Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Development of a multilevel prevention program for improved relationship functioning in active duty military members.
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
180
Issue Number
6
Page Numbers
690-696
DOI
10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00491
Summary
Active Duty U.S. Air Force Security Forces completed questionnaires and participated in a focus group post-deployment. Participants reported about supports for their intimate relationships. Participants cited a wide range of relationship-oriented topics that would have been helpful to have learned about across all phases of the deployment cycle. Many Service members reported concern that their non-deployed spouse lacked sufficient access to resources.
Key Findings
Before deployment, participants reported that the information about the following topics would have been useful but was not received: managing relationship conflict (81%), talking with children (79%), and maintaining a strong relationship (77%).
Participants reported that informational needs that arose during deployment but were not met included: detection of relationship problems (96%) and managing fears of infidelity (95%).
Participants would have appreciated, but did not receive, information about the following post-deployment topics: recovering from infidelity (94%) and easing back into parenting (87%).
In the focus groups, participants expressed fears that their at-home spouses felt alone and did not have access to resources during deployment.
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate deploying Service members and their partners about the range of resources/supports available to at-home family members
Explicitly address issues related to fidelity and relationship conflict in both pre and post-deployment workshops
Offer classes for reintegrating Service members about how to reconnect with their children after deployment
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage free or low-cost support services for couples that give them structured opportunities to address delicate matters prior to deployment
Continue to support an array of accessible resources for military spouses during Service members’ deployment
Recommend continued offerings of couple and family-based services during the reintegration period, helping couples and families reconnect
Methods
At six to nine months after the Iraq deployment, participants were invited to an Air Force base for this research study.
Participants were in groups of 10-15 people where they completed a short questionnaire and a focus group discussion.
Interview and self-report questions addressed the impact of deployment on their relationship, prevention services received, and desired prevention activities.
Participants
Participants consisted of 112 Active Duty United States Air Force Security Forces who had been deployed for one year during 2009-2010 and were in a committed relationship at pre-deployment.
In the sample, the everage age was 25.4 years (SD = 5.7) and most of the sample (93%) were male.
Among the participants, 67% were White, 12% Latino, 11% Black, and 7% Asian-American. Sixty-four percent of the Service members were mid-level enlisted or noncommissioned officers and 24% were junior enlisted.
Limitations
The sample was limited to one Air Force unit, so findings may differ from other military branches.
Researchers employed an invalidated measure to examine needs and preferences, so there may be some issues with how valid data from that measure are.
Information was not provided regarding the methods used to analyze and interpret the focus group data, which limits the ability to adequately assess and replicate the study.
Avenues for Future Research
Replicate this study with the same questionnaires and focus group structure with Service members of other military branches
Gather data that measures differences between men and women in their desires for relationship programming
Examine the needs and preferences of both Service members of their civilian partners simultaneously
Focus
Air Force
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
The relationships and families of active duty (AD) service members have been tremendously strained by deployments and high operations' tempo. This study involves the first steps in developing a multilevel approach to preventing relationship problems that integrates universal, selective, and indicated prevention/intervention. Such an approach has tremendous empirical support for parenting problems, but no similar program exists for couple problems. We conducted two studies with U.S. Air Force Security Forces members. Study 1 elicited the target population's topics of highest interest. For almost all topics, 70% to 95% of participants who desired information reported being underserved by current prevention offerings (i.e., not receiving needed information). Using the top topics generated in Study 1, we developed prevention information/action planning sheets on 18 relationship issues. In Study 2, we had AD members who gave feedback on the form and content of the sheets. Overall, AD members believed that the sheets were moderately to very useful and were presented well, had pithy but comprehensive information and conveyed the content well. Results imply that a multilevel approach may be a useful complement to formal services in meeting underserved military members' needs and that further research and development of this dissemination vector for evidence-based information is warranted.
Abstract Document
PRTW Document
Attach