The Impact of Deployment on Parental, Family and Child Adjustment in Military Families

Overview

Journal Child Psychiatry Hum Dev

Specialties Pediatrics
Psychiatry

Date 2016 Jan 23

PMID 26797704

Citations 11

Authors

Patricia Lester

Hilary Aralis

Maegan Sinclair

Cara Kiff

Kyung-Hee Lee

Sarah Mustillo

Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Since 9/11, military service in the United States has been characterized by wartime deployments and reintegration challenges that contribute to a context of stress for military families. Research indicates the negative impact of wartime deployment on the well being of service members, military spouses, and children. Yet, few studies have considered how parental deployments may affect adjustment in young children and their families. Using deployment records and parent-reported measures from primary caregiving (N = 680) and military (n = 310) parents, we examined the influence of deployment on adjustment in military families with children ages 0-10 years. Greater deployment exposure was related to impaired family functioning and marital instability. Parental depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms were associated with impairments in social emotional adjustment in young children, increased anxiety in early childhood, and adjustment problems in school-age children. Conversely, parental sensitivity was associated with improved social and emotional outcomes across childhood. These findings provide guidance to developing preventive approaches for military families with young children.

Citing Articles

Parenting Profiles in Military Families: Intervention-Related Transitions and Relationships to Child Adjustment.

Lee S, Gewirtz A, Piehler T Prev Sci. 2024; 25(7):1040-1052.

PMID: 39285084 PMC: 11519299. DOI: 10.1007/s11121-024-01721-7.

Piloting the feasibility of delivering Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy online to military veterans and partners.

Hendrikx L, Phee D, Murphy D Mil Psychol. 2024; 34(6):679-686.

PMID: 38536241 PMC: 10013208. DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2022.2054653.

Multiple Informant Cluster Analysis Findings: Which Military-Connected Preschool Aged Children Are Doing Well and Why?.

Lester P, Aralis H, Hajal N, Bursch B, Milburn N, Paley B Res Sq. 2024; .

PMID: 38464044 PMC: 10925401. DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3983235/v1.

Piloting the home ship: Understanding the deployment experience of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command spouses.

Guerin E, Richer I Mil Psychol. 2024; 36(2):168-183.

PMID: 38377246 PMC: 10880494. DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2022.2153548.

The Relationship Between Anxiety, Coping, and Disordered-Eating Attitudes in Adolescent Military-Dependents at High-Risk for Excess Weight Gain.

Solomon S, Shank L, Lavender J, Neyland M, Gallager-Teske J, Markos B Mil Psychol. 2023; 35(2):95-106.

PMID: 36968637 PMC: 10012895. DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2022.2083448.

References

Cederbaum J, Gilreath T, Benbenishty R, Astor R, Pineda D, DePedro K . Well-being and suicidal ideation of secondary school students from military families. J Adolesc Health. 2013; 54(6):672-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.09.006. View

Barker L, Berry K . Developmental issues impacting military families with young children during single and multiple deployments. Mil Med. 2009; 174(10):1033-40. DOI: 10.7205/milmed-d-04-1108. View

Nelson Goff B, Crow J, Reisbig A, Hamilton S . The impact of individual trauma symptoms of deployed soldiers on relationship satisfaction. J Fam Psychol. 2007; 21(3):344-53. DOI: 10.1037/0893-3200.21.3.344. View

Kroenke K, Spitzer R, Williams J . The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001; 16(9):606-13. PMC: 1495268. DOI: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x. View

Saltzman W, Lester P, Beardslee W, Layne C, Woodward K, Nash W . Mechanisms of risk and resilience in military families: theoretical and empirical basis of a family-focused resilience enhancement program. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2011; 14(3):213-30. PMC: 3162635. DOI: 10.1007/s10567-011-0096-1. View

Lester P, Peterson K, Reeves J, Knauss L, Glover D, Mogil C . The long war and parental combat deployment: effects on military children and at-home spouses. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010; 49(4):310-20. PMC: 2875082. View

Spence S, Rapee R, McDonald C, Ingram M . The structure of anxiety symptoms among preschoolers. Behav Res Ther. 2001; 39(11):1293-316. DOI: 10.1016/s0005-7967(00)00098-x. View

Paley B, Lester P, Mogil C . Family systems and ecological perspectives on the impact of deployment on military families. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2013; 16(3):245-65. DOI: 10.1007/s10567-013-0138-y. View

Bush K, Kivlahan D, McDonell M, Fihn S, Bradley K . The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C): an effective brief screening test for problem drinking. Ambulatory Care Quality Improvement Project (ACQUIP). Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Arch Intern Med. 1998; 158(16):1789-95. DOI: 10.1001/archinte.158.16.1789. View

10.

Goodman R . The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: a research note. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1997; 38(5):581-6. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1997.tb01545.x. View

11.

Ahnert L, Gunnar M, Lamb M, Barthel M . Transition to child care: associations with infant-mother attachment, infant negative emotion, and cortisol elevations. Child Dev. 2004; 75(3):639-50. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00698.x. View

12.

Eaton K, Hoge C, Messer S, Whitt A, Cabrera O, McGurk D . Prevalence of mental health problems, treatment need, and barriers to care among primary care-seeking spouses of military service members involved in Iraq and Afghanistan deployments. Mil Med. 2008; 173(11):1051-6. DOI: 10.7205/milmed.173.11.1051. View

13.

Flake E, Davis B, Johnson P, Middleton L . The psychosocial effects of deployment on military children. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2009; 30(4):271-8. DOI: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181aac6e4. View

14.

Walker E, Newman E, Dobie D, Ciechanowski P, Katon W . Validation of the PTSD checklist in an HMO sample of women. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2002; 24(6):375-80. DOI: 10.1016/s0163-8343(02)00203-7. View

15.

Paris R, DeVoe E, Ross A, Acker M . When a parent goes to war: effects of parental deployment on very young children and implications for intervention. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2010; 80(4):610-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01066.x. View

16.

Cook J, Riggs D, Thompson R, Coyne J, Sheikh J . Posttraumatic stress disorder and current relationship functioning among World War II ex-prisoners of war. J Fam Psychol. 2004; 18(1):36-45. DOI: 10.1037/0893-3200.18.1.36. View

17.

Kroenke K, Strine T, Spitzer R, Williams J, Berry J, Mokdad A . The PHQ-8 as a measure of current depression in the general population. J Affect Disord. 2008; 114(1-3):163-73. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2008.06.026. View

18.

Hoge C, Castro C, Messer S, McGurk D, Cotting D, Koffman R . Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. N Engl J Med. 2004; 351(1):13-22. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa040603. View

19.

Leerkes E, Blankson A, OBrien M . Differential effects of maternal sensitivity to infant distress and nondistress on social-emotional functioning. Child Dev. 2009; 80(3):762-75. PMC: 2854550. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01296.x. View

20.

. Relations between family predictors and child outcomes: are they weaker for children in child care? NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. Dev Psychol. 1998; 34(5):1119-28. View