https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-ONealLavner2021

O’Neal, C. W., & Lavner, J. A. (2022). Latent profiles of postdeployment reintegration among service members and their partners. Journal of Family Psychology. 36(1), 35–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fam0000894

This study explores whether Service members (n = 236) and their civilian partners (n = 141) have diverse reintegration experiences (i.e., the time following deployment when military families adjust to the Service member’s return). Participants reported both positive and negative reintegration experiences across their personal and family life. These reintegration experiences were used to classify similar participants into groups, and these groups were analyzed for differences in individual and family functioning (e.g., sleep duration, depressive symptoms, family closeness). Despite reporting some differences in reintegration experiences, most Service members and civilian partners reported high levels of positive personal and family reintegration experiences.

https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000894

Couples
Deployment
Mental health
Physical health

Army

Active Duty

Active duty service member
Parent of a service member or veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Cross-Sectional Study
Quantitative Study

O'Neal, Catherine Walker, Lavner, Justin A.

Consistent with the emotional cycle of deployment, postdeployment reintegration is often a time of highs and lows as service members (SMs) and their families adjust to their new normal. However, few studies have considered the nuances of reintegration, specifically the various patterns of personal and family reintegration experiences that may exist. The present study uses latent profile analysis to identify unique reintegration patterns along four dimensions (i.e., positive personal, negative personal, positive family, and negative family reintegration) for SMs (N = 236) and a subsample of their civilian partners (N = 141). Differences among the resulting reintegration profiles were also examined for demographics, military-related characteristics, psychosocial characteristics, and individual and family functioning. Three profile groups with varying reintegration experiences emerged for SMs, and two groups emerged for civilian partners. For both SMs and their civilian partners, one profile (39.0% of SMs and 63.8% of civilian partners) was characterized by high positive family and personal reintegration and low negative family and personal reintegration. Other groups reported moderate to high positive and negative family and personal reintegration. SMs and civilian partners with the most favorable reintegration profile reported greater family cohesion. For SMs, differences in sleep were also reported across the reintegration profiles, whereas, for civilian partners, differences in depressive symptoms emerged across the reintegration profiles. Few group differences emerged for demographics, military-related characteristics, and psychosocial characteristics. Findings highlight important variability in military families' experiences within the reintegration stage of the deployment cycle. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

American Psychological Association

Article
REACH Publication

Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, CWO
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, JAL