The Impact of the Military Lifestyle on Adult Military Children Relationships

Military families face numerous stressors that civilian families do not typically experience, including frequent relocations, multiple school transitions, parental deployment, and foreign country residence. These unique stressors often disrupt military children’s (MC) familial and social relationships, which may carry into their relationships in adulthood. The present study aimed to better understand the potential impact of military stressors on MC’s relationships in adulthood. Emotional expression, attachment style (AS), relationship quality, and relationship status ofMC(n = 291) were compared to adult children of civilian parents (n = 293). The results revealed that adultMCdisplayed significantly higher rates of insecure AS and alexithymia compared to adults raised by civilian parents. Parental deployment during certain developmental groups (i.e., 6–8, 9–11, 15–18 years) was associated with increased alexithymia. Adult MC did not differ in couple satisfaction, relationship commitment, intimate partner violence, and overall intimacy. The present study provides evidence that adult MC may differ from adult children of civilian parents in alexithymia and attachment. Mental health professionals are encouraged to utilize prevention strategies when working with military families to prevent negative outcomes. Limitations, research implications, and clinical implications are discussed.