Publication year
2011
Citation Title
Couple adjustment and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in National Guard veterans of the Iraq war.
Journal Name
Journal of Family Psychology
Journal Volume
25
Issue Number
4
Page Numbers
479-487
DOI
10.1037/a0024007
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may strongly impact Service members' relationships. The associations between PTSD and relationship adjustment among Army National Guard members with romantic partners was examined at two or three months (timepoint 1) and one year (timepoint 2) post-deployment. Soldiers who screened positive for PTSD at timepoint 1 had poorer relationship adjustment (e.g., satisfaction, communication, intimacy, support) at both timepoints, with dysphoria symptoms (e.g., loss of interest, emotional numbing, irritability) having a particularly negative effect on relationship adjustment.
Key Findings
The 17% of Soldiers who screened positive for PTSD at timepoint 1 had poorer relationship adjustment (e.g., satisfaction, communication, intimacy, support) at both timepoints after returning from Iraq.
The PTSD symptom cluster of dysphoria (e.g., loss of interest, emotional numbing, irritability) at timepoint 1 was most strongly related to poor relationship satisfaction at that time; it also predicted poor relationship satisfaction at timepoint 2.
While data suggest that PTSD symptoms may be more harmful for female than male Soldiers' relationships, conclusions are limited by the small female sample.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer workshops teaching healthy communication and conflict-resolution to military couples post-deployment
Provide classes to educate military families about the potential symptoms of PTSD and the effects of those symptoms on relationships
Disseminate both military and community mental health resource information to Service members and their families
Implications for Policy Makers
Promote the development of awareness campaigns to increase military families' knowledge about PTSD and their comfort in seeking mental health services for PTSD or relationship concerns
Recommend integration of programs that provide services to help with PTSD and relationship problems in order to provide more comprehensive, holistic resources for military families
Encourage education for professionals working with military families about the impact of PTSD on Service members' relationships and personal lives
Methods
Army National Guard Veterans, who had been deployed in OIF in 2006, were mailed surveys both two or three months and one year post-deployment.
Soldiers completed surveys regarding PTSD, relationship adjustment, and demographic information.
The associations between PTSD and relationship adjustment at each timepoint were examined.
Participants
Participants included 313 National Guard Soldiers in relationships at timepoint 1 and 225 at timepoint 2.
At timepoint 1, Soldiers were primarily male (89%), White (94%), employed (62%) or students (15%), enlisted (86%), and married (64%); Half of the Soldiers had children and most had been in a relationship 3 or more years (68%).
At timepoint 1, on average, Soldiers were 31 years of age (SD = 8.72) and had been deployed 16 months (SD = 2.93).
At timepoint 2, Soldiers were significantly older, more likely to be married or cohabitating, in longer relationships, more highly educated, and more likely to be officers.
Limitations
Only Soldier self-report data was collected, and results may differ with partner report or objective or behavioral measures of couples' interactions.
Participants were all Army National Guard members from a single brigade, and most were White and male, so results may not generalize to other populations.
Differences in demographic data between participants who did and did not complete timepoint two surveys may have impacted results.
Avenues for Future Research
Investigate the mechanism by which dysphoria impacts relationship adjustment (e.g., more irritability and arguements, less mutual support, etc.)
Examine the association between PTSD and relationship adjustment among a more generalizable sample of Service members (e.g., other branches, ethnic minorities, varied ranks, etc.)
Conduct a study examining the relationships between PTSD and relationship adjustment using several sources of measurement (e.g., Service member and spouse self-report, observations of couples' interactions) and a longitudinal approach across deployment phases, including baseline, pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment
Focus
National Guard
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
Relationship adjustment and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed across two time points in a sample of 313 married or partnered National Guard soldiers recently returned from combat duty in Iraq. Structural equation modeling using a four-factor model for PTSD found the latent variable dysphoria (reflecting generalized distress including aspects of emotional numbing and arousal) had the strongest independent contribution to predicting relationship adjustment at Time 1 and indirectly predicted poorer relationship adjustment at Time 2. Exploratory analysis of gender differences (n = 33 women; n = 280 men) suggested a different pattern of relations between PTSD factors and relationship adjustment among female soldiers at Time 1, with a trend toward trauma specific avoidance being more highly related to relationship adjustment. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
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