Reintegration the Role of Spouse Telephone Battlemind Randomized Clinical Trial.

摘要

Deployment and combat can affect marriage and families negatively. This study will test telephone-based strategies to assist spouses of returning Iraq and Afghanistan service members. The goal is to build spouses' resilience to cope with reintegration challenges, help them serve as a support system for service members, and ease the transition for families post-deployment. The study will compare telephone support/discussion groups to telephone/computer education groups and to usual care. Some of the barriers to participating in an intervention, such as lack of local services, access, childcare, and distances, are eliminated by telephone use. The study enrolled 228 spouses. In the Telephone Discussion groups, a group facilitator and participants will focus on education, skills building and support. Education Only telephone/computer groups will provide the same education content, without skills building or support. Each group will meet 12 times over 6 months. Content includes ways returning service member, spouse and family may have changed during deployment; negotiation; strategies to reduce or eliminate reintegration difficulties; strategies to support the service member; and cues to alert spouses when to seek mental health services for family or self. Usual Care participants will receive a workshop focusing on the same topics after participation.