Military Spouses Research Articles

Self-care among military spouses and partners: Developing the Military and Veteran Spouse Self-Care Inventory (MVSSCI)

LAY SUMMARY When people take care of themselves, it can improve their quality of life. This is especially important for U.S. military and Veteran spouses. The Veteran and military population experiences unique challenges in taking care of themselves while splitting their attention in order to support the military spouse. Although there are ways to measure how well individuals practice self-care, no measure has been created specifically for the military population. The current study created a shortened version of an established self-care inventory (the National Alliance on Mental Illness SCI) while evaluating the Veteran Spouse Resiliency Group (V-SRG), a peer-group-based support program. This group was specifically chosen because it offers evidence-based transition support and a safe space to improve self-care. There were 227 participants who participated in completing surveys and gave feedback on how to improve the military-adapted version of the SCI. Researchers then asked participants to take pre- and post-intervention surveys online and in person to cross-check whether the new military-specific tool was reliable. Researchers did multiple tests to make sure the new measure contained the same concepts as the previously established measure. Military and Veteran partners experience unique stressors, and learning more about their self-care might improve their overall wellness.

Informing peer support programs for active duty military spouses of U.S. Army soldiers

LAY SUMMARY With 50% of active duty service members being married, spouses are critical in supporting military readiness. Yet, because of the nature of military service, spouses experience numerous challenges, including education and career progression, parenting and child care, managing family separation during deployment and training, and accessibility of health care. Peer support programs can develop a sense of community, provide support for shared challenges, and offer access to resources. Building on a peer support program with Veteran spouses, this study identified the challenges and needs of active duty spouses to inform adaptation of the program. Five focus groups were conducted on Zoom with 35 active duty military spouses to understand their main concerns and preferences for a peer support program. Major themes identified were challenges of military life, benefits of military life, and recommendations for peer support programming. This study’s findings will be used to adapt and develop a peer support program to be tested with military spouses of U.S. Army soldiers in a study funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Investigation of Military Spouse Suicide.

Recent statistics released by the Department of Defense have revealed increasing numbers of military spouse suicide. Although past qualitative research has suggested possible reasons for this phenomenon, there is a lack of wide-scale quantitative research regarding suicide within the military spouse population. To fill this gap, we aimed to examine military spouses' perceptions of suicide and their ability to access mental health care. We also aimed to explore the perceptions of sucide within various subgroups of military spouses. We recruited military spouse participants (officer and enlisted) through social media to complete a 12-item Likert survey focusing on their perception of suicide in the military spouse community, including the threat level of suicide, their own mental health status, barriers and stigmas to accessing mental health care, the view from the spouse's leadership, and the leading causes for military spouse suicide. A total of 141 military spouses participated in our study. Spouses' perception of the main threats to their mental health and suicides in their community were an ongoing sense of loss of control (27.7%), loss of identity (25.5%), difficulty accessing mental health services (19.1%), and fear of seeking mental health services (10.6%). Additionally, 28.3% of participants were moderately concerned, quite concerned, or extremely concerned about their mental health. The participants also believed that the threat of suicides in their community was moderately prevalent (35.5%), quite prevalent (17.7%), and extremely prevalent (5%). There was no difference between spouses of officers or enlisted service members, spouses of service members in the Army, Navy, or Air Force on perceptions of suicide risk prevalence, stigma, participants' concern for themselves, confidence in their ability to access resources, confidence in their ability to help another spouse, or the perceived importance military leaders place on preventing suicide. Spousal tenure was similarly not significantly related to any of the variables of interest. Our military spouse particpants reported elevated perceptions about the prevalence of suicide threats, concern for themselves, and stigma toward accessing mental health resources, as well as low perceived importance placed on spouse suicide prevention by military leadership. The spouses reported moderate confidence in their ability to help another spouse or access suicide prevention resources. Our participants also reported challenges in accessing mental health services and perceived a stigma associated with receiving counseling services. Continued focus and advocacy is needed to ensure military spouses receive the mental health support needed to prevent suicide within this population.

Military spouse and key stakeholder perspectives of effective messaging for US service members on secure storage of personal firearms: a qualitative study

BackgroundSecure firearm storage is a proposed method for reducing intentional and unintentional firearm injury and death among US military service members. However, little is known about suggested key messengers and...

