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The effects of deployment on military families and their relationships, and how communication is affected.

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How can military families take steps to mitigate the effects of deployment on the family dynamic?

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What role can the government/military play in making sure that military families get the support they need? What kinds of things can they implement?

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Do things like keeping in constant contact during deployment help reduce things like divorce or suicide rate? And how does deployment affect stress levels on children?

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Title: The Role of Online Communication in the Lives of Military Spouses.

Authors: Jennifer Rea, Andrew Behnke, Nichole Huff, Kimberly Allen

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Abstract

The present study explored the impact of online communication and social networking sites on military spouses as they experienced a deployment of their spouse. Qualitative data were collected through one-on-one, semi-structured Skype interviews with ten married military spouses from Eastern North Carolina. Phenomenological data analysis revealed three major themes: (1) social media and its purpose in the life of military spouses; (2) social media and its role in maintaining the relationships among military couples; and (3) implications for therapists to incorporate online communication into treatment plans of military couples around the topics of relocation, deployment, reintegration, and mental health. Key findings suggest that the use of online communication during a military deployment is a positive influence and support for military spouses. The present study provides insights into the life of military spouses and how they use online communication, including social media, as a tool for relational maintenance. By better understanding the function of social media and online communication for military spouses, family therapists can better assist military families through deployments and wartime separations.

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References

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Veterans United. (2013). Graphical description of the total number of military spouses, number of deployments and breakdown of how to help a military spouse [Infographic]. http://www.veteransunited.com/spouse/infographic-military-spouse-breakdown/

Willerton, E., Macdermid-Wadsworth, S. M., & Riggs, D. (2011). Introduction: Military families under stress: What we know and what we need to know. In S. M. Macdermid-Wadsworth & D. S. Riggs (Eds.), Risk and Resilience in US military families (pp. 1-20). New York: Springer.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, 290 McNeal Hall, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

Jennifer Rea

2. Department of Youth, Family, and Community Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

Andrew Behnke, Nichole Huff & Kimberly Allen

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer Rea.

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Rea, J., Behnke, A., Huff, N. et al. The Role of Online Communication in the Lives of Military Spouses. Contemp Fam Ther 37, 329-339 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-015-9346-6
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Keywords

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Role of Online Communication in the Lives of Military Spouses - Contemporary Family Therapy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The present study explored the impact of online communication and social networking sites on military spouses as they experienced a deployment of their spouse. Qualitative data were collected through one-on-one, semi-structured Skype interviews with ten married military spouses from Eastern North Carolina.

# data[].attributes.body
This source examines a study that was carried out to look at the effects of using social media to stay in contact with family members while on deployment. It specifically looks into impact of online communication and social networking sites on military spouses as they experienced a deployment of their spouse. The study examines the psychological effects of deployment and how they can be mitigated in order to minimize relationship disconnects.

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This is a scholarly source. It is identifiable as a scholarly source by the language that is used. Another thing that proves it is a scholarly source is the publisher and where the article itself was published, that being "Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal." The authors are all associated with highly accredited universities, those being either the University of Minnesota or North Carolina State University. There is also an incredibly large collection of sources listed at the end of the article. The intended audience seems to be both military families as well as military officials that have the power to implement policies regarding these matters.

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I believe that the article is extremely insightful and provides many good data points for the implementation of future policies that focus on providing means of online communication to military families while on deployment. The article also acknowledges that there is still tremendous room for more studies and research to be done, but still mentions that impact that the study has already shown. This source was incredibly useful in finding out first hand what deployment is like for military families and what kind of emotional and relational effects it has on them.

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Title: Deployment Resources for Families

Authors: Non-specific

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Military families know how to stand strong, but the stresses of deployment can bring extra challenges. At Military OneSource, we're here to help - by connecting you to a wide array of information and services designed to support military families. Here are some resources to keep in mind for your next deployment:

Looking for parenting support during deployment?

Check out these parenting through deployment essentials.

The Military Family Readiness System

The Military Family Readiness System is a network of programs, services and agencies that work together to promote your family's readiness and quality of life. Through this network, you can receive or request assistance with all phases of the deployment cycle, as well as assistance with military life in general. Support includes but is not limited to:

Mobilization and deployment readiness

Relocation assistance

Personal and family life readiness

Financial readiness, including emergency financial assistance

Exceptional Family Member Program referrals

New parent support programs

Non-medical, individual and family counseling for adults and children

School liaisons to assist with education matters for children grades pre-K through 12

Most family readiness programs and services are offered through your installation Military and Family Support Center. Military and Family Support Centers are open to all service members and their families, including National Guard and reserve, regardless of your branch. You can find your nearest center at MilitaryINSTALLATIONS, or through individual service branches:

Deployment resources for National Guard and reserve

These support services for National Guard and reserve families can help you every step of the way, from mobilization to reintegration:

Command communications: Your command leadership will provide information to you in a variety of ways, including unit website, email, a toll-free number and/or automated multimedia communication systems.

