While the COVID-19 pandemic challenged all veterans transitioning to civilian life, female post-9/11 veterans experienced a sharper decline in overall well-being compared to their male counterparts, according to new research from the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State.
Recently published in Chronic Stress, the findings paint a picture of a dual reality. While female veterans demonstrated remarkable resilience in parenting, they also navigated a widening gap of gender inequality during the pandemic, resulting in more stress and less satisfaction in their professional and social lives compared to male veterans.
"Female veterans were carrying a heavier strain than males in several areas of their lives, and that pattern persisted across the periods we studied," said Kimberly McCarthy, lead author on the study and a research project manager at the Clearinghouse. "What stands out is not only that women reported more stress in key areas, but that in some cases, the gap widened after COVID-19. That tells us support systems need to be more responsive to the realities women veterans are facing at work, at home and in their relationships."
The researchers drew on data from two linked longitudinal studies, the Veterans Metrics Initiative and the Veterans Engaging in Transition Studies, in which participants comprised of service members who served after 9/11 were followed for 6.5 years after separation from service. The analysis compared responses collected before the pandemic from more than 5,200 veterans with responses collected after the pandemic from more than 3,100 veterans. Using standard survey measures, the study assessed stress in four well-being domains: work, relationships, social connections, and parenting.
By analyzing stress in the four well-being domains, the researchers captured a nuanced portrait of the modern female veteran. While enduring the added pressures of the pandemic, she was often highly functioning at home and competent in her parenting, but the pre-pandemic strains of underemployment, unequal division of work-family responsibilities and a lack of emotional support were exacerbated by the pandemic.
Gender differences among the studied veterans were clearest in the employment domain. Female veterans reported lower work satisfaction than male veterans before and after COVID-19, and both groups experienced declines in work satisfaction over time. Women also reported higher underemployment than men, though both groups reported some improvement in employment status over time. The sharpest difference appeared in work strain, which increased for both groups but rose more steeply among women. Globally, during the pandemic, research shows that women were, in general, more likely than men to balance work and family while taking on increased responsibilities for children's care and schooling.
Social outcomes were more mixed. Instrumental social support - help with daily tasks, support when ill - increased slightly for both women and men, while emotional support declined for both groups. Social satisfaction also fell over time, with the decline significantly steeper among female veterans.
Parenting findings were more nuanced. Female veterans reported higher parental functioning and parenting satisfaction than male veterans at both time points, and both groups experienced declines in functioning and satisfaction from pre- to post-pandemic. Together, these findings suggest that parenting-related pressures intensified during the pandemic, even as women continued to report stronger overall parenting outcomes.
Relationship outcomes also worsened over time. Female veterans reported lower relationship satisfaction than male veterans before and after COVID-19, and the decline in satisfaction was steeper among female veterans. Relationship functioning also declined for both groups but more steeply for females over time. The researchers linked these patterns for women to work-family imbalances, unequal household demands and less emotional support from their partner.
"This study shows that large-scale disruptions, such as the pandemic, do not affect all veterans in the same way," said Keith Aronson, director of the Clearinghouse and research professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Health.
Although the sample size was large, the researchers said the study may not fully represent all veteran parents. Compared with 2017 Department of Defense numbers, the parent veterans in the study's sample were somewhat older, suggesting the study may underestimate stress in the broader post-9/11 veteran population.
Ultimately, the researchers suggest that the pandemic didn't just create new problems; it exposed and amplified existing issues for women in the veteran community. The data show well-being moving in multiple directions at once, and the researchers argue that "one-size-fits-all" veteran benefits and support services are insufficient.
"This research clearly indicates that resilience and strain often exist side-by-side," said Daniel F. Perkins, principal scientist and founder of the Clearinghouse and distinguished professor of family and youth resiliency and policy. "The steeper satisfaction and functioning declines we see in female veterans' social and professional lives are a call-to-action. Our policies must move beyond individual clinical health and address the full complexity of their lives, from childcare and equitable employment to the strengthening of virtual support communities."
Mary M. Mitchell, research professor at the Clearinghouse, also contributed to this work.
The research was supported by the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
