Deployment and Child Abuse and Neglect: Understanding the Data

The examination of rates of child abuse and neglect in military families generally and during the deployment cycle specifically as well as the exploration of general risk and protective factors have significant implications for policies, programs, and future research. Policies and programs can work to establish best practices, disseminate knowledge, and support military families when they most need it. More research is needed to establish a thorough understanding of the existence of abuse and neglect within military families at all times, including during the deployment cycle. This report summarizes an extensive literature search of multiple databases and search engines to provide a thorough analysis of six peer-reviewed, empirical studies of the direct association between deployment and child abuse and neglect in U.S. Military families.