Pilot Data on the Nature of Trauma Exposure in Military Couples

Abstract

Using a sample of 50 couples, this pilot study examined the associations between service member and spouse PTSD symptoms on both self and partner relationship quality across trauma-type (i.e., interpersonal, non-interpersonal, military) and perpetrator-type (i.e., family member, non-family member, military) groups. Four multiple-group actor-partner interdependence models were used to analyze the actor and partner effects of husband and wives’ PTSD symptoms and relationship quality, as couples were classified into distinct groups. Results suggest that under some conditions, husband and wife PTSD symptoms were negatively associated with both their own and their partner’s relationship quality. Findings from these preliminary analyses invite a more dynamic conceptualization of the possible relationship between PTSD, relationship quality, and distinct facets of trauma exposure in veteran couples.

Keywords

• couples
• interpersonal
• military
• perpetrator
• ptsd
• trauma
• veteran