Participant demographics

About the participants

The Family Wellbeing Study includes responses from 1,408 participants, the majority (84%) identified as female. Participants ranged in age from 12 to 88 years, with a median age of 46 years.

Around 21% of participants identified as current or former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Most participants (68%) identified as the spouse of the nominated ADF member, including married and de facto partners. The dataset also includes responses from a range of other family members, such as:

• parents
• siblings
• children.

Further details on participant characteristics, including exclusion criteria, are provided in the Family Wellbeing Study Data User Guide [PDF 519.8 KB].

Using demographic context

These participant characteristics provide important context for understanding the composition of the study sample and assessing the suitability of the dataset for particular research questions. They support careful interpretation of findings and consideration of how results may relate to specific populations of interest.

While spouses make up a large proportion of participants, the inclusion of other family roles adds breadth to the dataset and enables analysis across a wider range of family relationships.

Age range and service experience

The broad age range captured in the study allows researchers to explore experiences across different life stages, which may be relevant for examining variation in family wellbeing, support needs, or lived experience over time.

The inclusion of participants who had themselves served, or previously served, in the military adds further analytical value. This enables research into how family roles, service experience, and wellbeing may interact.

Overall profile

Taken together, the demographic profile provides a valuable source of information on the experiences of a diverse group of family members connected to ADF service.