Research reinforces the power of strengthening the service marriage
Research Reinforces the Power of Strengthening Service Marriages
Military and first responder couples live a life of service together. Long and unpredictable hours, separation, exposure to trauma, and the constant realities of dangerous work do not stop at the end of a shift they can follow service members and first responders’ home and affect the relationships and families standing beside them.
New research evaluating the Taya and Chris Kyle Family Foundation’s Mastering Your Marriage (MYM) program provided meaningful evidence that intentional, culturally informed relationship support can help. This research was recently published HERE.
Conducted in collaboration with Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, the evaluation examined the impact of MYM on military and first responder couples across six important areas of relationship health: resilience, intimacy, relationship adjustment, coping as a couple, communication, and marital happiness.
The Findings Were Encouraging
Participants in the TACKF program demonstrated statistically significant improvement across all six primary outcome areas over the course of the program. The research also found that while couples experienced meaningful improvements following the initial retreat, the combination of the retreat and continued six-month enrichment experience produced the strongest overall results.
That distinction matters.
Strengthening a service marriage is not simply about giving a couple a weekend away. It is about providing them with tools, opportunities to practice those tools at home, continued encouragement, and a community of people who understand the unique realities of a life of service.
The Power of Community
One of the study's important observations was the value of bringing military and first responder couples together in small groups. Researchers found that couples benefited from being surrounded by others who understood the challenges and opportunities that come with dangerous and demanding professions. The peer relationships created through the program were meaningful enough that researchers noted they could continue beyond the formal program itself. The research also points toward the potential to influence the broader family system including relationships with children.
At TACKF, this is at the heart of why we invest in service marriages.
When we strengthen the relationship at the center of a service family, the impact has the potential to reach far beyond two people.
For TACKF, the research reinforces our commitment to walking alongside service couples not only during moments of challenge, but as they build stronger relationships, stronger families, and a legacy that can endure for generations.