Trajectories of psychological health and relationship functioning of U.S. military service members during and after deployment

The current military action in the Middle East has perpetuated a cycle of deployment and reunion. This repeating pattern, as well as the nature of this war, has created new and different challenges for military members and their families. This study explores the psychological health and relationship functioning of U.S. military service members during a year in which they were deployed and returned. These two outcomes are important in their own right, but also share a relationship whereby the dynamics of each have implications for the other. This study utilizes multiple time points and retrospective, life charting methodology to ascertain deployment experiences, psychological health, and relationship functioning in a sample of service members. Trellis display is utilized to display and explore the data graphically. Growth Analysis methodology is used to identify trajectories of change and explore predictor variables including combat trauma, traumatic life experiences, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and number of deployments

Ambiguous absence, ambiguous presence: A qualitative study of military reserve families in wartime

The “Global War on Terrorism ” has resulted in reservists being deployed at an everincreasing rate. However, because reservists and their families are unaccustomed to deployments, many families may experience boundary ambiguity, a state in which family members are uncertain in their perception about who is in or out of the family and who is performing which roles and tasks within the family. This qualitative description study examined boundary ambiguity in military reserve families over time. A sample of 34 reservists, spouses, and parents was interviewed 7 times within the 1st year of the reservists ’ return from Iraq. During deployment, all family members experienced boundary ambiguity. Gathering information and attending a family support group provided some relief for families. After the reservists returned, couples as well as those who had experienced additional life events or losses experienced the highest levels of boundary ambiguity. However, this boundary ambiguity dissipated over time, as families tended to restabilize once the reservists had returned to work and a routine had been established