Publication year
2017
Citation Title
Family stressors and resources: Relationships with depressive symptoms in military couples during pre-deployment.
Journal Name
Family Relations
Journal Volume
66
Page Numbers
302-316
DOI
10.1111/fare.12251
Summary
It is just as important to engage in preventative interventions to improve military couples' mental health during the pre-deployment period as it is during the deployment and reintegration periods. To assess pre-deployment mental health, this study had 151 National Guard members and spouses completed an online survey regarding their family stressors, resources, and depressive symptoms four weeks before deployment. Results revealed that informal resources (e.g., family functioning) and expanded resources (e.g., instrumental support) were both important for military couples to deal with depressive symptoms.
Key Findings
Stress pile-up (e.g., financial or health problems in the previous year), but not the number of prior deployments, was related to depressive symptoms.
Only the lack of informal resources (but not formal resources) was positively associated with participants' depressive symptoms.
Good deployment preparation (e.g., logistic and instrumental tasks completed by military couples) was associated with fewer depressive symptoms.
Implications for Program Leaders
Help military families to recognize and strengthen their support systems in order to improve their family functioning
Disseminate information on military bases regarding the logistical and instrumental tasks that are necessary for deployment preparation
Identify military families with problems (e.g., financial difficulty, health issues) and provide appropriate support for them
Implications for Policy Makers
Raise awareness on military basis regarding the importance of pre-deployment preparation for military families' adjustment
Recommend pre-deployment workshops for Service members and their spouses to help them prepare for the upcoming deployment
Encourage the development of programs that assist military families with identifying and utilizing family resources
Methods
Participants were recruited by mail invitations and advertisements by research staff at Family Readiness Group meetings and brigade briefings.
Participants completed an online survey four weeks before their or their spouse's deployment; measures included depressive symptoms, stressors (number of previous deployment, problems in the previous year), informal resources (years in the relationship, family functioning, social support), and formal resources (military support services, deployment preparation).
Data were analyzed to examine the relationship between family stressors and resources and military couples' depressive symptoms.
Participants
Participants were 56 male National Guard members (average age = 37.00 years, SD = 8.30) and 95 female National Guard spouses (average age = 33.70 years, SD = 7.90).
The majority of the Guard members (96%) and the spouses were White (97%); the race/ethnicity of the non-White participants were not reported.
All National Guard members were affiliated with the Army.
Limitations
All the National Guard participants were male and all the spouses were female, so the sample may not represent issues or concerns related to same-sex couples or couples with female Service members and male spouses.
All the military participants were affiliated with the Army National Guard, so caution must be taken to generalize the results to other military branches.
The cross-sectional design of the study made it impossible to examine the causal relationship between family stressors, resources, and participants' depressive symptoms.
Avenues for Future Research
Recruit both male and female Service members from all military branches to increase the generalizability of the findings
Conduct longitudinal studies to examine the causal relationship between family stressors, resources, and military couples' depressive symptoms
Examine whether Service members and spouses benefit differently from informal and formal supports
Focus
National Guard
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
To evaluate family‐related stressors and resources associated with the depressive symptoms of military members and their spouses. Most deployment‐related research has focused on deployment and reintegration, but there is a dearth of information about military families during the pre‐deployment phase. Family stress theory provided a valuable lens from which to view family‐related risk and protective factors associated with adaptation during times of stressful transition. Data were gathered using an online survey from 151 U.S. Army National Guard members and their spouses preparing for a scheduled deployment. Hierarchical regression was utilized to examine associations between the independent variables (e.g., stress pileup, informal and formal resources, deployment preparation) and participants' depressive symptoms. Results revealed that aspects of stress pileup were positively associated with depressive symptoms. Informal resources and deployment preparation, but not formal resources, had statistically significant negative associations with individuals' depressive symptoms. Findings were similar for military members and spouses. Results indicated that logistical and instrumental preparation, in addition to informal resources such as effective family functioning and social support, are important for positive adaptation in times of stressful transition. Family service professionals may want to assist families with identifying and strengthening their family support and improving family functioning, as well as guide families in a process of identifying the instrumental and logistical tasks that are necessary or helpful for an impending transition.
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