Reserve component family programs deliver family readiness services through facility-based locations, online and by telephone. While these access points deliver a limited number of direct services to members and their families, they can readily refer you to other Military Family Readiness System resources.

The following sites and organizations offer more support and services for Guard and reserve members:

Non-military community organizations are also part of the Military Family Readiness System. Your local Military and Family Support Center and National Guard Family Program can connect you with the resources you need.

Military OneSource deployment resources

Military OneSource is available 24/7/365 through both a website and a call center that offer information and services to support service members and families before, during and after deployment.

Military One consultants are available by phone or live chat to answer questions and connect you with services you need. Call 800-342-9647, use OCONUS calling options or schedule a live chat. All inquiries are confidential.

Online resources:

Plan My Deployment: This online tool from Military OneSource provides information and resources to help you manage all the phases of the deployment cycle. Customize the "Task and Considerations" list in each section to help you navigate predeployment, deployment, and reunion and reintegration.

Deployment articles:

Deployment products:

Deployment resources for children and youth

A number of organizations offer resources for families with children whose mom or dad is deployed:

Sesame Street for Military Families offers several resources for young children of deployed service members, including videos, tips, downloadable documents and more.

ZERO TO THREE has resources for specifically designed for military and veteran families with infants and toddlers. Their parenting tips and resources are useful anytime but can be especially helpful during deployment.

Thrive is a free, online program for parents and caregivers developed by the DOD in partnership with the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State. It provides evidence-based positive parenting tips for stress management, physical activities and healthy eating for children ages 0-18. Check out their extensive list of parent resources.

Family care plan

Family care plans are designed to provide caregivers with all the necessary information to keep the household running smoothly while parents are away. They typically include details about child care, school, medical care, family activities and all necessary contacts.

Generally, active-duty and Reserve Component service members who have dependents and are either single or part of a dual-military couple must have a family care plan. However, family care plans can be helpful tools for any family. Learn more about preparing your family care plan.

For more information about documents that a designated family caregiver needs, contact a Military OneSource consultant at 800-342-9647. Your installation legal services/JAG office can also help with any legal documents you need to support your family care plan.

Let Military OneSource and the Military Family Readiness System help you find the resources you need to manage your next deployment. For more information, call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 or contact your installation Military and Family Support Center.

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Military Deployment Resources for Families | Military OneSource

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Military families have access to resources for deployment readiness including parent support programs, non-medical counseling, family care plans and more.

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The source provides a lot of information about resources that already exist for military families when it comes to dealing with and mitigating the effects of deployment. The article talks about many different programs ranging in everything from financial readiness and assistance to counseling for adults and children. It also provides links to resources that can help with any variety of specific situations so that families are able to investigate further and find the best help for their particular situation.

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This could be called a popular source. Even though it is published and made available by official agencies such as the U.S. Military, it is not considered scholarly because it does not have any association with any peer reviewed or academic journals. Also, the language that is used and topics that are discussed are specific to the field. The article is put out by a publisher associated with the U.S. military and is intended for members of that military and their families.

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This source is a very helpful article and provides a lot of very important information to military families and how they are able to deal with and mitigate the effects of a long deployment. For example, offering links to help military families navigate their financials is extremely helpful and can lift a huge weight off of a families shoulders that is already going through so much. Also, providing links for areas of support like free counseling fro both adults and children is something that can make a huge impact. The psychological effects that are created by long term deployments are not just hard for military members and their spouses, but also for their young children. It's hard for children when one of their parents isn't there everyday to raise them. This source is extremely easy to understand as it was clearly made to be accessed by mostly all ages. I think this is one of the best sources so far.

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Title: A Fireside Chat: Attachment Theory and the Deployed Dyadic Dialogue

Authors: Warren N. Ponder

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Abstract

This study asserts that communication between a committed dyad during a combat separation can positively and negatively affect post-deployment functioning. Recent research has delineated two different forms of communication: interactive and delayed. Communication is conceptualized in the three phases of the deployment cycle. To address theoretical gaps in the literature, I posit that attachment theory is the best orientation to explain dyadic communication during deployment. Using linear mixed model, I applied the Actor Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) for distinguishable dyads to explain behavior in terms of attachment theory (anxiety and avoidance). After the statistical significance of the model was established, five dependent variables were added. The most important finding demonstrates that during deployment, the veteran's secondary strategy was deactivation (avoidance), whereas the strategy employed by the stateside significant other was hyperactivation (anxiety). During the wartime separation, the dyad engaged in closed ranks communication and later found that shifting to open communication post-deployment was challenging. Additionally, other communication findings are discussed, along with their post-deployment consequences.

