Military Wives Emotionally Coping During Deployment: Balancing Dependence and Independence

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how military wives' coping mechanisms are related to their emotional connection with their deployed husbands. Conceptualizing the marital relationship as an attachment system, we explored how military wives adopted various coping mechanisms during their husbands' deployment and identified two types of efforts toward independence: self-sufficient independence through emotional avoidance, and autonomous interdependence through emotional connection. These are consistent with those coping behaviors informed by secure and avoidant attachment styles. Clinical implications are offered based on the discussion of the results.