Trust in relationships
Trust is an essential component of all healthy relationships, including romantic ones. It involves confidence in one's partner that they will act consistently in ways that are fair, reliable, truthful, and respectful towards them. Soldiers experience significant levels of stress and trauma during their service that can challenge this trust.
Interpreting behaviors
Soldiers must interpret partner behaviors to determine whether they demonstrate trustworthiness or distrust. This process requires cognitive effort, as soldiers may misinterpret actions based on their personal experiences, assumptions, and biases.
If a soldier perceives that their partner has been unfaithful in the past, they may be more likely to interpret future behavior as untrustworthy, even if it is innocuous.
Perceptions of betrayal
Soldiers may also have difficulty distinguishing between betrayals and other types of relationship challenges.
If a partner fails to communicate effectively or meet expectations, the soldier may interpret this as a sign of betrayal rather than simply poor communication skills. In addition, some soldiers may become hypervigilant to signs of potential betrayal, leading to an increased likelihood of misinterpreting partner behavior as untrustworthy.
Preserving trust under stress
Stress can exacerbate these challenges by increasing anxiety, impulsivity, and emotional reactivity. Soldiers may respond to stressors with hostility, aggression, or avoidance, which can undermine trust and intimacy. They may also engage in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse or sexual infidelity, out of fear of abandonment or lack of support.
Coping strategies for trust
Soldiers can learn coping strategies to preserve trust during times of stress and trauma. These include open communication, empathic listening, active problem-solving, and seeking professional help when needed. By maintaining healthy relationships, soldiers can build resilience and support networks that promote mental wellbeing and long-term relationship success.
How do soldiers interpret partner behaviors to preserve relational trust under stress and trauma?
According to research by psychologists and social scientists, soldiers have unique ways of interpreting their partners' behavior in order to maintain trust despite high levels of stress and trauma. One study found that soldiers may look for cues from their partners such as body language and tone of voice to determine if they are supportive or not (Hornik et al. , 2018).