Brief Summary:
Using a sample of 269 Vietnam-era Veterans, this study examined whether marital quality at baseline (assessed by multiple indicators, such as companionship, sociability, and tension) was associated with reports of loneliness 6 years later. Marital companionship involves levels of affection, marital sociability involves connecting with friends together, and marital tension involves levels of disagreement. This study also tested whether these associations were different depending on the severity of Veterans’ posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Some indicators of marital quality, namely companionship and sociability, were associated with less loneliness over time, but these associations must be considered within the context of Veterans’ PTSD symptomatology.
Summary provided by Military REACH at Auburn University
Translating Research Into Practice (TRIP) Report:
Created by our partners at Military REACH at Auburn University, TRIP Reports summarize the key findings and implications of this study to provide actionable insights in accessible language for practitioners, policy makers, and families.
Reference:
Marini, C. M., Yorgason, J. B., Pless Kaiser, A., & Erickson, L. D. (2025). Marital quality and loneliness among aging Vietnam-era combat veterans: The moderating role of PTSD symptom severity. Clinical Gerontologist, 48(1), 60-74. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2023.2274052