Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Tony Hobson

Abstract

As military troops continue to deploy post September 11, 2001, limited literature indicates it is important to study the effects of the deployment on the military personnel and their families. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine whether the physical distance between home and military-provided supports plays a role in whether Army families use such supports, and whether the use of these supports effects their coping strategies during the deployment process. Hobfoll's conservation of resources theory served as the framework for this study. Three hundred and two Army spouses, 44% active duty spouses, 33.8% Army National Guard spouses, and 22.2% Army Reserve spouses answered questions from the Conservation of Resources Evaluation, Brief COPE, and Participant Information Survey. Multivariate analysis of variance, between-groups t test, and Spearman's rho tests were run to determine relationships among the variables. According to study results, Army family participants determined that up to 20 miles was convenient to travel to access military-provided supports. Only the Veterans Center was used more than other supports, despite distance. Those families located closer to military-provided supports coped differently than those located farther away. The study adds to the literature on Army National Guard, Army Reserve, and active duty spouses by providing a better understanding for practitioners about Army families and their use of military-provided supports, their coping methods, social resource gain, and how distance plays a role for each. The military can use the information from this to provide support programs to enhance participation in services, which will help military families in times of deployment and inactive service.

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