Publication year
2010
Citation Title
Stress, coping, and well-being in military spouses during deployment separation.
Journal Name
Western Journal of Nursing Research
Journal Volume
33
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
247-267
DOI
10.1177/0193945910371319
Summary
Female spouses of deployed Active Duty Army personnel participated in a study examining predictors of general wellbeing (including perceived stress, coping behaviors, and health-promoting behaviors) during deployment separation. Perceived stress was the best predictor of spouses’ mental and physical well-being.
Key Findings
A higher degree of perceived stress was associated with lower mental and physical well-being.
Increased perceived stress was related to increased use of both evasive and emotive coping, which were, in turn, related to a decreased mental and physical well-being.
Increased optimistic coping was related to increased mental, but not physical, well-being.
Higher levels of stress were found in spouses of husbands deployed to a military operation other than war.
Implications for Program Leaders
Host special social events for military spouses and their children to increase social support while their family member is deployed
Offer classes to military spouses that include information about active coping skills to reduce stress during deployment
Disseminate information regarding programs and services available to military families during deployment
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to provide infrastructure and support for Family Readiness Groups
Continue to provide additional services for spouses of deployed Service members such as a workshop in effective coping skills
Recommend professional education to service providers working with military families regarding the unique factors that influence spousal well-being during deployment
Methods
Female spouses of currently deployed Army Soldiers from one large military installation were recruited through Family Readiness Groups.
Participants completed a paper and pencil questionnaire.
Questions assessed perceived stress, coping thoughts and behaviors, and well-being.
Participants
One hundred and five female spouses of Active Duty Army Soldiers participated.
The majority of spouses were White (80%), and were on average 30.54 years old (SD = 6.31 years).
The average number of previous deployments was 2.27 (SD = 1.24).
Limitations
All the measures were self-report; participants could have tried to respond in the "best" way, which may bias the results.
The sample was small and not random (attendees at Family Readiness Groups), limiting the generalizability of results.
The study was correlational therefore causal conclusions are inappropriate.
Avenues for Future Research
Include assessment of the sources of stress during deployment for spouses of deployed military members
Conduct a longitudinal study across the entire deployment period to see how these variables may fluctuate over time
Replicate this study with spouses from other military branches
Focus
Army
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
This study examined the relationships between stress, coping, general wellbeing, and sociodemographic characteristics using Lazarus and Folkman’s theory of stress and coping. A descriptive correlational design was used. The sample consisted of 105 female spouses of currently deployed active duty military members. Instruments included the Perceived Stress Scale, the Jalowiec Coping Scale, and the RAND-36. Perceived stress was the best predictor of both mental and physical well-being, accounting for 51.7% and 25.4% of the variance, respectively. Evasive and optimistic coping contributed an additional 1.9 % and 4.3%, respectively, to the variance in mental wellbeing. Differences in coping use were found among rank groups, those who grew up in a military family, and those with a previous deployment separation. Nurses are in an ideal position to identify military spouses at risk and provide education on effective coping behaviors shown to positively affect well-being during deployment separation.
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