A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social support
IntroductionMilitary personnel and Veterans are at increased risk of mental and physical health conditions, which can impact their families. Spouses often perform a vital role in caring for service members and Veterans facing illness or injury, which can lead to caregiver burden. In turn, this may c...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.988814/full |
| _version_ | 1811327174284673024 |
|---|---|
| author | Christine Frank Julie Coulthard Jennifer E. C. Lee Alla Skomorovsky |
| author_facet | Christine Frank Julie Coulthard Jennifer E. C. Lee Alla Skomorovsky |
| author_sort | Christine Frank |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionMilitary personnel and Veterans are at increased risk of mental and physical health conditions, which can impact their families. Spouses often perform a vital role in caring for service members and Veterans facing illness or injury, which can lead to caregiver burden. In turn, this may contribute to relationship issues. Research suggests that ensuring that spouses are well supported can alleviate some of these negative effects. The current study examined whether social support received by spouses of newly released Veterans buffers the impact of Veterans’ health on caregiver burden, subsequently impacting spouses’ relationship satisfaction.MethodsData were collected as part of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition and Well-being Survey. The sample included N = 595 spouses of Regular Force Veterans who released in 2016 with at least 2 years of service. We examined Veterans’ mental and physical health and spouses’ caregiver burden, social support, and relationship satisfaction. A moderated mediation model was tested using structural equation modeling.ResultsThere was a significant indirect association between Veterans’ health (both physical and mental) and spouses’ relationship satisfaction through caregiver burden. Furthermore, social support moderated the association, as evidenced by a weaker association between Veterans’ health and caregiver burden at low levels (−1SD) of social support compared to high levels (+1SD).ImplicationsFindings suggest additional efforts should be made to ensure sufficient support is provided to spouses, especially when they are caring for a service member or Veteran facing illness or injury, to strengthen their families’ well-being. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:02:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40a469c85f194b2289a27284fead024d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T15:02:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-40a469c85f194b2289a27284fead024d2022-12-22T02:42:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-11-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.988814988814A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social supportChristine FrankJulie CoulthardJennifer E. C. LeeAlla SkomorovskyIntroductionMilitary personnel and Veterans are at increased risk of mental and physical health conditions, which can impact their families. Spouses often perform a vital role in caring for service members and Veterans facing illness or injury, which can lead to caregiver burden. In turn, this may contribute to relationship issues. Research suggests that ensuring that spouses are well supported can alleviate some of these negative effects. The current study examined whether social support received by spouses of newly released Veterans buffers the impact of Veterans’ health on caregiver burden, subsequently impacting spouses’ relationship satisfaction.MethodsData were collected as part of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition and Well-being Survey. The sample included N = 595 spouses of Regular Force Veterans who released in 2016 with at least 2 years of service. We examined Veterans’ mental and physical health and spouses’ caregiver burden, social support, and relationship satisfaction. A moderated mediation model was tested using structural equation modeling.ResultsThere was a significant indirect association between Veterans’ health (both physical and mental) and spouses’ relationship satisfaction through caregiver burden. Furthermore, social support moderated the association, as evidenced by a weaker association between Veterans’ health and caregiver burden at low levels (−1SD) of social support compared to high levels (+1SD).ImplicationsFindings suggest additional efforts should be made to ensure sufficient support is provided to spouses, especially when they are caring for a service member or Veteran facing illness or injury, to strengthen their families’ well-being.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.988814/fullrelationship satisfactionsocial supportcaregiver burdenmilitarymental healthphysical health |
| spellingShingle | Christine Frank Julie Coulthard Jennifer E. C. Lee Alla Skomorovsky A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social support Frontiers in Psychology relationship satisfaction social support caregiver burden military mental health physical health |
| title | A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social support |
| title_full | A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social support |
| title_fullStr | A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social support |
| title_full_unstemmed | A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social support |
| title_short | A moderated-mediation analysis of pathways in the association between Veterans’ health and their spouse’s relationship satisfaction: The importance of social support |
| title_sort | moderated mediation analysis of pathways in the association between veterans health and their spouse s relationship satisfaction the importance of social support |
| topic | relationship satisfaction social support caregiver burden military mental health physical health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.988814/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christinefrank amoderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport AT juliecoulthard amoderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport AT jennifereclee amoderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport AT allaskomorovsky amoderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport AT christinefrank moderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport AT juliecoulthard moderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport AT jennifereclee moderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport AT allaskomorovsky moderatedmediationanalysisofpathwaysintheassociationbetweenveteranshealthandtheirspousesrelationshipsatisfactiontheimportanceofsocialsupport |