Exploring Stigma, Communication Patterns, and Disclosure among Romantic Partners of Military Personnel

by

Faculty Sponsor: Alexis May Ph. D.

Live Poster Session: Zoom Link

Maya Verghese
Maya Verghese

Maya Verghese is a senior psychology and government major at Wesleyan University.  She has worked on research projects ranging from trauma and resilience to prenatal stress during the pandemic—all of which have developed my passion for clinical research and its role in actively informing more proactive mental health policies.

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Julia Gillotti
Julia Gillotti

Julia Gillotti is a junior psychology major and religious studies minor at Wesleyan University. She has previously worked on research in the realm of educational psychology but is most interested in the intersection between research and clinical care within the field of suicidology.

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Eja Hamid
Eja Hamid

Eja Hamid is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience and Behavior at Wesleyan University. He is interested in looking at clinical psychology through the lens of neuroscience. This will be his first time presenting.

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Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between stigma, communication patterns, and disclosure among romantic partners of military personnel. We collected data from 87 romantic partners—specifically on three dimensions of dyadic communication, patient willingness of discuss suicide history with partner as well as public and self-stigma. Although independent samples t-test revealed no significant relationship between three communication pattern types and disclosure, using the SPSS PROCESS macro we conducted a moderation analysis examining two types of stigma as moderators in the relationship between communication pattern-type and disclosure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. We found higher levels of patient public stigma in relationships where the partner endorsed higher constructive communication patterns was associated with greater likelihood of disclosure. At higher levels of patient public stigma in relationships with partners reporting that patients withdraw in response to criticism, patients are less likely to disclose suicidal thoughts and behaviors. When the partner reports withdrawing from conversations when the patient criticizes, there is no relationship with disclosure regardless of public stigma. There was not a significant relationship between any communication style and disclosure with self stigma as the moderator. These results suggest the importance of examining the relevance of productive forms of communication in romantic relationships on disclosure, when patients endorse high levels of public stigma around seeking psychological support.

Keywords: stigma, communication patterns, romantic relationships, suicidal thoughts and behaviors

NEW_JEM_poster-draft.pptx