Coping with Separation: An Analysis of Outcomes and Strategies Used by Working and Nonworking Wives during Routine Deployment. Part A

摘要

Working and nonworking wives did not differ statistically 2 months into a deployment on any of the measures of stress or satisfaction. Nonworking wives change less with respect to measured dysphoria and overall satisfaction with Navy life between 2 months prior to deployment and 2 months into the deployment. Measures of stress and satisfaction varied with respect to the amount of change between pre- and during deployment assessments. Some, such as dysphoria and overall satisfaction with Navy life appear more 'reactive' to the changes imposed by the separation and deployment process. Both working and nonworking wives, on the average, evaluate the five coping strategies of the Family Coping Inventory to be only 'moderately helpful'. For both groups, the managing psychological tension and strain approach to coping with separation is correlated with greater changes in dysphoria. Keywords: Family separation; Coping; Stress; Adjustment. (sdw)