Positive and negative family communication and mental distress: Married service members during a non-combat deployment
- Sullivan, K., Park, Y., Kale, C. N., Adler, A., Sipos, M. L., & Riviere, L. A. (2024). Positive and negative family communication and mental distress: Married service members during a non-combat deployment. Family Process. 63(1), 299-314. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12874
- This study examined how the frequency of Service members’ communication with their family members was related to their mental distress while on a noncombat deployment. Analyses also examined whether Service members’ positive and negative perceptions of family communication, as well as their marital satisfaction, altered the relationship between communication frequency and mental distress. During their deployment, 382 Service members completed surveys on how frequently they communicated with family, their mental distress (i.e., anxiety and depression), perceptions of communication, and marital satisfaction. Generally, Service members who reported more frequent communication with their family tended to report higher levels of mental distress, and this distress was exacerbated when communication was viewed more negatively.
- This study examines whether married service member perceptions of positive or negative communication moderate the relationship between how frequently they communicate home during a deployment and their mental distress. Participants included 382 married service members who completed surveys regarding their marital relationships, communication, and mental health while on a non-combat deployment. Though marital satisfaction was not significantly associated with service member reports of their mental distress, perceptions of negative (
Report Link
Authors
Publication Type
Focus Terms
Branch of Service
Military Affiliation
Subject Affiliation
Population
Methodology
Journal
Newsletter Date
Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.