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A Fireside Chat: Attachment Theory and the Deployed Dyadic Dialogue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This study asserts that communication between a committed dyad during a combat separation can positively and negatively affect post-deployment functioning. Recent research has delineated two different forms of communication: interactive and delayed. Communication is conceptualized in the three phases of the deployment cycle.

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This source specifically examines communication between military couples during deployment and also briefly examines post deployment suicide. It discusses how the main focus of researchers when looking into post-deployment effects has mostly been PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, followed closely by suicide. But the article then mentions that spousal communication post-deployment has been gaining much traction amongst researchers in the field.

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This is a scholarly source. The article has been approved by a group with recognized experience in the profession and the author, Warren Ponder, is associated with and has co-authored with many other authors from Kansas State University, Yale University, and the University of New Mexico. He also has a PhD in Military Psychology and has published many other pieces relating to mental health, first responders, military members, military families, and attachment theory. The article also includes many citations from other scholarly articles and authors. Also, the length of the article is quite extreme and it includes many points of data that relate to the matter such as marriage statistics among active duty and reserve members.

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This source is incredibly insightful and gives a great in depth look at the statistics regarding military families and how they are affected relationship wise post deployment. This includes divorce rates, suicide rates, etc. This source was a little bit hard to find, as the statistics surrounding these issues are a difficult topic to talk about and aren't always super readily available. But, it was published relatively recently, specifically in 2021, and it has great current statistics that are not outdated. I believe that this source does a good job of illustrating, in terms of numbers, what kind of effects a deployment can have on a military spousal relationship. By knowing these statistics, we can better understand how great of an issue it is and begin to solve the problem.

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Title: Children Coping with Deployment

Authors: Non-specific

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Children Coping with Deployment

When you are called to deploy, your children may need information to help them feel safe. Learn how children of different ages may react to a parent's deployment. Also, read tips on how you can talk about it and other ways to cope.

Reading time: minutes

The children of military personnel face many challenges because of deployment to war. Kids need to understand why their parent has to leave, where they are going, and how long they will be away. If you are being deployed, take time to talk to your children about your feelings, what you do on your military job, and what you think of your job. Help them know where you will be and plan ahead to keep in touch regularly and often.

Children also need to understand what will happen when the deployed person returns home. The amount kids can understand and how they cope depends on age and how mature they are.

Protecting Children from Fear

We cannot protect our children from all that is bad. Yet we can learn to talk to our children about war. Use language that is easy to understand and does not hide the truth. Protect children from needless worries and concerns. Provide them with a sense of security and safety. Children should be assured that everything is being done to bring their loved one home safely and to protect families at home.

It is important to take the time to discuss and share our own concerns and fears. Do this with other adults, loved ones, friends or counselors, and this will help make it easier on children. Seeking social support from adults outside of the family is one way to manage our own stress. Researchers have found that parents who are able to handle upsetting, traumatic, or conflicting issues can serve as a buffer for the child.

Non-military kids

Civilian children may be concerned and feel afraid too. They may be learning about war from TV, radio, online, or from other sources like friends and school. Children may know someone who has a parent or loved one who went to war. They may be concerned for that person's safety. Parents will need to respond to these concerns. The everyday security of family life may be challenged.

Listen and watch

All parents need to take the time to listen, observe, and talk to their children about what is happening around them. This can teach children good listening and communication skills, respect and support for differing opinions, and ways to manage fears and anxieties.

Even if you prepare and talk to a child, he or she will still be affected. Look for signs of stress. If children have been through trauma in their lives or have difficulties in school or with friends, they may be particularly open to feeling any changes in their sense of safety.

The Effects of Deployment on Children

Researchers have found that children with parents who are deployed to war tend to worry more and be afraid and sad. During war, a child may feel their world is less safe and predictable. Children may fear that the parent or other loved family member who is deployed may die in the war. Even if no close family member is affected, they may still feel unsafe.

Very young children may show fear or upset at being separated from their parent. Infants (twelve months and younger) may react to changes in their schedule, physical environment, or the caretaker's mood. They may be uninterested, refuse to eat, or even lose weight.

Toddlers (one to three years) may sulk, cry, throw temper tantrums, or not sleep well if their caretaker is having problems or is not available.

Preschoolers (three to six years) might think their parent was deployed because "I was bad." They may react with toileting issues, thumb sucking, sleep problems, clinginess, and separation anxiety. They may also be touchy, depressed, aggressive, or complain about aches and pains.

Very often, preschool and school-age children also worry about the safety of the parent at home.

School age children (six to twelve years) may perform more poorly in school. They may become moody, aggressive, or whiny. They may get stomachaches, headaches, etc.

Teens may become angry and act out. They can also withdraw or act like they don't care about things. Adolescents may also not like new family roles and responsibilities after the deployed parent returns home.

