While the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged all veterans transitioning to civilian life, female post-9/11 veterans experienced a greater 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 faced a widening gender inequality gap during the pandemic, resulting in more stress and less satisfaction in their work and social lives compared to male veterans.
Female veterans carried a heavier strain than males in several areas of their lives, and this pattern persisted across the time periods we studied. 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. This tells us that support systems need to be more responsive to the realities that female veterans face at work, at home, and in their relationships.”
Kimberly McCarthy, lead author on the study and research project manager at the Clearinghouse
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 the 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 areas of well-being: work, relationships, social connections and parenting.
By analyzing stress in the four domains of well-being, the researchers captured a detailed portrait of the modern female veteran. While coping with the added pressures of the pandemic, she was often functional at home and capable of raising her children, but pre-pandemic strains of underemployment, unequal distribution of work-family responsibilities, and lack of emotional support were exacerbated by the pandemic.
Gender differences among the veterans studied were clearest in the area of employment. Female veterans reported lower job satisfaction than male veterans before and after COVID-19, and both groups experienced a decline in job satisfaction over time. Women also reported higher underemployment than men, although both groups reported some improvement in employment status over time. The most pronounced difference appeared in work stress, which increased for both groups, but increased more steeply in 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 child care and schooling.
Social outcomes were more mixed. Instrumental social support—help with daily tasks, support when sick—increased slightly for both women and men, while emotional support decreased for both groups. Social satisfaction also declined over time, with the decline being significantly steeper among female veterans.
Parenting findings were more mixed. Female veterans reported higher parenting 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 stressors 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 women 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 like 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 be fully representative of all veteran parents. Compared to the 2017 Department of Defense numbers, veteran parents in the study’s sample were somewhat older, suggesting the study may be underestimating stress in the broader post-9/11 veteran population.
Ultimately, the researchers suggest, the pandemic didn’t just create new problems. exposed and expanded existing issues for women in the veterans community. The data show that well-being is moving in multiple directions at once, and researchers argue that “one-size-fits-all” veterans’ benefits and support services are insufficient.
“This research clearly shows that resilience and stress often exist side by side,” said Daniel F. Perkins, principal scientist and founder of the Clearinghouse and Distinguished Professor of Resilience and Family and Youth Policy. “The sharp decline in satisfaction and functioning we see in the social and work lives of women veterans is a call to action. Our policies must go beyond individual clinical health and address the full complexity of their lives, from childcare and fair employment to strengthening communities of virtual support.”
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.
