Living separately during the week: Influences on family functioning, health, and well-being of UK naval families

Abstract

LAY SUMMARY Military life can involve many different separations from family as a result of operational demands. Approximately 4 in 10 UK Royal Navy and Royal Marine families report living separately during the week. Although much research focuses on deployment, little research focuses on how these shorter, more frequent, and ongoing separations influence family functioning and the health and well-being of partners, children, and young people. In this study, interviews and focus groups with partners and adolescents in UK naval families found that limitations on time as a family and family dynamics, including roles and relationships, had a negative influence on family functioning. Stressors from these experiences were reported to negatively affect family health and well-being, with poorer mental and physical health among partners and emotional and behavioural difficulties among children. These findings highlight similarities and differences between weekly separations and operational deployments and the need for more research on different types of family separation in the military.