Children may play at war, acting out both sides, and creating good outcomes where the "bad guys" are beaten. This does not mean that they are comfortable with or understand real events. Children play best and most creatively when they feel safe. When they feel real threats or the danger of losing a parent, their play is more likely to be anxious and sad. Play doesn't really give them the answers they need for their fear and worry. Children need adults who can help them work through their fears.

Teenagers may deal with anxiety by engaging in risky behaviors. Teens may be better able to understand these events, but even they will need to be assured and comforted.

Is my child okay?

Make sure you are available for your kids. Be there to listen. Parents should pay attention to how their children are playing. If games end with emotions like sadness, aggression, or worry, help the child work out more positive solutions. Above all, kids need to be sure that adults will take care of them as well as they can.

These are some things to watch for:

Bad temper, difficulties being soothed

Tearfulness, sadness, talking about things that scare them

Anger toward people, picking on minority groups

Getting irritated and fighting with others

Changes in sleep patterns, trouble sleeping

More clinging behaviors at home, not wanting to go to school

Physical complaints (stomachaches, etc.)

Wanting attention

Talk to Help Children Deal with War

Take the time to talk about war and deployment. Remember that talking can only make your family stronger. Don't ignore the subject. Do not minimize your child's concerns or stressors. Many parents would like to ignore the situation because thinking about war makes them feel vulnerable and powerless to protect their children.

Children need a real message about what is happening around them. Children are very good at knowing when things are being hidden from them. Be truthful and honest regardless of the age of your child, without overburdening him or her.

Children in different age groups will understand differently:

Very young children are concerned with present everyday life. They need to feel safe. They are affected by the presence or absence of loved ones.

Younger children may be confused by names of people and places that mean little to them. They may need help in forming basic ideas and understanding.

Preteens and adolescents will be developing more abstract thinking about ideas and issues and concern for world events. They will be forming strong opinions they want recognized as their own. They may hear ideas from their peers. These ideas and feelings may be in agreement with their families' opinions or not. Yet their ideas and thoughts need to be heard and respected.

Talk about feelings

Encourage your children to freely talk about their concerns and feelings. All children want to be included in family matters. They want to be listened to and understood. They have ideas and feelings but may not know how to express them, or how to handle them. "If war is bad, why is mommy going to war?" "If war is bad, why are we doing it?" "Is killing other people ok?"

Don't be afraid to talk about your feelings, even if you are conflicted or confused. If children know adults are being honest and respectful to them, they will feel safer. Do the best you can, even when you don't know all the answers.

Make your child feel as secure as possible

Make your child feel as secure as possible without changing the facts. For example, you might say to a very young child, "War is happening in another country, far away. But you are safe here and we will take care of you." Or, "Your (dad, mom) will be serving with men and women who will do the best job possible to protect (him, her) and bring (him, her) home safely."

Provide reassurance about the future. Be hopeful about the future. "Yes these are hard times, but we are hopeful that people will be able to overcome their differences and live more peacefully in the future."

Accept different opinions

Try to look at and explain the points of view from all sides of a conflict. Teach the importance of respect and give and take. Be sure that children understand that violence is not always the best solution. Whether you are for or against war, take the time to explain how democracy works. Explain how to respect all points of view, just as in your family, each person wants their opinion to be respected and heard.

Explain why you agree or disagree with war in terms your child can understand. For example: "I don't like war, but it seems this is the best way to keep us safe," or "I understand why some people want to fight, but I believe that the only way to peace is negotiation, not violence."

Things to Do to Help Children Cope with War

Provide extra attention, care, and physical closeness.

Understand that they may be angry (and perhaps rightly so).

Limit exposure to news, especially when news repeats and is violent. Younger children should be shielded from this kind of news as much as possible. It will needlessly increase their worry of events they don't understand.

Respect your child's timing and ways of coping. Very young children may want to close their eyes or just go out and play. Don't confront children or force them to talk about things when they don't want to.

Keep an open door for the absent parent or loved one. Talk with him or her as often as possible, and for important dates like birthdays, holidays, etc. Talk about what it will be like when that person returns and what it would be like if they were here now. This is really important for younger children who may not understand why their loved one is not here.

Help your children develop and enjoy fun activities. Distraction can make time go by faster.

Stick to routines and plan for upcoming events.

Suggest positive and creative ways of coping for older children and adolescents (create scrapbooks and videos, write letters, take photos).

Discuss things. Let kids know they can talk about how they feel. Accept how they feel and don't tell them they should not feel that way.

Tell kids their feelings are normal. Be prepared to tell them many times.

If stress becomes too hard to handle, Military OneSource can help you locate military family support resources. For example, it may be helpful for children to talk in groups with other children whose parents are deployed.

