The Psychosocial Effects of Deployment on Military Children

Flake, Eric; Davis, Beth E.; Johnson, Patti L.; Middleton, Laura

doi:10.1097/dbp.0b013e3181aac6e4

Cited by 293 publications

(250 citation statements)

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“…Our results add to the findings of recent previous studies that documented deployment-related changes in child behavior by linking them to clinically apparent psychological and behavioral issues that merit the clinical attention of a pediatric provider. 14,16 Previous research has documented the differences between paternally and maternally separated children. 19 One possible explanation is that the mothers remaining at home may be more likely to manifest their own mental health issues or that mothers are more likely to transfer their own mental health symptoms onto the child.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The age range of 3 to 8 years was chosen because it excluded the younger ages at which there are frequent well-child visits, corresponded to the ages included in previous studies that documented subclinical behavior changes, and included the developmental stage at which one of the authors (Dr Gorman) had observed an increase in behavioral concerns in his pediatric practice. 14,16 Children of National Guard or Reserve personnel were excluded. Each subject's demographic information and enrollment date were extracted.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10 Children of deployed parents exhibit more internalizing and externalizing behaviors, especially when a parent deploys to a combat zone. [11][12][13][14][15] Deployment of a parent has been associated with maladaptive child behaviors 10, 16,17 and decreased academic performance. 10 Child maltreatment rates are also increased during deployment.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Wartime Military Deployment and Increased Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health Complaints

2010

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WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT:Military deployment of a parent influences children's behavior in a variety of settings. The clinical significance of these deployment-associated behavior changes has not been determined. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:Children experiencing separation from a parent due to wartime military deployment have an 11% increase in outpatient visits for mental and behavioral health complaints, which contrasts with a general deploymentassociated decrease in health care visits in all other diagnostic categories.abstract BACKGROUND: Children of military personnel face stress when a parent deploys. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to determine the effect of parental military deployment on the relative rate of outpatient visits for mental and behavioral health disorders in children aged 3 to 8 years. METHODS:This was a retrospective cohort study. Records of children of active-duty personnel during fiscal years 2006 and 2007 were linked with their parent's deployment records. Mental and behavioral health visits were identified by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of visits per year according to parental deployment status was determined with random-effects negative binomial regression modeling with longitudinal data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 642 397 children aged 3 to 8 years and 442 722 military parents were included. Mean child age was 5.0 years (SD: 1.9 years); 50.6% were male, and 68.0% were white. Ninety percent of the parents were male, and 90.5% were married; 32.0% of the parents were deployed during the study. There were 1 049 081 person-years with 611 115 mental and behavioral health visits (0.6 visit per year). The IRR of mental and behavioral health visits for children with a deployed parent compared with when a parent was home was 1.11 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-1.14; P Ͻ .001). IRRs of pediatric anxiety, behavioral, and stress disorders when a parent deployed were 1.14 (95% CI: 0.98 -1.32; P ϭ .095), 1.19 (95% CI: 1.07-1.32; P Ͻ .001), and 1.18 (95% CI: 1.10 -1.26; P Ͻ .001), respectively. Older children and children with military fathers and married parents had larger increases in rates of mental and behavioral health visits during parental deployments. In contrast, the overall outpatient rate and rates of visits for other diagnoses decreased when a parent was deployed. CONCLUSIONS: Mental and behavioral health visits increased by 11% in these children when a military parent deployed; behavioral disorders increased 19% and stress disorders increased 18%. Rates especially increased in older children and children of married and male military parents.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wartime Military Deployment and Increased Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health Complaints

2010

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“…Reinforcement is more readily available for families when they live on or close to the defense base (Brooks, 2011), which is particularly important for those without extended family nearby because access to parental support also affects the children. Flake et al (2009) believed that parenting, resources, supports, and resilience influence children's psychosocial functioning during the deployment cycle.…”

Section: Protective Factors Provided By Relationships (Microsystem)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Protective Factors in Families: Themes From a Socioecological Study of Australian Defence Force Families Experiencing Parental Deployment

Rogers

2017

SAGE Open

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Family 1He (Sam, 3 years) didn't understand the difference between deployment and going to work, which created huge meltdowns when Caleb was home after deployment and then said he was going to "work." Family 2You are not really in or out after they die. I find it hard to connect with other defence families at Army unit days. Family 3He was also really upset by some of the parenting decisions I had made in his absence. It was hard having those very honest conversations where he was saying he thought those decisions were wrong.

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“…Maladaptive parental coping or distress may be the single most important predictor of child biopsychosocial symptoms during stressful situations, such as wartime deployment. [7][8][9] Some military families may be at higher risk of distress, especially if they are young, experiencing a first separation, have recently relocated, include a foreignborn spouse, have young children, are junior enlisted (entry pay level), are single parents, or have children with special needs. 4,9 Service members and families who have not anticipated an extended wartime deployment, such as activated National Guard and Reserve personnel, may be especially challenged.…”

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confidence: 99%

Health and Mental Health Needs of Children in US Military Families

Siegel¹,

Davis²,

Services³

2013

Pediatrics

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The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been challenging for US uniformed service families and their children. Almost 60% of US service members have family responsibilities. Approximately 2.3 million active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members have been deployed since the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (2001 and 2003, respectively), and almost half have deployed more than once, some for up to 18 months’ duration. Up to 2 million US children have been exposed to a wartime deployment of a loved one in the past 10 years. Many service members have returned from combat deployments with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injury. The mental health and well-being of spouses, significant others, children (and their friends), and extended family members of deployed service members continues to be significantly challenged by the experiences of wartime deployment as well as by combat mortality and morbidity. The medical system of the Department of Defense provides health and mental health services for active duty service members and their families as well as activated National Guard and Reserve service members and their families. In addition to military pediatricians and civilian pediatricians employed by military treatment facilities, nonmilitary general pediatricians care for >50% of children and family members before, during, and after wartime deployments. This clinical report is for all pediatricians, both active duty and civilian, to aid in caring for children whose loved ones have been, are, or will be deployed.

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The Psychosocial Effects of Deployment on Military Children

Cited by 293 publications

References 23 publications

Wartime Military Deployment and Increased Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health Complaints

Wartime Military Deployment and Increased Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health Complaints

Protective Factors in Families: Themes From a Socioecological Study of Australian Defence Force Families Experiencing Parental Deployment

Health and Mental Health Needs of Children in US Military Families

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