Risk and protective factors for work-family conflict among female military spouses
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Park, Y., Shea, M., Sullivan, K., Merrill, J. C., Clarke-Walper, K., & Riviere, L. A. (2023). Risk and protective factors for work-family conflict among female military spouses. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32, 1078-1087. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02535-x
Abstract Created by REACH:
This study investigated how military work-related risks (i.e., multiple deployments, mental health treatment needs, injury during deployment) and family-related risks (i.e., having children, spouses’ adverse childhood experiences, spousal employment status) was related to perceived work-family conflict among 334 women spouses of Soldiers. Spouses’ social support was also examined as a protective factor that might mitigate the effects of both work- and family-related risks on perceived work-family conflict. Cumulative scores of military work- and family-related risks were examined. Overall, spouses who reported more military work-related risks but not more family-related risks tended to perceive more work-family conflict. Perceived social support did not buffer spouses from the negative effect of military work-related risks on their perception of work-family conflict.
Focus:
Couples
Deployment
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Subject Affiliation:
Spouse of service member or veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Cross-Sectional Study
Qualitative Study
Secondary Analysis
Authors:
Park, Yangjin, Shea, Molly, Sullivan, Kathrine, Merrill, Julie C., Clarke-Walper, Kristina, Riviere, Lyndon A.
Abstract:
Work-family conflict (WFC) is a chronic issue among military families. Compared to their civilian counterparts, military families experience additional work demands such as frequent training exercises and deployment, military-specific trauma, and injury in garrison, training or deployed settings. Guided by a risk and protective factors framework, this study examined the direct effects of cumulative military-specific work risks (i.e., number of combat deployments, mental health, injury during combat deployments) and cumulative family risks (i.e., children in the home, spouse adverse childhood experiences, spouse employment) on WFC and the potential buffering effect of social support among female military spouses. This study is a secondary data analysis (n = 334) using Land Combat Study 2 data collected by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in 2012. After controlling for covariates (including soldier rank, ethnicity, and age), cumulative military-specific risk factors were positively associated with WFC while family risks were not. Social support was negatively associated with WFC but did not exhibit interaction effects with either group of risks. Findings suggest military spouses perceive WFC due to service members’ military-specific work factors, and social support was a promotive factor which may alleviate experiences of WFC. Military leadership and behavior health providers should consider strategies to alleviate work-specific risks and promote social support for military spouses to reduce WFC.
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
family risk, female spouse, military population, military-specific work risk, work-family conflict
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
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