A prospective study of marital distress and mental health symptoms across the deployment cycle
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Knobloch, L. K., & Whisman, M. A. (2023). A prospective study of marital distress and mental health symptoms across the deployment cycle. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(4), 507-516. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001079
Abstract Created by REACH:
Using data from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS), this study investigated the longitudinal relationship between marital distress and mental health symptoms among married, active-duty Soldiers (N = 2,585) over the course of a deployment. Soldiers self-reported their marital distress and mental health symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depressive, and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms) at 3 time points: 1 month predeployment, 3 months post-deployment, and 9 months post-deployment. Overall, Soldiers who reported more marital distress 3 months post-deployment had more severe mental health symptoms 9 months post-deployment, and vice versa.
Focus:
Deployment
Couples
Mental health
Trauma
Branch of Service:
Army
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Subject Affiliation:
Active duty service member
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study
Secondary Analysis
Authors:
Knobloch, Leanne K., Whisman, Mark A.
Abstract:
Although recent findings imply that marital distress and mental health symptoms are intertwined among military personnel, a prospective longitudinal study is needed to evaluate the bidirectionality of the link between marital distress and mental health symptoms across the deployment cycle. We investigated over time associations using data from the Pre–Post Deployment Study component of the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). Married soldiers (N = 2,585) reported on their marital distress, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms 1 month before deploying to Afghanistan and 3 months and 9 months after they returned home. The data were analyzed using cross-lagged panel models, adjusting for a variety of demographic and military covariates (including deployment stress, measured 1 month after homecoming). Results indicated (a) no associations between marital distress and mental health symptoms during the 13-month lag from predeployment to postdeployment, (b) bidirectional associations between marital distress and symptoms of anxiety and depression during the 6-month lag from 3 to 9 months after homecoming, and (c) a unidirectional association from PTSD symptoms to marital distress during the 6-month lag from 3 to 9 months after homecoming. These findings shed light on a lingering debate about the directionality of the longitudinal association between marital distress and psychopathology. They also imply points of intervention to help buffer military personnel from the harmful effects of marital distress and mental health symptoms across the deployment cycle. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
Army personnel, distress, major depression, mental health, military deployment, military personnel, posttraumatic stress disorder, symptoms
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
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