Predicting soldier retention from army spouse characteristics and attitudes: Soldiering on with spouse support
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Sims, C. S., Trail, T. E., & Coe, J. (2024). Predicting soldier retention from Army spouse characteristics and attitudes: Soldiering on with spouse support. Military Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2024.2319014
Abstract Created by REACH:
With the goal of developing a theory that explains spousal influence on Service member retention, this study examined whether spouse resource use, perceived stress, and attitudes toward the military were associated with retention. 7,510 spouses self-reported recent problems (e.g., difficulty paying bills), use of military and civilian resources and whether their needs were met, their perceived stress, general attitudes toward military life (e.g., satisfaction with military life), and retention-specific attitudes (e.g., whether they favored leaving or staying in the military). Soldier retention 2 years later was determined using data from the Defense Manpower Data Center. Overall, when spouses used available resources to meet family needs, they tended to perceive less stress and have more favorable attitudes about the military, and their Soldiers were more likely to remain in the military. The theoretical model that this study validated highlights the importance of effective family resources for retention strategies.
Focus:
Couples
Other
Branch of Service:
Army
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Subject Affiliation:
Spouse of service member or veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study
Authors:
Sims, Carra S., Trail, Thomas E., Coe, Jessie
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.
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
soldier retention, turnover, military families, soldiers, attitudes
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
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