Deployment stressors, mental health outcomes, and protective factors among wives of reserve soldiers during the Israel-Hamas War: A latent profile analysis approach.

Deployment to active conflict zones significantly affects military families, with spouses often experiencing heightened stress and mental health challenges. However, research on non-US military spouses, particularly those of reserve soldiers, who may face unique stressors compared to active-duty personnel, remains scarce. This study examined perceived stress profiles among Israeli spouses of reserve soldiers during the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, and their associations with deployment stressors, mental health outcomes, and psychological protective factors. A volunteer sample of Israeli spouses of reserve soldiers (n=293) responded to self-report questionnaires in a cross-sectional study. Using latent profile analysis of the ratings of perceived stress, three distinct profiles were identified: low (35.1%), moderate (43.5%), and high (21.3%). Higher levels of deployment stressors (e.g., fear of spouse getting physically injured) predicted membership in the moderate and high-stress profiles, while better household management was associated with lower stress profiles. The high-stress profile reported significantly greater symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to the low and moderate stress profiles. In contrast, the low-stress profile exhibited higher levels of resilience, self-compassion, and perceived social support. These findings highlight the variability in spouses' stress responses during wartime deployment and identify key factors associated with psychological adjustment. Results suggest that deployment-related fears, household management abilities, and psychological resources are crucial in shaping stress profiles and mental health outcomes among military spouses.

Trauma, resilience and significant relationships: Sex differences in protective factors for military mental health.

Military service is historically a male-dominated occupation, as such, the majority of research examining the development of mental disorder in Australian Defence Force members has had primarily male samples. While there have been mixed findings internationally regarding sex differences in rates of mental disorder and subthreshold symptoms among military personnel, across studies, the evidence tends to suggest that female military members are at least as likely as males to experience subthreshold mental health symptoms and have similar or higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder despite the differences in roles during service. What is less understood is the impact of sex differences in symptom emergence over time and in predictors of clinical disorder. The sample included a longitudinal cohort of Australian Defence Force members (N = 8497) surveyed at Time 1 (2010) and followed up at Time 2 (2015) on measures of anger, self-perceived resilience, trauma exposure, deployment exposure, suicidality, help-seeking, relationship satisfaction and mental health disorder symptoms. Outcomes included Subthreshold Disorder (above the optimal screening cut-off on the 10-item Kessler distress scale or posttraumatic stress disorder checklist) and Probable Disorder (above the epidemiological cut-off on the 10-item Kessler distress scale or posttraumatic stress disorder checklist). Results found that while lifetime trauma exposure remained the strongest predictor of later probable disorder emergence among both males and females, for females specifically, self-reported resilience was also a significant protective factor. In contrast, being in a significant relationship at Time 1 was a protective factor against the development of subthreshold disorder in males. For the first time, sex differences in mental health symptom emergence over time have been explored in a large Australian cohort of military members. The capacity to adapt and bounce back after adversity emerged as a proactive factor against poor mental health for females in the military and could be addressed as part of routine skills training. Social support from significant relationship was particularly important for males' mental health, suggesting that maintaining positive relationships and supporting military spouses and partners are critical for males' mental health.

Factors influencing postdeployment reintegration adjustment for U.S. service members and their spouses by spouse gender

ABSTRACT Research on spouses’ adjustment after military deployment has focused primarily on female spouses of male service members; little is known about how adjustment differs by gender. We used Walsh’s family resilience framework to examine communication, belief system, organizational factors, and other stressors, likely associated with postdeployment adjustment. Using Millennium Cohort Family Study data, logistic regressions assessed risk and protective factors on spouses’ and service members’ time to adjust, exploring whether spouse gender moderated their associations. Findings indicated that the association of (1) spouses’ perceptions of their own mental functioning with spouses’ and service members’ adjustment and (2) spouses’ mental readiness for deployment with service members’ adjustment both differed by spouse gender, with associations attenuated for male spouses and their service member partners. Other factors associated with family adjustment included the spouse’s satisfaction with communication, the extent to which the service member shared deployment experiences, the extent to which the spouse was bothered by deployment experiences, the spouse’s participation in postdeployment transition programs, the spouse’s informal support during deployment, and length of deployment. Results indicated shared and gender-specific risk and protective factors associated with spouse and service member adjustment, demonstrating the importance of tailored military family support programs addressing the needs of different populations of military spouses.

