Looking Beneath the Surface: The Personal and Family Consequences of Occupational Injuries

To date, the individual and familial consequences that may ensue following a workplace injury have not been fully examined. In this research, I examine how mental and physical workplace injuries influence personal and family outcomes, within a military organizational context. The results of Study 1 (N = 888) indicate that occupational injuries are related to psychological well-being, relationship with spouse, and relationship with children. Study 2 (N =1836) examines the relationship between injuries of military members and the well-being of military spouses. The results indicate that having an injured military member spouse is related to psychological distress, relationship satisfaction and emotional intimate partner violence. Furthermore, it appears that some of these effects are buffered when spouses have financial stability, a higher sense of organizational support, and satisfaction with the organization. This research contributes to the broad understanding of workplace injuries, and has implications for future research and practice.