Military couples' experiences in the aftermath of a cancelled deployment

• Published in: Family process 2022-12, Vol.61 (4), p.1577-1592
• Main Authors: Marini, Christina M., Basinger, Erin D., Monk, James K., McCall, Christine E., MacDermid Wadsworth, Shelley M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Ambiguity; Ambivalence; Anticipatory stress; Armed forces; Cancellation; cancelled deployment; Change agents; Cohabitation; Coping; Couples; Deployment; estrés anticipatorio; estrés familiar; Family relations; Family roles; family stress; Humans; Life events; Marital Status; military couples; Military deployment; Military Family; parejas de militares; Servicemen; Significant others; Spouses; Stress; Stress, Psychological; suspensión de la comisión; Uncertainty; 军旅伴侣; 取消派驻任务; 家庭压力; 预期压力
• ISSN: 0014-7370; 1545-5300
• DOI: 10.1111/famp.12747

Deployment requires considerable preparation for military families and changes to these plans may create notable stress. The current study leveraged data from a sample of military couples who experienced the cancellation of an overseas deployment to learn more about their experiences as they adjusted to this change. Guided by family stress and anticipatory stress perspectives, we analyzed qualitative data from 28 service members and their significant others (i.e., spouses or cohabitating partners) to understand their overall reactions to the deployment cancellation. We identified three overall reactions (positive, negative, and ambivalent) that were based on participants’ appraisals of—and preparations for—deployment, as well as ambiguity about family roles and relationships. Further, participants across groups experienced uncertainty about whether or not the deployment would occur, and altered timelines for other life events. Together, our findings highlight the post‐cancellation period as a significant time of stress and transition for military families. However, our findings also signify the need to help all military families cope with uncertainty about when or if deployments will occur given that the military's priorities are often in flux. We therefore describe coping efforts that may be particularly adaptive for families to engage in as they prepare for uncertain, anticipated stressors. Resumen La comisión militar exige una preparación considerable para las familias de militares, y los cambios en estos planes pueden generar bastante estrés. En el presente estudio se utilizaron datos de una muestra de parejas de militares a quienes se les suspendió una comisión fuera del país para averiguar más acerca de sus experiencias mientras se adaptaban a este cambio. Guiados por las perspectivas de estrés familiar y de estrés anticipatorio, analizamos datos cualitativos de 28 miembros del servicio militar y sus parejas (p. ej.: cónyuges o concubinos) para comprender sus reacciones generales a la suspensión de la comisión militar. Identificamos tres reacciones generales (positiva, negativa y ambivalente) que se basaron en las apreciaciones de la comisión y en los preparativos para esta que hicieron los participantes, así como en la ambigüedad acerca de los roles y las relaciones familiares. Además, los participantes de los distintos grupos sintieron incertidumbre acerca de si se produciría o no la comisión y cambiaron programas por otros acontecimientos de la vi