Perinatal mental health and active-duty military spouses: a scoping review

IntroductionMental health conditions (i.e. depression or anxiety) are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth in the United States (U.S.) and are associated with increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Research has demonstrated a relationship between stress and mental health diagnoses in pregnancy; therefore, it is concerning that military families face unique challenges which contribute to additional stressors among spouses of active-duty (AD) military personnel during the perinatal period. The objective of this scoping review was to understand the current state of research on perinatal stress or perinatal mental health among American spouses of AD military personnel.MethodsThe Boolean phrase was created in consultation with 2 health science librarians and the following databases searched in October 2023: PubMed, Embase, Military and Government Collection, CINAHL, and PsychINFO. 2 reviewers identified 481 studies for screening once duplicates were removed. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 21 studies remained for data extraction and analysis.ResultsMost of the studies were quantitative, took place in the southern U.S., and the most represented military branch was Air Force. Most of the studies included both AD military members and AD spouses; 28% focused solely on AD spouses. Samples were not racially diverse, and findings identified racial disparities in perinatal mental health conditions. There was a wide variety in outcome measures, including the following general categories: (1) stress, anxiety, and/or depression, (2) maternal-infant attachment, (3) group prenatal care, and (4) deployment focus. Our review identified the following concepts: spouses most at risk for perinatal mental health conditions, the need for perinatal mental health screening, and the need for social support.ConclusionsFindings from the identified studies indicate a need for additional research in this area. Additionally, findings highlight circumstances unique to this population that result in an increased risk of stress and/or mental health conditions during the perinatal period. Such challenges demand improved mental health screening and additional resources for this population. Meeting the needs of this unique population also requires significant funding and policy change to allow for increased access to mental health resources and to ensure the health of the birthing person and infant.

Unpacking Military Spouse Identities and Careers: A Qualitative Study

Unpacking Military Spouse Identities and Careers: A Qualitative Study

Religious Coping, Resilience, and Military Spouse Mental Health.

Military spouses play a key role in the military family and contribute to military readiness. Despite their influence, they are an understudied population. Previous research has identified military spouses as a vulnerable group considering their unique life stressors and high mental distress; thus, it is critical to identify potential protective factors for military spouses. However, there is a lack of research exploring the role of religious coping and resilience in mental health outcomes of military spouses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of religious coping on depression, anxiety, and stress, and the extent to which the effect is mediated by resilience. A total of 1,079 military spouses completed self-administered surveys online. The questionnaires assessed demographic factors, depression, anxiety, stress, religious coping, and resilience. Zero-order correlations and descriptive statistics were analyzed. Additionally, multiple linear regression was utilized to investigate the extent to which resilience mediated the relationship between religious coping and mental health outcomes. The results indicate high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among military spouses. Religious coping had significant effects on mental distress, such that increases in religious coping corresponded to decreases in depression (β = -3.30), anxiety (β = -1.89) and stress (β = -1.58). Mediation analyses indicated resilience significantly mediated the relationship between religious coping and depression (95% CI [-1.38, -.431]), anxiety (95% CI [-1.23, -.376]), and stress (95% CI [-1.328, -0.420]). For military spouses, religious coping was associated with increased resilience, which was subsequently associated with reduced mental distress. This study draws attention to the role of religious coping and resilience in mental health outcomes for military spouses. Considering the role of military spouses in supporting service members, future research should explore how to strengthen military spouses' religious coping and resilience to mitigate mental distress, thereby facilitating service member success and military readiness.

Risk and Protective Factors of Probable Binge Eating Disorder in US Military Spouses: Findings From the Millennium Cohort Family Study.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a public health concern that has received little research attention in military families. Further research is needed to identify risk and protective factors to inform intervention and prevention efforts. This longitudinal study examined predictors of probable BED in a sample of U.S. military spouses (N = 5,269). Data were derived from the Millennium Cohort Family Study, which included baseline assessments of risk and protective factors and a follow-up assessment of probable BED approximately 3 years later. Results of a multivariable logistic regression model indicated that spouses with probable posttraumatic stress disorder, adverse childhood experiences, or who were former smokers had increased risk of probable BED at follow-up. Spouses whose service member had a deployment with combat exposure, or had not deployed, had higher risk of probable BED than spouses whose service member deployed without combat exposure. Age >34 years was the only protective factor to emerge as significant in the adjusted model. Results highlighted the need for interventions to improve psychoeducation and coping skills in military spouses, which may mitigate BED symptoms stemming from military-related stressors (e.g., combat deployment) or prior trauma, especially once maladaptive coping mechanisms (e.g., smoking) have ceased.

