Publication year
2009
Citation Title
Psychological effects of deployments on military families.
Journal Name
Psychiatric Annals
Journal Volume
39
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
56-63
DOI
10.3928/00485713-20090201-11
Summary
Military spouses of a single Army Brigade Combat Team (BCT) who were enrolled in a family readiness group completed an online survey as their Service member (partner) prepared for deployment. The survey was designed to identify stressors, perceived barriers to mental health treatment, and levels of depression and stress occurring among spouses of about-to-be-deployed service members. Over 40% of spouses reported moderate or severe symptoms of depression, and a large majority reported willingness to seek mental health care if needed or if suggested by friends or family.
Key Findings
Forty-three percent of spouses reported moderate or severe depressive symptoms during this pre-deployment period and nearly all endorsed potential feelings of loneliness and fearing for their spouse's safety during deployment.
Seventy percent of the spouses had one or more children living at home, but having children at home was not a risk factor for depression.
Eighty-nine percent of spouses endorsed being willing to seek mental healthcare if needed.
Twenty-nine percent reported concern that their own mental health treatment could have a negative impact on their spouse's career, with older spouses more frequently reporting this specific concern.
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide education aimed at helping military spouses cope with stressors specific to the preparation phase of their partners' military deployment as part of BCTs.
Disseminate information regarding DoD and community-based programs that offer services and resources to military spouses throughout the deployment cycle
Offer support groups for military spouses throughout the deployment cycle to reduce the risk of loneliness and mental health issues
Implications for Policy Makers
Recommend expanding access to and reducing perceived barriers to mental health care for spouses and families of deployed service members
Continue to support efforts to reduce stigma regarding mental health treatment for Service members and their spouses
Continue to provide support for programs that work to increase family readiness prior to deployment
Methods
Eight hundred seventy-two spouses of one deploying Army BCT were invited to participate in an online anonymous survey.
Measures included demographic questions, number of previous OIF/OEF deployments, and whether the non-deploying spouse was currently or had previously been in mental health treatment.
Participants were recruited via an email, which contained a link to the online survey, explained the importance of their participation and the anonymous and voluntary nature of the study.
Participants
Participants included 295 Army spouses.
The majority of the sample was female (96%), White (80%), and between the ages of 17-24 years (33%) or 25-29 years (29%).
Seven percent of spouses were currently receiving mental health care, 9% had within the past year, 13% had more than one year ago, and 5% received care prior to their Service members' deployment.
Limitations
Low response rate and self-reported measures may have resulted in bias due to self-selection or socially desirable responses.
The sample demographics contain an overrepresentation of White and female participants and the sample was comprised of one Army BCT; therefore, the results may not accurately generalize to the larger military population.
Some of the instruments used in the study have not been validated in groups under high levels of environmental stress, so reported rates in this study should not be understood as prevalence rates of disorders.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine which stressors related to spousal deployment are experienced as most stressful and which are most closely linked to the experience of depression
Conduct a simiar study with spouses from other service branches and a more demographically representative sample
Investigate potential differences in coping mechanisms and mental health concerns between spouses and families of first time deployed service members and spouses and families who have experienced prior deployment
Focus
Army
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
The continued operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought the mental health effects of military conflict to public attention. Most studies of deployment-related stress during the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have focused on the post-deployment symptoms experienced by military members following their return from deployment. These studies have shown rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in the range of 10% to 20% following deployment. Studies have also shown that many veterans do not seek care despite endorsing high levels on symptoms. Commonly endorsed reasons for not seeking care include practical issues, such as getting time off of work for appointments, but also are because of the perception that seeking care could interfere with their careers or various aspects of their relationships with peers and supervisors. Stress experienced by spouses and other family members has been less studied in relationship to the current conflicts, but has a potential impact on general health status and a potential secondary impact on deployed or returning service members. A recent 1-year analysis of a deployed Division Mental Health unit showed that the top stressor came from the home-front.
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