A Comparative Study of British Army Wives With and Without Children: Well-Being, Coping Mechanisms and Support; A Research Note

Research to date shows the impact of military life on spouses, neglecting those without children. 245 British Army wives completed a survey, with 10 completing an interview, investigating the impact of Army life on well-being, coping mechanisms and support for wives with and without children. All Army wives had low well-being at least in part due to being an Army spouse and Army Culture. Negative associations with avoidance coping mechanisms and well-being were observed, with wives without children using fewer coping mechanisms. Informally, the military community is important, with issues in support from family and civilian friends. Formally, British Army support is scarce, with Senior Officers lacking training. The theoretical model showed that most coping strategies used were unable to overcome the stressors of Army life for all. These findings highlight the need for better support systems for Army families by the British Army, as well as increased support for self-coping.