title: Relationship of service members' deployment trauma, PTSD symptoms, and experiential avoidance to postdeployment family reengagement.
abstract: This research examined whether military service members' deployment-related trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and experiential avoidance are associated with their observed levels of positive social engagement, social withdrawal, reactivity-coercion, and distress avoidance during postdeployment family interaction. Self reports of deployment related trauma, postdeployment PTSD symptoms, and experiential avoidance were collected from 184 men who were deployed to the Middle East conflicts, were partnered, and had a child between 4 and 13 years of age. Video samples of parent-child and partner problem solving and conversations about deployment issues were collected, and were rated by trained observers to assess service members' positive engagement, social withdrawal, reactivity-coercion, and distress avoidance, as well as spouse and child negative affect and behavior. Service members' experiential avoidance was reliably associated with less observed positive engagement and more observed withdrawal and distress avoidance after controlling for spouse and child negative affect and behavior during ongoing interaction. Service members' experiential avoidance also diminished significant associations between service members' PTSD symptoms and their observed behavior. The results are discussed in terms of how service members' psychological acceptance promotes family resilience and adaption to the multiple contextual challenges and role transitions associated with military deployment. Implications for parenting and marital interventions are described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Callie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brockman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gewirtz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Suzanne R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Gird
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quattlebaum
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pauldine
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elish
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schrepferman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wichita State University.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zettle
authors.affiliation: Department of Education Methodology, Policy & Leadership, University of Oregon.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DeGarmo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000067073:Psychological Trauma / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult