Avoidant Attachment to the Marital Partner Predicts Decreases in Marital Satisfaction, Stability, and Social Support During Military Deployment: A Sample of Aircrew Personnel

Abstract

This study examined the role of relationship-specific attachment to the romantic partner in predicting marital satisfaction, marital stability, and the sources of perceived social support during military deployment. It was expected that anxious and avoidant attachment to the spouse would predict more marital discord and a higher likelihood of divorce within five years of returning from deployment, and that a higher level of avoidant attachment to the spouse would predict turning to others for social support while deployed. Online survey data was collected from a sample of 53 U.S. Army, Air Force, and Air National Guard aircrew members who were married while deployed within the last five years. Data were analyzed quantitatively using Pearson correlation, point biserial correlation, multiple regression, and binary logistic regression. The results indicated there is partial support for all three hypotheses. Only avoidant attachment to the spouse predicted more marital discord, a higher likelihood of divorce, and a lower level of social support received from the spouse while deployed. However, there was no corresponding association with a higher level of social support received from sources other than the spouse while deployed. These findings may have implications for military personnel and their spouses in prevention and early intervention efforts to mitigate the effects of avoidant attachment on perceived social support from the spouse while deployed, and on marital discord and stability following deployment.