Brief Summary:
With the goal of developing a theory that explains spousal influence on Service member retention, this study examined whether spouse resource use, perceived stress, and attitudes toward the military were associated with retention. 7,510 spouses self-reported recent problems (e.g., difficulty paying bills), use of military and civilian resources and whether their needs were met, their perceived stress, general attitudes toward military life (e.g., satisfaction with military life), and retention-specific attitudes (e.g., whether they favored leaving or staying in the military). Soldier retention 2 years later was determined using data from the Defense Manpower Data Center. Overall, when spouses used available resources to meet family needs, they tended to perceive less stress and have more favorable attitudes about the military, and their Soldiers were more likely to remain in the military. The theoretical model that this study validated highlights the importance of effective family resources for retention strategies.
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:
Sims, C. S., Trail, T. E., & Coe, J. (2024). Predicting soldier retention from army spouse characteristics and attitudes: Soldiering on with spouse support. Military Psychology, 37(2), 105–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2024.2319014