Military spouse licensing: a case study of registered nurses near military bases

Military spouse licensing: a case study of registered nurses near military bases

Longitudinal association of health behaviors and health-related quality of life with military spouse readiness.

Unhealthy behaviors impose costs on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) reducing productivity and readiness among military members (Hoge et al., JAMA 295:1023-32, 2006; Mansfield et al. 362:101-9, 2010). Among married personnel in particular, patterns of spouse health behaviors may play an interdependent role. As a result, the identification of military spouse health factors related to readiness may inform strategies to screen for and identify those in need of greater support and enhance readiness. This study explored behavioral and HRQOL predictors and potential mediators of military spouse readiness utilizing data from the Millennium Cohort Family Study. The analytic sample comprised of 3257 spouses of active-duty, non-separated service members who responded to both waves 1 and 2 of the survey. Sample characteristics are described with respect to demographics (e.g., age, sex, race/ethnicity, etc.), readiness measures (i.e., military satisfaction, lost workdays, health care utilization, military-related stress, and satisfaction), health behaviors (i.e., exercise, sleep, smoking, and alcohol use) and HRQOL (Veterans RAND 12-Item Short Form Survey). We conducted multivariate mediation analyses to evaluate the role of mental and physical HRQOL as mediators between the baseline health behaviors and the health readiness outcomes at follow-up, while adjusting for spouse and service member demographics. HRQOL had direct effects for all five readiness outcomes examined. Multiple health behaviors (insomnia, smoking, binge drinking, and exercise) were further significantly associated with spouse readiness outcomes, although most effects were mediated through HRQOL, suggesting this may be a useful index of military spouse readiness. Insomnia was the specific health behavior most consistently associated with poorer readiness across outcomes, and effects were only partially mediated by physical and mental HRQOL. The results show spouse health behaviors are directly and indirectly (through HRQOL) associated with readiness indicators. This suggests that assessments of modifiable health behaviors (e.g., insomnia symptoms) and mental and physical HRQOL are important indicators of readiness among military spouses and should be used to inform future programs designed to improve population health.

Military Widows’ Experiences of Social Isolation, Loneliness and Unmet Social Needs

Military widow/ers can experience spousal death suddenly and in traumatic circumstances. Evidence shows that this experience often has a long-term effect on surviving family members, highlighting the unique experiences of loneliness and social isolation in the armed forces community. This study aimed to explore military widow/ers’ lived experiences of social isolation and loneliness and unmet needs relating to social participation. This paper presents the qualitative findings of a sequential study in which Phase One utilized an online survey (N = 165) and Phase Two employed semi-structured interviews (N = 26). Almost all participants across both Phases discussed feeling lonely, socially isolated, or both. Findings highlight the complexity in transition from military spouse to military widow/er through the loss of a military community and geographical location. This was further compounded by language barriers and perceived hierarchy (through service life or circumstances of death) which created obstacles to help seeking. However, individuals who did join military widow/ers’ associations valued peer support through shared connection and understanding. Peer support was particularly valued as, for many, existing relationships with friends or family members were often negatively impacted following bereavement. These changed relationships led to feelings of both vulnerability and loss. Consideration needs to be given to how access to appropriate support is gained and what provision needs to be in place. This study recommends the use of more inclusive language for the military bereaved to promote inclusive practices and broaden the availability of support, including that which would increase social participation, across the sector.

Examining the well-being of military spouses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic using the Quality of Life survey

LAY SUMMARY The Quality of Life (QOL) survey of military spouses is a critical mechanism to inform the Canadian Armed Forces in efforts to support military families. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 survey examined spouses’ mental health and identified the challenges faced during this time, on top of the usual demands of military life. Consistent with results from past QOL surveys, the top issues that challenge civilian military spouses were relocation, primary health care, and spousal employment. Civilian military spouses who expressed concerns related to health, social connection, and employment also reported lower levels of well-being. Offering programs that can help address these concerns is important to support the well-being of military spouses.