Source

Altshuler, J., & Ruble, D. (1989). Developmental changes in children's awareness for coping with uncontrollable stress. Child Development, 60, 1337-1349.

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Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you've earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member-like health care, disability, education, and more.

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This source examines the affects that deployment has on military children and offers solutions to stress caused by a parent being deployed. The source talks about how deployment can create fear in a military child, fear for their parent's safety, fear that they will grow up without their parent(s), etc. It also gives examples of how behavior might be affected by deployment, including bad temper, tearfulness or sadness when talking about the things that scare them, anger toward people, trouble sleeping and changes in sleep patterns, not wanting to go to school or a clingy behavior, and more. But it then tries to offer solutions to these problems such as making the child feel as comfortable as possible, accepting differing opinions, and providing extra attention or care.

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This source can be considered a trade source. It is a published article that is relevant to a particular field or industry and it was written by the experts of this specific industry. The source is published by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which is the best of the best in terms of experts relating to the matter of military families and deployment and post-deployment effects. The strength of this particular source lies in its clear stating of the problems and the solutions it is presenting. The layout of the article is great for families who might be looking for any tips that could help them in these difficult situations. The article starts off by offering an estimated time to read, then separates itself into sections where it acknowledges some things like behavioral changes and offers solutions like spending extra time and care with the children.

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This particular source is one of the most helpful that I have seen while doing this assignment. It is designed to speak directly to the families that are experiencing these deployment and post-deployment effects and it is done so by professionals who's main job it is to help these families with these exact types of matters. It takes the time to address each and every possible concern that parents of military families might have or experience and addresses each individual one with detail and compassion. If I was going through this type of situation, I would really appreciate the time and effort spent putting this guide of sorts together.

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Title: How Military Families Respond Before, During and After Deployment

Authors: Terry L. Schell, Beth Ann Griffin, Lisa H. Jaycox, Esther M. Friedman, Thomas E. Trail, Robin L. Beckman, Rajeev Ramchand, Natalie Hengstebeck, Wendy M. Troxel, Lynsay Ayer

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What happens to military families when a service member is deployed?

In study after study, deployment has been associated with poorer mental health in military families, behavioral problems in children, a higher risk of divorce, and higher rates of suicide. Not surprisingly, service members and spouses regularly name deployments as the most stressful aspect of military life.

By the Numbers

2700

military families studied

9

surveys per family member before, during, and after deployment

5

study areas: marriage, family, psychological and behavioral health, child and teen well-being, and military integration

The Deployment Life Study (DLS) - a first-of-its-kind longitudinal study - was designed to assess the impact of deployment on military families and to help the Department of Defense, policymakers, and service providers better prepare these families for a deployment. The DLS surveyed more than 2,700 married military families from all branches (i.e., Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps) and components (active, reserve, and Guard) of the military. Up to three family members - the service member, the spouse, and a child age 11-18 (if available) - were surveyed every four months for three years. While deployment policies regarding length of each deployment vary across services, our study allowed us to define a study deployment for each family individually and monitor them across their own deployment-related experience.

The DLS evaluated key outcomes, including the quality of marital and parental relationships; psychological, behavioral, and physical health of family members; child well-being; and military integration (or attitudes toward military service). Conducted from 2011 to 2015, the DLS allowed researchers to examine family functioning and individual well-being before, during, and after deployment. The analysis was designed to answer three questions, and our findings are detailed below.

1. What happens to military families over the course of a deployment cycle?

The most common theme was that military families are resilient. Despite the challenges they experienced before and during a service member's deployment, family relationships and other outcomes generally returned to previous levels once the service member came home.

Family relationships and other outcomes generally returned to previous levels once the service member came home.

During deployment, outcomes changed - some for the better (physical and psychological aggression between partners declined, service members reported a better family environment, higher parenting satisfaction, and less binge drinking) and some for the worse (increased depressive symptoms among service members and spouses, increased posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety symptoms among spouses, elevated psychological symptoms in children). In some cases, service members and spouses had opposite reactions to deployment. For example, while service members as a group rated their experiences as a parent higher during deployment, spouses reported less satisfaction with being a parent during the same time period.

When service members returned home, most of these changes reversed: By the end of the reintegration phase, family relationships and well-being had generally returned to pre-deployment levels. An exception was observed among teen participants, who reported significantly lower-quality relationships with the deployed parent when the parent came home.

2. How do post-deployment outcomes differ between families that did and did not experience deployment?

Not all service members in the study actually deployed. By comparing the outcomes of families that experienced deployment to those of well-matched families that did not, the analyses attempted to identify the causal effect of deployment on family well-being. The results of these analyses were striking and unambiguous: Across a wide range of variables, there was little difference between the two groups by the end of the study.

The analyses found that preparation for deployment and communication during deployment were critical factors.

