Relationship among length of combat deployments, spirituality, rank, finances, and marital satisfaction among Army couples

This quantitative, cross-sectional, correlation research study explored the relationships length of combat deployments, spirituality, financial stability, soldier's rank, and marital satisfaction. A total of 193 active duty soldiers and spouses provided data for this study by completing three standardized instruments: Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), Disagreement About Finances (FIN), Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test (LWMAT), and a researcher designed demographic questionnaire. Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients (r) and multiple regression analyses were utilized to analyze the data collected. Family Systems theory and Stress and Coping theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. The results of this study partially supported the hypothesis of this study which claimed that length of combat deployments, spirituality, financial stability, and soldier's rank significantly predicted marital satisfaction among active army couples. Results showed that there was no significant correlation between the length of combat deployments and marital satisfaction among active army couples. However, results revealed that there is a predictive correlation between spirituality and marital satisfaction. Furthermore, findings revealed a significant correlation between financial stability and marital satisfaction, soldier's rank and marital satisfaction among active army couples. The results of demographic characteristics showed that age, gender, status, and length of marriage had no predictive influence on marital satisfaction among active army couples. Overall, findings of this study revealed that active duty army couples of higher ranks, higher spiritual wellbeing, and a stable financial status reported greater marital satisfaction than those of lower ranks, lower spiritual wellbeing, and an unstable financial situation.