Role of military context and couple well-being in the psychological vulnerability of military wives in the United States

LAY SUMMARY The psychological health of military spouses is essential for the health and readiness of the family system. Thus, it is essential to understand contextual and familial factors that play a role in the psychological vulnerability of military spouses. This study examined how aspects of military life (number of deployments, perceived social support from the military community, and assessments of military life satisfaction) and family life (namely, couple well-being) played a role in the psychological vulnerability (depressive symptoms and personal well-being) of 222 U.S. military wives. Results suggested that when military wives felt more social support from the military community, they typically reported greater well-being. Wives who were more satisfied with military life tended to indicate better couple well-being. In turn, greater couple well-being was linked to less psychological vulnerability, specifically, fewer depressive symptoms and higher well-being. Overall, the military context had some bearing on the psychological vulnerability of military wives, especially when they did not feel supported by the military community. Importantly, however, the couple relationship appeared to be the most salient factor associated with the psychological vulnerability of military wives. Promoting healthier couple relationships appears to be a potential leverage point for intervention.

Military Families and the Arts: An ArcGIS StoryMaps Collection to Discover Art Institutions Near Active-Duty Military Installations

abstract: Military Families and the Arts is an ArcGIS StoryMaps collection that serves military families by mapping art museums and arts centers located near active-duty military installations. The interactive maps are organized by military branch and browsable by an alphabetical list of active-duty military installations. The ArcGIS StoryMaps collection serves three primary functions: to assist military spouses pursuing a career in the arts with finding a comprehensive list of potential employers, to assist military dependents with finding arts-related opportunities to network into their current or new communities, and to assist military families with finding art-related activities near their military installation in the continental United States.

Predicting soldier retention from army spouse characteristics and attitudes: Soldiering on with spouse support

ABSTRACT The U.S. Army has a vested interest in retaining the skilled personnel necessary to achieve its mission and strategic goals. A wealth of research has investigated the retention process and what influences service member decisions to stay in the military. While families are an important influence on soldier retention decisions, research on the mechanism by which this happens is lacking. This report explores the relationship between spouse attitudes and perceptions, resource use, and soldier retention almost two years later, using a proposed theoretical model. Our results generally support our model, with the important change that resource use and unmet needs and stress were not directly associated with specific attitudes toward staying in the military as we had expected. Instead, the association was accounted for by relationship with general attitudes toward the military. Spouses whose needs were unmet after seeking help from available resources experienced greater stress, and spouse unmet needs and reports of greater stress were associated with worse general attitudes toward the military; worse general attitudes toward the military were associated with less inclination to stay a military family; which in turn predicted soldier turnover almost two years later. As the research in this report shows, providing benefits to military spouses is also associated with a tangible and important outcome for the military: improved service member retention.

The Development, Validity, and Reliability of a Brief Self-Report Measure of Family Resilience in Military Families

Objective This study aimed to develop a brief and valid measure of family resilience for use in research with military families. Method A population-based sample of military spouses (N = 16,379) completed assessments of family resilience and validation constructs. Participants were randomized into two subsamples. Subsample 1 was used in a factor analysis to reduce the number of items, whereas subsample 2 was used in a series of models to confirm the initial model and evaluate dimensionality, reliability, and validity. Results Nine items were retained and demonstrated strong factor loadings (> .80) in the initial and confirmatory models. A bifactor model provided some evidence of multidimensionality, but not enough to dismiss the unidimensional construct. Brief measures of family resilience and its subconstructs demonstrated strong reliability and construct validity. Conclusions The 9-item instrument is a reliable and valid tool that can be used to assess military family resilience in future research. Significance statement The brief 9-item measure reduces survey burden and facilitates further empirical research on family resilience in military populations. Such research could inform interventions and preventative care intended to improve the health and well-being of military families.

On the Front Lines: Helping Military Spouses Thrive in Your Community

Knowing how to support military spouses in your service network can contribute to mission readiness, and help military spouses thrive in the communities you serve. This publication discusses military spouse demographics, military spouse employment, military spouse well-being including food security, financial security, and civilian community belonging, and employment resources and strategies to support military spouses. Written by Kristen Jowers and Martie Gillen, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, January 2024.