Publication year
2014
Citation Title
Examining spouse/partner presence as a moderator in the relationship between mental health symptoms and alcohol use in OEF/OIF veterans.
Journal Name
Military Psychology
Journal Volume
26
Issue Number
6-May
Page Numbers
366-375
DOI
10.1037/mil0000048
Summary
There were 325 OEF/OIF Veterans who completed questionnaires designed to examine whether presence of a spouse or partner buffers the relationship between mental health symptoms and alcohol consumption. Results found that depression was positively associated with drinking for those without a partner, but not those with a partner. Presence of a partner did not buffer the association between PTSD symptoms and alcohol use.
Key Findings
Service members with partners drank less alcohol than those without partners, and PTSD did not significantly impact those associations.
Greater depression symptoms were associated with increased alcohol consumption for Service members without partners, but not for those with partners.
For Service members without partners and with fewer deployments, but not those with partners or with more deployments, greater depression symptoms were associated with increased alcohol consumption.
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate military families about signs of problematic drinking and how to find help for someone struggling with alcohol abuse
Inform Service members about the associations between deployment, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and problematic alcohol use, and provide referral information to all Service members post-deployment
Provide support groups specifically for Service members without spouses or partners to help them find social support post-deployment
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend continued post-deployment screenings for depression, PTSD, and problematic drinking
Continue to promote the development and provision of a range of evidence-based treatments for mental health problems for Service members
Encourage professional development of providers working with military families about how to recognize symptoms of depression, alcohol abuse, and posttraumatic stress symptoms
Methods
Data were drawn from a larger study examining a brief alcohol intervention among OEF/OIF Veterans recruited from a primary care clinic at a VA hospital (80% recruitment rate).
Participants completed questionnaires regarding demographic information, drinking habits, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and depression symptoms.
Associations between depression, PTSD, alcohol consumption, and partnership status were examined.
Participants
Participants were 325 Veterans (93% male), with an average age of 32.20 years (SD = 8.18).
Service members were 82% White, 9% Black, 5% Latino, 2% Native American, 1% Asian American, and 2% another race/ethnicity.
On average, participants had 2.96 years of service (SD = 1.42) and 1.61 deployments (SD = 0.90); the majority were Active Duty (71%), followed by National Guard (19%) and Reserves (10%).
Limitations
The data were cross-sectional and causal conclusions are not appropriate.
The sample was a non-random sample and may be biased or unrepresentative; findings may not generalize to older Veteran cohorts or those in other geographic locations.
Unmeasured variables, such as time since deployment, may have influenced findings.
Avenues for Future Research
Explore the processes through which intimate relationships buffer Service members from problematic alcohol use
Examine the associations between relationship adjustment following deployment, relationship distress or satisfaction, and spouse burden is related to alcohol use.
Investigate whether social support and relationship interventions can prevent or reduce alcohol use problems among Service members
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Veterans from the conflicts in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom; OEF) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom; OIF) have reported elevated rates of alcohol consumption, and greater depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with increased alcohol use. Presence of a spouse/partner, which has been associated with reduced drinking, may buffer the relationship between mental health symptoms and alcohol consumption. To examine this hypothesis, the current study utilized baseline survey data from OEF/OIF veterans (N = 325) enrolled in a brief alcohol intervention. Spouse/partner presence moderated the relationship between depression symptoms and alcohol consumption such that depression was positively associated with drinking for veterans without a spouse/partner. Exploratory analyses indicated that the relationship between depression and alcohol use may be particularly salient for veterans without a spouse/partner and a lower number of deployments. Spouse/partner presence did not moderate the relationship between PTSD symptoms and alcohol consumption. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Abstract Document
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