Spouse Psychological Well-Being: A Keystone to Military Family Health

Abstract

Understanding predictors of military spouse psychosocial vulnerability informs efforts to assess, identify, and support at-risk spouses and families. In this analysis, we test the effects of family stress and strain on military spouse psychological health, using a sample of female civilian spouses (n = 161). Regression findings confirm expectations of the significant contribution of family stressors, strain, and resources in explaining variation in spouses' psychological health, controlling for deployment and socioeconomic factors. Identifying the effects of family stress on military spouse psychological health supports the need for family-centered interventions and prevention programs.

Keywords:

• Military family
• military spouse
• mental health
• stress
• deployment
• social support

Notes

This research was supported in part by a grant from the National Institute for Child and Human Development (R03 HD049451) and the National Institute on Mental Health Grant (5 T32 MH20010) “Mental Health Prevention Research Training Program.”

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***p < .001 for t-tests or χ² for education and financial situation variables.

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**p = .01.

***p = .001.

*p = .05.

**p = .01.

***p = .001.