The exceptions were teens and children. In families that experienced a deployment, spouses reported more child difficulties (specifically, emotional conduct and peer problems) at the end of the study than their peers whose spouses did not deploy. Interestingly, this concern applied only to children younger than 11, not to teenagers. Neither teens' parents nor the youths themselves reported behavioral difficulties. But teens did report worse family cohesion and lower relationship quality with the non-deployed parent than did their peers in non-deployed families.

3. How well do characteristics of families and the deployment explain which families are doing better or worse when the service member returns?

The analyses found that preparation and communication were critical factors. For example, the more service members and spouses reported preparing for deployment (developing an emergency financial plan or buying life insurance), the higher their parenting satisfaction after deployment. The more frequently that spouses reported communicating with their partners during deployment, and the more satisfied spouses were with the amount of communication, the higher their marital satisfaction when the service member returned.

Across a wide range of variables, there was little difference between families that experienced deployment and those that didn't by the end of the study.

In addition, couples who left the military after deployment (and during the three years they were in the DLS) reported lower marital satisfaction and increased psychological symptoms by the end of the study. There was no way to determine whether these activities directly affect family functioning or whether more or less resilient families simply engage in different behaviors around deployments. These associations emerged even after controlling for family characteristics at the time of study enrollment, consistent with the view that the behaviors themselves influence family well-being.

The study's findings also suggested that service members' exposure to traumatic events during deployment, rather than separation from family itself, brought about any negative effects associated with being deployed. However, the relationship between traumatic experiences and post-deployment outcomes was complex.

The DLS assessed the effects of physical trauma (such as being injured), combat trauma (exchanging fire with the enemy), and psychological trauma (witnessing trauma or vicarious exposure to trauma) during deployment on military family outcomes after deployment. All three predicted greater symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, lower satisfaction with the military, and weaker intentions to remain in the service post-deployment. Other outcomes differed based on the type of trauma. For example, service members' exposure to physical and psychological trauma predicted higher levels of psychological and physical aggression post-deployment, according to spouses; however, combat trauma predicted lower levels of psychological aggression among both service members and spouses post-deployment. For teens, a parent's experiencing combat trauma was related to poorer functioning and worse relationships with parents, but a service member's experiencing psychological trauma (in the absence of injury or combat trauma) was related to better teen functioning and relationships with parents.

3 Types of Deployment Trauma Studied

Some outcomes differed depending on the type of trauma that the service member experienced during deployment.

Physical

Injury to the service member

Combat

Exchanging fire with the enemy

Psychological

Witnessing or vicarious exposure to trauma

Implications for Improving the Well-being of Military Families

The current findings led RAND researchers to make a number of recommendations for improving the well-being of military families.

Programs, services, and policies should target families that experience deployment trauma, especially when the service member returns. Given that service members' exposure to trauma appears to have multiple negative consequences when they come home, these families could be targeted for post-deployment support. Programs that target families based on documented experiences, rather than self-reported symptoms, might help mitigate problems before they can affect multiple family members.

Addressing problems around the time of separation may be important for avoiding the longer-term impairments caused by these problems, such as increased morbidity, homelessness, unemployment, and substance use among veterans. The results indicate that service members who have separated from service post-deployment have significantly elevated psychological symptoms. Regardless of whether psychological problems predate separation or not, the separation period appears to be a high-risk time for individuals who leave the military.

Programs that allow and encourage communication both between and within military families during a deployment may promote their well-being. When spouses were satisfied with the quantity of communication during deployment, family relationships were better when the service member returned. Maintaining open lines of communication between family members during the separation may ease the process of reintegration once the service member returns.

Support to improve relationships among service members, spouses, and their teen children during the post-deployment period may improve family functioning. Given the effects of deployment on teens' relationships with both parents, it may be more effective to pursue programs that focus on preventing declines in relationship quality and family cohesion after the service member returns as means of promoting family well-being rather than relying on programs that wait for families to seek help once relationships degrade.

The DLS provides a robust data set that should enable further exploration of the issues and challenges that military families face. For examples, these data can be used to help understand the predictors of separation from the military, further explore the relationship between communication and deployment related effects, and assess the effect of frequent moves on military family outcomes.

Implications for Future Research on Military Families

The findings also highlight several areas where changes to current research strategies could result in improved data - both in terms of timeliness and quality - for making policy decisions that will help military families.

Future research on military families should explore ways in which data can be collected from multiple family members at the same time. For some outcomes, such as family environment and anxiety, service members and spouses reported different outcomes during the same period of the deployment cycle. Collecting data from multiple members of the same families can capture these differences, and the results can help to tailor support for individual family members based on their relationship to the service member (e.g., spouse, child, teen).

