Research Paper Title

Experiences of Military Spouses of Veterans With Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Background

To explore the experiences of military spouses living with veterans with combat-related post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods

Husserlian phenomenology was chosen as the theoretical framework because it allowed a deeper understanding of the unfolding of the spouses’ daily experience. A purposive sample of 14 spouses living with veterans with symptoms of PTSD participated in unstructured interviews. Data were analysed using a modification of the Colaizzi phenomenological method.

Results

Spouses recognised that the veteran was no longer the same person, with life becoming one of living with the unpredictability of PTSD. The spouses bore the burden to maintain normalcy in the family and eventually created a new life.

Conclusions

Military spouses endure psychological stress and strain, while living with a veteran with PTSD. There is a need for more programmes to support the resilience of military spouses.

Clinical Relevance

Life for military spouses of veterans with PTSD is ever-changing and unpredictable. Practitioners need to be aware of the stress that spouses experience and develop programmes and interventions that bolster the resilience of military families.

Reference

Yambo, T.W., Johnson, M.E., Delaney, K.R., Hamilton, R., Miller, A.M. & York, J.A. (2016) Experiences of Military Spouses of Veterans With Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 48(6), pp.543-551. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12237. Epub 2016 Aug 12.