Deployment and the probability of spousal aggression by U.S. Army soldiers

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship between length of soldier deployment and self-reports of moderate and severe spousal violence.

Methods: The Conflict Tactics Scale was used to measure self-reports of behaviors exhibited in marital conflict. Surveys were administered to a 15% random sample of 26,835 deployed and nondeployed married active duty U.S. Army men and women in the 50 United States during the period 1990 to 1994. Multinomial logistic regression and ordered probit analysis were used to estimate the probabilities of moderate and severe violence by length of deployment.

Results: After controlling for demographic variables, the probability of severe aggression was significantly greater for soldiers who had deployed in the past year compared with soldiers who had not deployed.

Conclusions: Deployment contributes a significant but small increase to the probability of self-reported spousal aggression during a 1-year period. Although deployment is a military operation, similar effects may be observed in certain civilian occupations.