Couples in arms: Marital distress, psychopathology, and suicidal ideation in active-duty Army personnel

Whisman, M. A., Salinger, J. M., Labrecque, L., T., Gilmour, A. L., & Snyder, D. K. (2020). Couples in arms: Marital distress, psychopathology, and suicidal ideations in active-duty Army personnel. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 129(3), 248-255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/abn0000492

The connection between marital distress and mental health has been well-established in research with civilian samples. Although some research has examined this connection in military populations, these findings may not be representative of the military population as a whole. Additionally, studies often measure symptoms of psychiatric disorders rather than measuring whether a Service member actually meets the criteria for experiencing the disorder. This study examined the associations among marital distress, psychiatric disorder criteria (i.e., major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse/dependency), and suicidal ideation with a sample of 8,699 Soldiers from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service Members (Army STARRS). Psychiatric disorders and suicidal ideation were more prevalent among Soldiers with greater marital distress.

DOI