members (11).
Of the participants, 85% were White with an age range of 19-55 years old representing all branches of the military.
Limitations
The study only examined the post-deployment phase of the deployment cycle, and only one partner per couple was eligible to participate.
U.S. Army and National Guard members dominated the sample, and at-home partners were predominantly women, making it difficult to generalize to other populations.
These data do not give information regarding what may cause changes in relationship satisfaction or how it varies over time.
Avenues for Future Research
Include both partners of the couple in order to gain a better understanding of the functioning of the relationship from both sides
Explore these relationships during other transitions (becoming a parent, career changes) to provide a more complete picture of how military couples navigate transitions
Include a more diverse sample, including more dual-military couples and a variety of family structures
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
This study employed the relational turbulence model to examine features of relational communication and dimensions of relational inferences during the postdeployment transition for military service members. We surveyed 220 military personnel who had recently returned home from deployment about their romantic relationship. Results of a structural equation model indicated that relational uncertainty and interference from partners predicted openness and aggressiveness, which in turn predicted appraisals of affiliation and dominance in the relationship. The results imply that the transition from deployment to reunion corresponds with upheaval in how service members communicate with a romantic partner and make judgments about their relationship.
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