Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

DOI

10.14419/ijans.v3i1.2316

Publication Title

International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies

Volume

3

Issue

1

Pages

32-41

Abstract

Background: Although military families worldwide face changes that include adapting to peace and wartime deployments, few studies have explored how military families adapt to the post-deployment return of a service member.

Objectives: To identify variables that predicted post-deployment adaptation of U.S. Navy families.

Methods: A mixed method study guided by the Roy Adaptation Model included a convenience sample of 142 spouses of service members recently returned from deployment. The degree to which length of deployment, prior deployments, and years married, number of children, participation in religious and family support groups, communication, race, and interdependence predicted post-deployment family adaptation was tested. Multiple regression analysis and content analysis were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data to better understand post- deployment adaptation of military families.

Results: Post-deployment family adaptation was significantly predicted by having been previously deployed and by scores measuring family interdependence. Content analysis of qualitative responses from 10 spouses indicated that 90% experienced integrated adaptive responses.

Conclusions: Family interdependence and prior deployments predicted levels of post-deployment family adaptation. Families who give time to adjust, communicate, and resume family routines experienced levels of adaptive response.

Comments

"Distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) license."

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Original Publication Citation

Scott, M. A., Condon, E. H., Montgomery, A. J., & Baker, S. R. (2014). Predicting post-deployment family adaptation in U.S. Navy families. International Journal of Advanced Nursing Studies, 3(1), 32-41. doi:10.14419/ijans.v3i1.2316

Share

COinS