Survival–Recovery Effect: Military Wives With Soldier–Husbands Deployed to the Operation Iraqi Freedom Conflict

Abstract

AbstractTypical stressful emotions for wartime military wives have not changed since the Vietnam War. Given the catastrophic nature of the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) war of the 21st century, growing concerns have emerged from the public regarding this population's psychological and physical health. A qualitative phenomenological analysis explored an in‐depth OIF deployment separation on eight military wives' psychological, physical, and spiritual well‐being with soldier‐husbands' indefinite deployment. From the dominant thematic findings emerged an overall experience for this population, named a “survival‐recovery effect.” Results strikingly mirrored previous empirical research that confirmed the military wives have been unprepared to manage war‐induced deployment separations. Implications suggested a critical need to develop intervention support services and programs aimed at addressing the unique wartime stressors for this population. Insights from these women have the potential to guide future military wives through a wartime crisis. Findings have wide benefits for the military wife population vital to soldier retention, segments of the military and civilian scientific communities, and the field of psychology. Future recommendations and limitations are outlined.