Deployment Psychology Blog

Staff Perspective: Military Couples Communication: Recommendations for Managing Expectations and Communication While Deployed

Dr. Jenny Phillips

Couples communication during deployments is an important part of relationship maintenance for military families. In recent decades, enhanced access and new mechanisms for deployed communication have brought benefits but also new concerns related to communication frequency and content for couples. This blog reviews recent research findings and resulting recommendations for couples navigating communication expectations, social media, and communication blackouts during deployments.

Research Update: 10 February 2022

Research Update Icon

The weekly Research Update contains the latest news, journal articles, useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include: 
● Letter Report on Review of Department of Veterans Affairs Monograph on the Economic Impact and Cost Effectiveness of Service Dogs on Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
● Web-based provider training of cognitive behavioral therapy of insomnia: engagement rates, knowledge acquisition, and provider acceptability.
● Very long-term outcome of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: one- and ten-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

Staff Perspective: A General’s Personal Story Raises Awareness about Bipolar Disorder

Recently, I heard a news piece about Major General Gregg Martin, Ph.D., U.S. Army (Retired) that sparked my interest because typically an individual is disqualified from entering or serving in the military if they have a history of bipolar disorder. Yet General Martin served for years with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. His doctors have speculated that his latent condition may have been triggered when he was serving as a brigade commander leading thousands of soldiers during the assault on Baghdad in 2003.

By the Numbers: 7 February 2022

20-30%

The percentage of veterans with PTSD who have a comorbid substance use disorder (SUD), according to a recent article in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports -- Rates and predictors of psychotherapy receipt among U.S. veterans with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. The article indicates that "up to 75% of veterans with a SUD also have PTSD"

Pages