Publications
Research Publication 2
Title Publication Date/Location
Family Separation from Military Service and Children's Externalizing Symptoms: Exploring Moderation by Non-military Spouse Employment, Family Financial Stress, Marital Quality, and the Parenting Alliance 2023 November Published, online

Richardson, S.M., Pflieger, J.C., Hisle-Gorman, E., Briggs, E.C., Fairbank, J.A., & Stander, V.A.

During a 3-year follow-up period, we investigated how family separation from the military affects the behavioral adjustment of early school-age children. We also explored whether factors such as military spouse employment, parental financial stress, marital quality, or the parenting alliance influenced children’s adjustment during this transition. Our results indicated that when the spouse was employed and the family separated from the military, children exhibited fewer behavioral problems. Additionally, we found that a strong parenting alliance was associated with decreased behavioral problems among children in families that remained in the military.

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The role of the problem solving appraisal and support in the relationship between stress exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms of military spouses and service member partners 2024 January Published, online

Sullivan, K.S., Park, Y., Richardson, S., Stander, V., & Jaccard, J.

This paper examined the relationship between individual and family-level stress exposures and military spouse resources, and their association with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among both partners. Spouse resources had both protective and promotive effects on PTSS for both service members and spouses. These findings emphasize the central role spouses play in military families.

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The development, validity, and reliability of a brief self-report measure of family resilience in military families 2024 February Published, online

Ray, T.R., Esquivel, A.P., Stander, V. A., McMaster, H.S., Roesch, S. C., & Walsh, F.

Military service is associated with a host of stressors that can adversely affect the health and well-being of service members and their families. We developed and validated a brief measure of military family resilience based on the Walsh Family Resilience Framework to assess shared belief systems, organizational patterns, and communication processes. The brief 9-item scale demonstrated strong reliability and validity and has practical utility for military family research.

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Families serve too: military spouse well-being after separation from active-duty service Anxiety, Stress & Coping ePub; 2022 March

Corry NH, Joneydi R, McMaster HS, Williams CS, Glynn S, Spera C, Stander VA

A life course model was applied to assess spouse well-being following the transition from military to civilian life. Spouses of service members who had separated from the military (versus those who had not) reported poorer mental health and family relationship quality. Spouses of active-duty service members reported greater increases in work-family conflict. Protective factors included having more psychological and social resources and less financial stress.

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Risk and Protective Factors Predictive of Marital Instability in U.S. Military Couples Journal of Family Psychology ePub; 2021 Dec

Pflieger JC, Richardson SM, Stander VA, Allen ES

The objective of this study was to predict marital instability from a range of risk and protective factors in a large, representative cohort of military couples participating in the Millennium Cohort Family Study. Factors analyzed include mental health, family communication, military experiences, and education level. Findings from this study can be used to target specific couples risk factors for marital instability and to tailor programs to at-risk subgroups.

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Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters in service members predict new-onset depression among military spouses Journal of Traumatic Stress Epub ahead of print

Walter KH, LeardMann CA, Carballo CE, McMaster HM, Donoho CJ, Stander VA

Among spouses of service members with probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 14% met criteria for new-onset depression over a 3-year period. The service member’s PTSD symptom cluster of effortful avoidance was associated with an increased risk of new-onset depression in spouses, underscoring the impact of service member psychological symptoms on the spouse.

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The Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Negative Affect in Predicting Substantiated Intimate Partner Violence Incidents Among Military Personnel Military Behavioral Health 9(4); 2021 Aug

Stander VA, Woodall KA, Richardson SM, Thomsen CJ, Milner JS, McCarroll JE, Riggs DS, Cozza SJ, for the Millennium Cohort Research Team.

Increasing rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military populations may indicate heightened risk for aggression, including aggression among domestic partners. Using longitudinal data from the Millennium Cohort Study, we evaluated the association of PTSD symptom clusters and comorbid conditions as predictors of incidents of met criteria incidents of domestic abuse (physical and psychological) from DoD Family Advocacy Program (FAP) Central Registry data. Among 54,667 active-duty personnel who responded to the 2011 survey, FAP records documented 501 participants (1%) with incidents of emotional or physical met criteria incidents of aggression in the data collection period. Results showed that certain aspects of PTSD and behavioral health problems predicted incidents. In particular, general PTSD symptoms (e.g., anger/irritability, sleep disruption) and comorbid alcohol dependence were stronger predictors than trauma-specific PTSD symptomology (e.g., reexperiencing, hypervigilance). These results indicate that clinicians should consider the interpersonal consequences of PTSD and related behavioral problems.

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Early and Recent Military and Nonmilitary Stressors Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Military Service Members and Their Spouses Journal of Traumatic Stress 2023 June

Sullivan, K. S., Park, Y., Richardson, S., Cederbaum, J., Stander, V., & Jaccard, J.

This study examined the associations between various military and nonmilitary stressors and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among military couples. For both partners, childhood maltreatment was the strongest predictor of PTSS, followed by other nonmilitary stressors.

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Partner Effects: Analyzing Service Member and Spouse Drinking Over Time American Journal of Preventative Medicine 2023 April

Joneydi, R., Sparks, A.C., Kolenikov, S., Jacobson, I. G., Knoblock, L.K., Williams, C.S., Pflieger, J.C., Corry, N.H., Stander, V.A.

Excessive alcohol use is a significant problem in the military. Although there is a growing emphasis on family-centered alcohol prevention approaches, little is known about the interplay between partners’ drinking behaviors. This study examines how service members and their spouses influence each other's drinking behavior over time and explores the complex individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors that may contribute to alcohol use.

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Perceived barriers to mental healthcare among spouses of military service members Psychological Services 2022; May;19(2):396-405

Schvey NA, Burke DJ, Pearlman AT, Britt TW, Riggs DS, Carballo CE, Stander VA

The elucidation of barriers to mental healthcare among military spouses is critical to optimizing the health of the military family and ensuring military readiness. Utilizing data from the Millennium Cohort Family Study, the current study found that logistic factors, such as lack of time or cost of services (reported by 63%), and negative attitudes towards mental healthcare (reported by 52%) were the most frequently reported barriers to care. Other reported barriers included fear of negative consequences (reported by 35%) and internalized mental health stigma (reported by 32%). Spouses with prior or current military service themselves and individuals with probable psychiatric conditions were most likely to report barriers to mental healthcare. Prospective data are needed to elucidate the associations between perceived barriers to care and actual mental healthcare utilization.

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