Considerations of Military Couples’ Relationship Satisfaction: A Systematic Review

Military couples face a unique constellation of stressors that may impact relationship satisfaction, a central indicator of relational stability and individual well-being. Although a substantial body of research has examined mental health symptoms and military-related stressors with respect to relationship functioning, this literature remains conceptually and methodologically heterogeneous. The present systematic review synthesized and critically evaluated empirical studies examining (a) associations between mental health symptoms and relationship satisfaction and (b) associations between adverse military-related events (e.g., deployment, reintegration, combat exposure) and relationship satisfaction among military couples. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a search across five databases yielded 63 eligible studies. Findings demonstrated consistent negative associations between post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress and relationship satisfaction, with effect sizes generally in the small-to-moderate range and stronger effects observed in dyadic and longitudinal designs. Associations between adverse military-related events and relationship satisfaction were more heterogeneous, often varying with communication processes, partner support, caregiving burden, and meaning-making. Across domains, the literature was characterized by variability in construct operationalization, reporting source (service member vs. partner), and methodological rigor, including frequent reliance on cross-sectional designs and limited demographic diversity. These findings underscore the importance of theory-driven, dyadic, and longitudinal research to clarify mechanisms linking mental health and adverse military-related events to relationship satisfaction, informing couple-based interventions targeting both individual and relational processes.