The primary aims of this project are to: (1) identify the primary needs of relatives of high-risk service members (those with PTSD and/or severe depression), (2) identify potential mechanisms of distress and resilience in these relatives, and (3) examine transactional associations over time among service members' symptoms, relatives' distress, relationship processes, and potential mechanisms. There are three phases in this project. The first phase is supported by an NIH training grant (F31 National Research Service Award), an APF dissertation award, and an ISTSS student research grant awarded to Sarah Campbell, one of Dr. Renshaw's doctoral students. The second and third phases are supported by a grant awarded to Dr. Renshaw from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command.
Phase 1. The first phase, headed by Sarah Campbell, used a daily diary approach to examine day-to-day fluctuations in service members' symptoms, relatives' distress, relationship processes (e.g., communication, support), and hypothesized mechanisms (e.g., attributions for behavior). Approximately 60 couples completed this phase, with data collection just finishing in Spring 2015. Participants completed background questionnaires, and then a set of brief measures every night for 2 weeks. Data will be analyzed using autoregressive crosslag analyses to evaluate longitudinal associations among these variables on a day-to-day level.
Phase 2. The second phase utilizes a qualitative approach to generate new hypotheses regarding the experiences of spouses/partners and other relatives (e.g., parents, siblings) of service members who are experiencing subclinical/clinical levels of PTSD and/or moderate to severe levels of depression. Data will be generated via individual phone interviews with up to 30 relatives. Data will be coded using a grounded theory approach by co-Investigator Col. Mona Pearl and a second qualitative coding expert. Recruitment for this phase is ongoing. For more information on this study and eligibility, click here.
Phase 3. The final phase uses a quantitative, longitudinal approach to explore hypotheses generated from Phase 1, as well as prior hypothesized mechanisms of the transactional associations among service members' PTSD/depressive symptoms, relatives' distress, and relationship processes. For instance, we will evaluate associations among service members' symptoms, relatives' attributions for symptoms, and individual and relationship distress over time. Data will be collected at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, using a combination of structured interviews and questionnaires. The target sample is 150 service member/relative dyads. Recruitment will begin after the completion of Phase 2.