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LAY SUMMARY Limited research has explored the influence Veterans and their spouses have on each other's experiences during Veterans' transition from military to civilian life. Analyses of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition and Well-being Survey were conducted to examine whether perceived challenges among Veterans and their spouses during this transition (i.e., whether they experienced financial difficulties, had trouble finding a health care provider, or felt a loss of military identity) are associated with the extent to which each believes they are able to handle stress, have access to social support, and have a strong sense of belonging to their community. Results show how the experiences of both Veterans and their spouses might be interdependent and emphasize the importance of ensuring each is better prepared for, and supported, during this important period of change.

LAY SUMMARY The challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to not only adversely affect mental health in general but also to emphasize and widen disparities in mental health across demographic groups. In particular, research suggests that women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic psychologically, socially, and economically. However, the state of mental health in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) during the pandemic and the impacts of gender on mental health outcomes are currently unknown. This study uses data collected early in the pandemic to examine the state of mental health of CAF Regular Force members and the impacts of gender and family status. Although most members were doing well, a notable minority were experiencing mental health issues at potentially clinically significant levels, with women more likely to experience depression and anxiety than men and women with children less likely to experience functional impairment as a result of their symptoms. The findings provide a snapshot of the mental health of Regular Force members during the pandemic and suggest the importance of considering gender and family situation in understanding mental health.

LAY SUMMARY The Client-Reported Outcomes Monitoring Information System (CROMIS) uses regular feedback from patients to guide mental health treatment and to improve mental health outcomes. Since 2018, CROMIS has been implemented in stages across Canadian Forces (CF) Health Services Centres. In this study, an online survey was administered to examine how prepared mental health care providers feel in terms of using CROMIS in their practice. The results from 55 providers revealed generally positive attitudes towards CROMIS and its evidence. However, providers also felt that material to educate patients about this new system was limited and that the needs of patients themselves needed to be considered. Several providers reported not knowing about the roles and responsibilities of CROMIS leaders who were expected to guide others in using this new system. In addition, there was uncertainty about how CROMIS would be evaluated and improved in the future. This study helped to identify factors that could be helping or impairing CF mental health care providers in using CROMIS to improve patient care.

Introduction: The characteristics of one's social environment, including one's family or household composition, are recognized determinants of health and well-being. At the same time, a great deal of research has demonstrated the positive effect of social support on mental health in military populations. Methods: The aim of the current study was to provide a description of the various family/household characteristics of a sample of 6,696 CAF Regular Force members, including their marital status, living arrangement, and number of dependants, as well as the relationships of these characteristics with positive mental health (PMH). In addition, this study explored the role of social support as a possible mediating mechanism in these relationships. Results: Without accounting for levels of social support, it was found that service members who were married or in a common-law relationship demonstrated higher PMH, while those who were separated or divorced demonstrated lower PMH compared to their single counterparts. PMH also differed by living arrangement, with higher levels reported by service members living with others. Further analysis revealed that greater PMH reported by service members who were married or in a common-law relationship or who live with others could be attributed to their higher levels of social support. Discussion: Taken together, results emphasize the importance of social support as one of the mechanisms involved in the relationship between PMH and family/household composition. Given the limited research available on the combined effect of a variety of family/household factors, results of this work fill an important gap in the literature on the understanding of more complex relationships among these factors.

LAY SUMMARY The Quality of Life (QOL) survey of military spouses is a critical mechanism to inform the Canadian Armed Forces in efforts to support military families. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 survey examined spouses' mental health and identified the challenges faced during this time, on top of the usual demands of military life. Consistent with results from past QOL surveys, the top issues that challenge civilian military spouses were relocation, primary health care, and spousal employment. Civilian military spouses who expressed concerns related to health, social connection, and employment also reported lower levels of well-being. Offering programs that can help address these concerns is important to support the well-being of military spouses.

Introduction: Transition to civilian life may not only be highly challenging for service members, but also for their spouses, especially following a medical release. Often, the families of ill or injured service members must confront unexpected responsibilities related to caring for the member, while having to adjust to civilian life. This study was conducted to examine military to civilian transition challenges and engagement in caregiving among spouses of newly released Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans and their associations with spousal well-being. Methods: The Canadian Armed Forces Transition and Well-Being Survey (CAFTWS) was administered to spouses of CAF Veterans released in 2016 ( N = 595). The survey assessed spouses' experiences with a range of military to civilian transition challenges and engagement in caregiving, as well as various indicators of their well-being (e.g., daily stress and psychological distress). Regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations of transition challenges and caregiving with well-being. Results: Results revealed that challenges related to finding educational opportunities and health care providers, and loss of military identity, as well as more frequent engagement in caregiving, were significantly associated with elevated levels of daily stress and psychological distress among spouses of Veterans. Discussion: This study is among the first to examine transition experiences, caregiving and well-being in a representative sample of Veterans' spouses. Findings outline key challenges experienced and underline important predictors of well-being. Recommendations on services that could help facilitate or improve the experiences of families during the transition process are discussed.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, there is a need for research assessing pandemic-related challenges and stressors. The current study aimed to assess key concerns and general well-being among members of Canada's Defence Team, including Canadian Armed Forces personnel and members of the Department of National Defence (DND) Public Service. METHODS: The COVID-19 Defence Team Survey was administered electronically to Defence Team staff in April and May of 2020 and was completed by 13688 Regular Force, 5985 Reserve Force and 7487 civilian DND Public Service personnel. Along with demographic information, the survey included assessments of work arrangement, pandemic-related concerns, general well-being and social and organizational support. Weighted data (to ensure representation) were used in all analyses. RESULTS: The majority of respondents were working from home, with a small minority unable to work due to restrictions. Though many concerns were endorsed by a substantial proportion of respondents, the most prevalent concerns were related to the health and well-being of loved ones. The majority of respondents reported their partner, family, supervisors, friends, colleagues and children provided general support. Half of the civilian defence staff and one-third of military respondents reported a decline in mental health. Women, younger respondents, those with dependents and, in some cases, those who were single without children were at risk of lower well-being. CONCLUSION: The pandemic has negatively impacted a substantial portion of the Defence Team. When responding to future crises, it is recommended that leaders of organizations provide additional supports to higher-risk groups and to supervisors who are ideally positioned to support employees during challenging times.