Pre-Deployment Anxiety and Protective Factors in Military Families: A Cross-Sectional Study Relevant to Preventive Psychiatry

(1) Background: The families of military personnel preparing for deployment are exposed to anticipatory stressors that may adversely affect their psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine the associations between anxiety, psychological resilience, and trait hope among the family members of military personnel during the pre-deployment period. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between 20 September and 20 December 2025 and included 73 Romanian adult participants. From a psychiatric perspective, anxiety during the pre-deployment phase represents a clinically relevant form of anticipatory distress that may benefit from early identification and preventive intervention. Anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), psychological resilience with the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and trait hope with the Adult Hope Scale (Agency and Pathways subscales). Pearson correlation analyses, multivariable linear regression, and hierarchical regression models were applied. (3) Results: Participants reported moderate anxiety levels (GAD-7 mean 7.52 ± 4.98). Anxiety was strongly negatively correlated with psychological resilience (r = −0.75, p < 0.001) and moderately negatively correlated with total hope (r = −0.67, p < 0.001), Agency (r = −0.61, p < 0.001), and Pathways (r = −0.64, p < 0.001). Psychological resilience emerged as a significant negative predictor of anxiety (β = −0.64, p < 0.001). Hierarchical regression showed that trait hope explained additional variance in anxiety severity beyond resilience and sociodemographic variables (ΔR2 = 0.07, p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Psychological resilience and trait hope were independently and jointly associated with lower pre-deployment anxiety in military families, underscoring their relevance to preventive and community psychiatry as modifiable resources for early screening and non-pharmacological intervention.