Adult attachment and spousal reports of conflict and quality of partner interactions during a post-deployment reunion
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Wood, V. M., Tam-Seto, L., MacDonald, T. K., & Urban, S. (2022). Adult attachment and spousal reports of conflict and quality of partner interactions during a post-deployment reunion. Journal of Military, Veteran, and Family Health, 8(3), 72-83. https://doi.org/10.3138/jmvfh-2021-0108
Abstract Created by REACH:
This study examined the role of spouses’ attachment style (i.e., anxious attachment and avoidant attachment) on post-deployment experiences and conflict with their Service member. 104 civilian women spouses of Canadian Armed Forces Service members completed questionnaires about their attachment style, post-deployment interaction quality (e.g., frequency of conflict), whether their expectations were met post-deployment, and demographics (e.g., age). Overall, 11 topics of conflict (e.g., re-establishing intimacy) were identified through qualitative analysis. Quantitatively, anxious and avoidant attachment styles were related to lowerquality interactions following deployment. Furthermore, spouses with higher levels of attachment anxiety were less likely to say that the post-deployment reunion lived up to their expectations, and in turn, experienced lower-quality post-deployment interactions with their Service member.
Focus:
Deployment
Couples
Mental health
Branch of Service:
International Military
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Subject Affiliation:
Active duty service member
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)
Authors:
Wood, Valerie M., Tam-Seto, Linna, MacDonald, Tara K., Urban, Samantha
Abstract:
LAY SUMMARY The goal of this study was to understand whether spousal attachment is related to the quality of post-deployment interactions and issues of conflict reported by spouses of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members during a post-deployment reunion. A total of 104 spouses of CAF Regular Force personnel who had recently been reunited with their partners after a deployment were surveyed. Results showed that both attachment anxiety (fear of rejection and abandonment) and attachment avoidance (discomfort with emotional intimacy and closeness) were related to lower-quality post-deployment interactions and the reported frequency of particular conflict issues. Specifically, attachment anxiety was related to more reports of unmet emotional needs, difficulties re-establishing intimacy, finances, and being less likely to describe the conflict in positive terms. The relationship between attachment anxiety and the quality of post-deployment interactions was explained by feeling as though one’s original expectations of the reunion were not met.
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
adult attachment, Canadian Armed Forces, conflict, marriage, military deployment, military families, post-deployment, reunion
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
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