O’Neal, C. W., Mancini, J. A., & DeGraff, A. (2016). Contextualizing the psychosocial well-being of military members and their partners: The importance of community and relationship provisions. American Journal of Community Psychology. http://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12097

Interpersonal resources (e.g., having someone to count on, getting and receiving guidance, sharing activities and interests) are vital to individuals’ well-being. Associations between Service members’ and their partners’ community connections, interpersonal resources, and psychosocial well-being (e.g., anxiety and depression symptoms, self-efficacy) were examined. Military couples with more community connections have more interpersonal resources and, in turn, greater psychosocial well-being.

http://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12097

Couples
Mental health

Army

Active Duty

Military families
Spouse of service member or veteran
Active duty service member

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

O'Neal, Catherine Walker, Mancini, Jay A., DeGraff, Alycia

Evidence of the impact of communities has been documented for a variety of individual and relational outcomes, including mental and physical health as well as the quality of romantic and parent–child relationships. The military represents a rather unique work context; in that, it is generally considered a lifestyle with a distinct culture and community. Yet, military families are also members of their broader, comprehensive community. Drawing from the social organizational theory of action and change (SOC) (Mancini & Bowen, 2013), and relationship provisions theory (Weiss, 1969) and utilizing a sample of 266 active duty military families, this study examined connectedness with the military community and the broader, comprehensive community. A dyadic model was evaluated whereby each partner's perspective of their comprehensive and military community was hypothesized to influence their own psychosocial well-being as well as their partner's psychosocial well-being. The role of relationship provisions (that is, having relationship needs met) as a mechanism linking community connections to psychosocial well-being was also examined. Overall, the findings supported the hypothesized model, particularly for intra-individual effects and military members. Findings emphasize the importance of considering what is gained from connections within a community rather than a focus solely on the connections themselves.

John Wiley & Sons

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Human Development and Family Science, The University of Georgia, CWO
Department of Human Development and Family Science, The University of Georgia, JAM
Department of Human Development and Family Science, The University of Georgia, AD