Publication year
2012
Citation Title
Experiences of U.S. military couples during the post-deployment transition: Applying the relational turbulence model.
Journal Name
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Journal Volume
29
Issue Number
4
Page Numbers
423–450
DOI
10.1177/0265407511431186
Summary
The post-deployment period can be difficult for Service members and their spouses. To better understand the difficulties that can arise after deployment, Service members and military spouses completed online questionnaires (e.g., changes to their relationship) regarding their recent reintegration experiences. Results indicated that military couples encountered both challenges (e.g., relationship uncertainty) and opportunities (e.g., closer relationship) during the reintegration period.
Key Findings
Participants reported both positive (e.g., they valued their relationship more) and negative (e.g., problems reconnecting) changes to their relationships after deployment.
Participants experienced relational uncertainty (e.g., questions about commitment) and encountered interference from partners (e.g., control issues) during the reintegration period.
Women, at-home partners, and Reserve couples were most likely to report that they experienced difficulties during the reintegration period.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer workshops during reintegration to help military families adjust to the Service member’s return
Provide Service members and their intimate partners classes that aim to increase communication skills after deployment
Disseminate information regarding possible stressors for military couples during the reintegration period
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support reintegration programs that assist military families in adjusting to the Service member’s return
Encourage the development of programs that support Service members to reintegrate into the community after deployment
Recommend professional development courses for professionals working with military families regarding the unique challenges that military couples experience after deployment and ways to assist military couples with the transition
Methods
Participants were recruited by distributing advertisements at family readiness offices, reintegration workshops, and online military family forums; people were eligible to participate if they were currently involved in a romantic relationship and if they or their romantic partner had returned from deployment in the last six months.
Participants answered online questionnaires regarding changes to their relationship, relational uncertainty, and interference from partners during the post-deployment period.
Data were analyzed to extract common themes from participants' answers.
Participants
Participants were 259 individuals including 137 (109 males and 28 females) Service members and 122 (2 males and 120 females) military spouses.
The average age of participants was 33.13 years (age range = 19-58 years, SD = 8.56); the majority of them were White (84%), followed by Black (7%), Latino (5%), Asian Americans (2%), Native Americans (1%), and other (1%).
The military branches that Service members served in were National Guard (60%), Army (32%), Marines (4%), Air Force (3%), and Navy (1%).
Limitations
Data were collected individually rather than by couple; therefore, some important information about couple interactions may have been missing.
Most participants (92%) were affiliated with the National Guard or the Army; therefore, the results may not apply to the Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard.
Data were collected within six months of return from deployment, so participants' long-term reintegration experience was unknown.
Avenues for Future Research
Conduct longitudinal studies to examine how military couples' reintegration experiences fluctuate over time
Collect dyadic data from military couples to examine the potential interdependence between their answers
Recruit participants from all military branches so that the results can be better generalized to the broader military population
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
Although many military couples eagerly await reunion after deployment, the reentry of service members into family life can be challenging. This study employed the relational turbulence model to identify the issues facing military couples during the postdeployment transition. Individuals who had been reunited with their romantic partner during the past six months (N ¼ 259; 137 service members, 122 partners) completed an online questionnaire. Content analytic results indicated that people encounter diverse changes to their relationship (RQ1), issues of relational uncertainty (RQ2), and interference in their daily routines (RQ3). Women, at-home partners, and reservist couples appear especially likely to encounter upheaval (RQ4). The relational turbulence model may have utility for illuminating the experiences of military couples upon reintegration.
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