Publications
Research Publication 2
Title Publication Date/Location
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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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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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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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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Influence of family factors on service members' decisions to leave the military. Family Relations 2022 August; 1-20

Woodall, K., Esquivel, A., Powell, T., Riviere, L., Amoroso, P., & Stander, V. A.

Service member retention is a crucial aspect in maintaining and advancing the U.S. military and its mission. To increase retention, it is important to understand why active duty personnel voluntarily leave while they are still highly qualified. For married service members, spouses likely influence the decision to stay or leave military service. The current study used data from the Millennium Cohort Family Study for 4,539 dyads comprising service members and their spouses to investigate family predictors of voluntary military separation.

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Longitudinal patterns of military spousal alcohol consumption: Findings from the Millennium Cohort Family Study. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 2022 July; 83(4), 546-555

Sparks, A. C., Williams, C. S., Pflieger, J. C., Jacobson, I., Corry, N. H., Radakrishnan, S., & Stander, V. A.

Alcohol use in the military is prevalent and has short- and long-term health, safety, and career consequences. Although several studies have examined service members’ alcohol consumption, few have focused on alcohol use among military spouses. This study assessed factors at individual, interpersonal, and organizational levels to determine associations with risky alcohol use among military spouses.

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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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Gender differences in marital and military predictors of service member career satisfaction. Family Relations 2022 May; 1-23

Street, T., Lewin, A., Woodall, K., Cruz-Cano, R., Thoma, M., & Stander, V. A.

U.S. servicewomen may face unique military experiences unlike those of servicemen, and stressors can affect their satisfaction with the military. Understanding factors influencing satisfaction among the increasing number of U.S. servicewomen in the U.S. military is important for retention. This study increases our understanding of the influence military and family stressors have on service members' satisfaction with the military. It also reveals gender differences in military satisfaction and recommends strategies to address the needs of diverse military families.

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Pre- and perinatal risk factors for child maltreatment in military families across the first two years of life. Child Maltreatment 2022 April; 1-12

Sullivan, K., Richardson, S., Ross, A., Cederbaum, J., Pflieger, J., Abramovitz, L., Bukowinski, A., & Stander, V.

Military families are exposed to a unique constellation of risk factors, which may impact maltreatment outcomes. The present study examined prospective relationships between demographic, health, birth-related, and military-specific risk factors identified prior to a child’s birth on their risk for maltreatment in the first two years of life.

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