Publication year
2014
Citation Title
Turning points and trajectories in military deployment.
Journal Name
Journal of Family Communication
Journal Volume
14
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
129-148
DOI
10.1080/15267431.2013.864293
Summary
Retrospective interviews were conducted with Army and Army National Guard wives to identify turning points and trajectories of marital satisfaction across the deployment cycle. Participants reported over 500 turning points, and five trajectories of marital satisfaction were identified at each phase of deployment. Results reflect the varied experiences of military families across the deployment cycle.
Key Findings
Participants reported over 500 turning points spanning the deployment cycle, primarily related to deployment or military-related events, life events, and communication events (e.g., disclosures of important information, decisions, disagreements).
Recall of marital satisfaction across the deployment cycle showed an increase in marital satisfaction from pre-deployment to the time of the interview.
Within each deployment phase, various patterns of marital satisfaction were present including increasing, decreasing, stable, turbulent, and dipped marital satisfaction.
The turbulent trajectory of marital satisfaction was most frequent in the pre-deployment and deployment phases. Declining or dipped trajectories were most frequent in the post-deployment phase.
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide education for couples to support them in successfully navigating the challenges of deployment, including information about common communication challenges across the deployment cycle
Offer couples retreats post-deployment to facilitate successful reintegration
Disseminate information regarding resources available to Service members and their families throughout the deployment cycle
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support couples enrichment activities both pre- and post-deployments
Recommend that deployed Service members have opportunities for regular telephonic or online communication with at-home family members
Endorse training for service providers working with military families regarding common communication issues during deployment
Methods
Wives were recruited through purposive sampling and snowball sampling via military chaplains, family readiness groups, and through flyers at posted in the military community.
A retrospective interview technique was used to identify turning points and trajectories of marital satisfaction across the deployment cycle.
Interviews ranged from 30 minutes to three hours, with an average length of 90 minutes, and took place on base, at the participants home, or in a semi-private location (e.g., coffee shop).
Participants
Study participants were 50 women whose husbands served in Iraq or Afghanistan as members of the U.S. Army or Army National Guard.
Participants were 32 years old on average; race/ethnicity data were not provided.
Most participants’ spouses were officers (n = 26) or enlisted Soldiers (n = 20).
Limitations
The study utilized retrospective interviews which may produce findings that are influenced by recall bias.
The results may not generalize to most military families as this was a small, self-selected sample of Army wives
Only military wives were interviewed; Service members may have a different perspective on turning points and trajectories of marital satisfaction across the deployment cycle.
Avenues for Future Research
Use a prospective design to evaluate how different turning points relate to long-term outcomes
Identify turning points and trajectories associated with successful reintegration
Explore the effectiveness of family readiness program at reducing turbulent turning points associated with deployment
Focus
Army
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Previous military family research has assumed a stable set of deployment phases. In line with critiques of such models within family communication, we identified the varied turning points and trajectories military spouses experience across deployment. We interviewed 50 Army and Army National Guard wives whose husbands served in missions to Iraq and Afghanistan. Participants graphed turning points and corresponding marital satisfaction levels across a recent deployment. Participants reported 519 turning points that fell into four supraordinate categories: Deployment/Military-Related Events, Life Events, Communication Events, and Other. Trajectories within each deployment phase reflected five patterns: Turbulent, Increasing, Decreasing, Stabilized, and Dipped. Most participants' trajectories reflected turbulence during the predeployment and deployment phases, and declining or dipped satisfaction during the postdeployment period. Results reflect varied experiences and provide useful information for those experiencing wartime separations or those supporting military families through deployment.
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