When funding resources become scarce, future research on military families should prioritize longitudinal studies. Compared with retrospective or cross-sectional reports, longitudinal study designs that follow the same families over time offer the most methodologically robust way to assess the impact of deployment on families.

Procedures for collecting real-time data from military families should be explored. No single type of real-time data can address all the relevant research and policy questions. Some combination of administrative data for service members (such as medical records or personnel data) and ongoing data from a representative panel of military family members could prove to be a very useful, cost-effective solution for informing time-sensitive concerns.

Develop new theories, measures, and analyses of deployment experiences that can account for the complex relationship between deployment and post-deployment outcomes. The complex pattern of our findings deserves further study. In light of the mixed results for different types of traumatic experiences, new theories, measures, and analyses are needed to better understand which specific deployment experiences have persistent effects on service members and their families, as well as how those effects are produced.

Study Limitations

Although extremely valuable because of its analytical rigor and unprecedented scope, the DLS does have a few limitations. First, the survey was conducted during a period when operational tempo among U.S. troops was decreasing, combat zones were less volatile, and deployments were less dangerous compared with the years immediately prior. Second, most married service members eligible for the study had previously deployed by the time recruitment for DLS began. This means that families vulnerable to the most negative consequences from deployments may have left the military or divorced before the study began. The impact on first-time deployers may be very different from our findings about families with more experience in deployment. Finally, the study's focus was on families in married households, both with and without children, so the findings cannot be extended to single-parent household families or single service members.

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How Military Families Respond Before, During and After Deployment

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This overview of the findings from the RAND Deployment Life Study describes the effects of deployment on marital relationships, family environment, psychological and behavioral health, child well-being, and military integration.

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The source summarizes the findings from the RAND Deployment Life Study. The study examined how military families adapt and manage stress across three deployment phases, those being: pre-deployment, during deployment, and post-deployment. The article highlights key stressors and coping strategies as well as the varying impacts on spouses and children. The article also talks about how families can take steps to mitigate these effects by creating strong social support networks, keeping up with communication (this meaning not only keeping in contact but also having meaningful discussions), and making sure the family has access to adequate mental health resources.

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This article can be labeled as a scholarly source. The publisher and the authors are both considered scholarly. The RAND Corporation conducts extensive research and analysis on various topics including the topic that I am researching, military families and deployment. The authors are all associated with the RAND Corporation but they have all had previous publications that have been approved or sponsored by accredited institutions or universities. The language of the study is intricate yet easy to understand for a source of this type and the article includes statistics to help make it easier to understand for the reader.

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The article/source is a great addition to the lineup or sources that I have compiled. Its insights are invaluable for military families that are navigating the effects of deployment and the study that was performed and is being discussed in the article underscores the importance of social support networks, effective communication, and mental health resources for military families. The source highlights the coping strategies that have been created, studied, and implemented and offers them up to military families to help create a safe and comfortable environment. I believe that the evidence based guidance provided in this particular source is some of the best that I have found and can be extremely helpful for military families when it comes to trying to mitigate the effects of deployment, whether it be pre-deployment, during, or post-deployment.

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Title: Supporting Military Children During Deployment

Authors: Non-specific

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Every deployment is different, and each child may react differently. Understanding how to support children during deployment begins with paying close attention to their reactions and using available resources when needed.

Seek help if children need it

Reactions to separation vary depending on the child, their age and previous experiences with separation. Be aware of their reactions, and try to determine if they are a normal, or are red flags that require additional support or professional help.

If you have questions or concerns about your child's behavior, the Military and Family Life Counseling Program supports service members, their families and survivors with non-medical counseling worldwide. Trained to work with the military community, military and family life counselors deliver valuable face-to-face counseling services, briefings and presentations to the military community both on and off the installation. Learn more about child and youth behavioral military and family life counselors.

To access a child and youth behavioral military and family life counselor, you can contact your installation child development center, youth or teen center, an installation public school, your child's military youth summer camp, or the commander or unit training point of contact.

To access military and family life counselors, call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647, call OCONUS, or schedule a live chat. You may also contact your installation's Military and Family Support Center.

Encourage communication and community involvement

Talk with children about their feelings, and let them know you're there to support them. While some children may ask many questions, others may feel better keeping their thoughts to themselves. Provide them with a notebook or journal so that they can write down their thoughts, make up stories or even draw pictures to express how they're feeling. Visit the Sesame Street for Military Families website for more deployment resources for young children.

Encourage older children to get involved in clubs, sports teams or other community activities. This can provide a social network as well as something to divert their attention from separation issues. For more ideas, check out these 15 Tips for Helping Your Teenager Deal With Deployment.

Understand your child's point of view

Try to understand deployment from your children's perspective. School-age children are often around their peers who may hear and talk about deployed parents or current events. Although you can't control what goes on at school or what's shown in the news, you can offer children comfort by reminding them that their deployed parent is trained for their mission and has the support from others to keep them safe.

