Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on army families: Household finances, familial experiences, and soldiers’ behavioral health
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Gomez, S. A. Q., Beymer, M. R., Jackson Santo, T., Riviere, L. A., Adler, A. B., Thomas, J. L., Millikan Bell, A., & Quartana, P. J. (2023). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Army families: Household finances, familial experiences, and soldiers’ behavioral health. Military Psychology, 35(5), 420-430. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2149190
Abstract Created by REACH:
This study examined how contextual stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically financial difficulties, changes in spouse’s work status, changes in childcare arrangements, spouse’s coping difficulties, and children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties, contributed to probable depression and generalized anxiety among active-duty and activated Reserve Soldiers (N = 21,293). Soldiers completed self-report measures at a single time point and also reported on their own and their family’s demographic information. Approximately 17% of Soldiers screened positive for probable depression and ~16% for probable generalized anxiety. In general, both contextual family changes (i.e., financial impacts and changes in childcare arrangements) and intrapersonal difficulties (i.e., spouse’s difficulty coping and children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties) were associated with probable depression and generalized anxiety diagnoses among Soldiers.
Focus:
Mental health
Parents
Children
Other
Branch of Service:
Army
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Reserve
Subject Affiliation:
Military families
Active duty service member
Guard/Reserve member
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Cross sectional study
Quantitative Study
Authors:
Gomez, Stephanie A. Q., Beymer, Matthew R., Jackson Santo, Theresa, Riviere, Lyndon A., Adler, Amy B., Thomas, Jeffrey L., Millikan Bell, Amy, Quartana, Phillip J.
Abstract:
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted employment and finances, childcare, and behavioral health across the United States. The Behavioral Health Advisory Team assessed the pandemic’s impact on the behavioral health of U.S. Army soldiers and their families. Over 20,000 soldiers at three large installation groups headquartered in the northwestern continental U.S., Republic of Korea, and Germany participated in the cross-sectional survey. Multivariable logistic regression models indicated that key demographics (gender, rank), severity of household financial impact, changes in work situation due to childcare issues, and family members’ difficulty coping (both self and spouse/partner and/or child) were independently and consistently associated with greater odds of screening positive for probable clinical depression and generalized anxiety, respectively. These findings highlight how Army families were impacted similarly by the pandemic as their civilian counterparts. Army leadership may action these findings with targeted support for soldiers and their families to ensure they are utilizing supportive services available to them, and that military services continually evolve to meet soldier and family needs during times of crisis and beyond.
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
Army soldiers, behavioral health, COVID-19 pandemic, family
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
REACH Newsletter: