Predictors of reintegration adjustment among female US Army spouses: A preliminary exploration

LAY SUMMARY Little is known about how military families navigate the challenges they experience during reintegration, the period after a deployment separation when a service member returns home and families must readjust to their presence. This study considers how family risk factors such as the mental health of both partners and protective factors such as social support and participation in military-sponsored training influence family adjustment during reintegration. Military spouses who reported having more social support were likely to report that their families adjusted more quickly during reintegration. However, spouses who expressed concern about a partner's mental health were less likely to feel prepared for reintegration and, in turn, were more likely to report that their families adjusted more slowly. The results of this study suggest that supporting military spouses in feeling more prepared for reintegration may be an important means to shorten the adjustment period after a deployment. Introduction: To better understand the experiences of military families during reintegration after a combat deployment, this study considers the role of risk factors such as spouse perceptions of service member mental health and protective factors such as social support in spouses' sense of preparedness for reintegration and in their perceptions of the length of the reintegration adjustment period. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of Land Combat Study data collected by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in 2012. These data were obtained from soldiers from one brigade combat team who had recently completed a combat deployment to Afghanistan and their spouses. Results: Path analysis using data from 333 female U.S. Army spouses suggests that social support was directly associated with spouse perceptions of a shorter reintegration period, and spouse perceptions of their partner's mental health treatment needs were indirectly associated with a longer reintegration period through their sense of preparedness for reintegration. Discussion: Results highlight military spouses' subjective readiness for their partners' return from deployment as an important target for prevention and intervention efforts, particularly for higher-risk families.