Effects of Soldiers' Deployment on Children's Academic Performance and Behavioral Health

Abstract

RAND testimonies record testimony presented by RAND associates to federal, state, or local legislative committees; government-appointed commissions and panels; and private review and oversight bodies.

“Signs of Suicide” Shows Promise as a Middle School Suicide Prevention Program

“…Middle schools that have a high percentage of students with parents in the military, “high military impact” schools, may be in particular need of efficacious suicide prevention efforts because many risk factors for adolescent suicide are consequences of, or inherent in the experience of, parental deployment. Sequelae of parental deployment include emotional intensity and conflict in the family (Chandra, Lara‐Cinisomo, et al., ; Esposito‐Smythers et al., ; Huebner, Mancini, Wilcox, Grass, & Grass, ; Johnson et al., ), depression and anxiety in the nondeployed parent (Esposito‐Smythers et al., ), depression and anxiety in the adolescent (Chandra, Lara‐Cinisomo, et al., , ), weaker connection to school (Richardson et al., ), and maltreatment (Campbell, Brown, & Okwara, ), all of which are risk factors for adolescent suicide (Bridge, Goldstein, & Brent, ; Wells & Heilbron, ). Adolescents with parents in the military who are deployed, or preparing to deploy, are at higher risk of emotional and behavioral difficulties (see Esposito‐Smythers et al., , for a review).…”

Parenting and Children's Resilience in Military Families

“…Both qualitative and quantitative research with a variety of stakeholders (children, school personnel, parents) have documented modest negative effects of deployment (Richardson et al, 2011 ) on academic functioning, especially among youth whose parents were deployed over 19 months. Further, some longitudinal research has found that these negative academic effects may persist for several years .…”

The Evolution of a School Behavioral Health Model in the US Army

“…[2][3][4][5] During deployment, children and adolescents show poorer peer and family relationships, 2,6 as well as experiencing decreases in school engagement and academic performance. 2,[6][7][8] Several large statewide self-report surveys of middle school and high school students have shown that there is an increased risk of alcohol and drug use, 9,10 increased feelings of sadness, depression, and suicidal ideation, 11,12 and increased fighting and weapons carrying 13 for youth of a currently or recently deployed parent. Moreover, rates of diagnosed mental health disorders, 14 rates of behavioral and mental health visits, 15 prescriptions for psychotropic medication, 16 and rates of psychiatric hospitalizations 17 increase for military-connected youth who have experienced a parental deployment.…”