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His and Hers: The Interface of Military Couples’ Biological, Psychological, and Relational Health

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Abstract

Serving in the military has the capacity to influence military personnel, civilian spouses, and marriages in unique ways. The purpose of the present study was to provide dyadic insight into the interface between biological, psychological, and relational health factors for military couples. Couples were recruited through a military medical center (N = 75) in the United States and both partners were assessed on several measures of biopsychorelational health. Actor-partner interdependence models were used to predict marital quality and satisfaction in relation to each partner’s experience with distress, symptoms of depression, and heart rate variability. Results indicated that husbands’ pain predicted husbands’ and wives’ positive marital quality. Husbands’ and wives’ symptoms of depression also influenced wives’ negative marital quality. Recommendations toward the need for relational assessments and routine screenings for both partners, as well as implementation of an integrated care model are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This research and development project was conducted by East Carolina University and is made possible by a cooperative agreement that was awarded and administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research & Materiel Command (USAMRMC) and the Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), at Fort Detrick, MD, under Contract Number: W81XWH1120221. The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this article are those of the author(s)/East Carolina University and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Defense and should not be construed as an official DoD/Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation. No official endorsement should be made.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, 290 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Ave., Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Lisa J. Trump

  2. Department of Child Development and Family Relations, East Carolina University, 108 Rivers Building, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Angela L. Lamson

  3. Department of Biobehavioral Health and Population Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1035 University Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA

    Melissa E. Lewis

  4. Department of Child Development and Family Relations, East Carolina University, 612 East 10th Street, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Amelia R. Muse

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Correspondence to Lisa J. Trump.

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Trump, L.J., Lamson, A.L., Lewis, M.E. et al. His and Hers: The Interface of Military Couples’ Biological, Psychological, and Relational Health. Contemp Fam Ther 37, 316–328 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-015-9344-8

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