Teenagers should be approached differently about deployment than younger children. Let teenagers steer conversations by allowing them to talk about topics that are most important to them. This may be as simple as talking about how they're dealing with deployment in general.

Keep consistent routines at home

The deployment period is often a time when children act out. Parents or caregivers should let children know that family rules stay the same even while their parent is away. Maintaining consistency and routines as much as possible can help children cope. Mealtimes, bedtimes or traditions - like bedtime stories or family movie nights - shouldn't change. Children find comfort in routine and consistency, particularly when other parts of their lives have changed.

Stay in contact with service members

Giving children and youth an opportunity to stay in touch with their deployed parent can help maintain their relationship. Encourage them to send letters, drawings, photographs, report cards, copies of school work, and videos or audio recordings to service members. Consider spending time with children to research the culture and customs of the place where their parent is deployed. This is a great way for them to feel more connected to their deployed parent.

Help children think of their service members every day

Simple things - like taking over their parent's chores or listening to their favorite music - can remind children of their deployed parent every day. It can also help for children to learn something new like a dance routine or sport while their parents are deployed. They can talk about their progress with their deployed parent, and show off these new skills when their parent returns home.

Plan activities

Stay busy with children and youth by starting a new family activity or routine. A regular play date with friends or relatives can give children something to look forward to and keep their mind off their parent's absence. And creating new traditions, like family game nights or weekend outings, can strengthen family bonds and distract children from missing activities with their deployed parent.

For age-appropriate physical activities, stress reduction, and menu ideas, check out the Thrive online program parent resources. Thrive is a collaborative effort between the Department of Defense and the Clearinghouse for Military and Family Readiness at Penn State. The free, online program offers evidence-based strategies for nurturing healthy children ages 0-18.

Use support systems and programs to keep kids involved

People in military support programs understand the challenges families face during a deployment. A reliable support system also lets you connect with other families and children going through the same thing.

Your installation Military and Family Support Center can help you connect with:

Children of active-duty, National Guard and Reserve service members who don't live near installations may also feel isolated if none of their friends are from military families. The following resources can help children who live off-installation stay connected and supported.

Keep other adults in the loop

Make sure to alert and stay connected with important adults in your children's life during deployment. Teachers, counselors, coaches, school administrators, religious leaders, family and friends can help parents learn about any behavior changes outside the home. Other adults can also be a vital source of support for both parents and children.

Make timelines easy to understand

Children may be especially focused on how much time a deployed parent will be away. Explain the deployment timeline in a way that they'll understand. Try turning it into an activity - like making a calendar or building a paper chain day-by-day - to keep children motivated and excited about the upcoming reunion. However, it's important to set realistic expectations and be prepared for deployment extensions.

Reach out if you need help

Whether you live on-base or off, in the U.S. or overseas, the military community is available to help you manage deployment challenges. Military OneSource consultants are available 24/7/365 to answer questions and connect you to the resources and services you and your family need to live your best MilLife. Call 800-342-9647, call OCONUS, or schedule a live chat.

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Supporting Military Children During Deployment | Plan My Deployment

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Military families can learn ways to support their children through challenges faced during deployment as well as access resources or help when its needed.

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This source provides guidance on helping military families, specifically children and youth, when it comes to mitigating the effects of deployment. The article discusses solutions to problems like mental health issues, loneliness, anger, etc. and offers specific links to resources that could help these families. The resources put forth are government sponsored and are programs like the "Military and Family Life Counseling Program," "Sesame Street for Military Families," and the "Military and Family Support Center." These are all resources that the government has either created or sponsored that are designed to help military families in the tough times of deployment.

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The source is a trade source. The publisher, Military OneSource, is a program that is funded by the United States Department of Defense and specifically designed to help support military personnel and their families. Military OneSource is operated by the Department of Defense's non-profit organization "The Military Community and Family Policy" and the content of the site is geared towards providing information and support services to families. The publisher aims to provide support to military families, and that it why takes a supportive stance rather than a neutral one, which is evident in this source and the other articles or sections of the site. The specific audience and purpose of the site and this specific article is purely for military families. The information presented in the article is not meant to be analyzed as a study and it is not meant for research purposes. It is purely for support purposes.

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I find it incredibly valuable that the resources presented and offered through this source and through Military OneSource in general are readily accessible to military personnel and their families. It is reassuring to see the government take the necessary and proactive steps to combat the effects of deployment on military families, especially when I think about my future career and life while serving in the military. These resources not only offer crucial information on how military families can maintain some sense of normalcy while in a period of deployment, but they also offer possible life saving measures to parents of military children who may be depressed. Knowing that there are services that are entirely dedicated to serving military families in this matter is reassuring and this source provides a lot of helpful information for families.