Working with Combat-Injured Families Through the Recovery Trajectory

Combat injury can profoundly affect the children and families of service members. The range of experiences for these families varies depending the specific injury type, severity, and recovery trajectory; composition of the family; developmental age of the children; preexisting parent, child, or family characteristics; as well as the longer-term functional impact on the injured parent. Following the injury children and adolescents may display distress, emotional or behavioral problems, risk-taking behaviors, increased helpfulness within the family, or motivation to participate in community service. The impact on children is influenced by the capacity of both the injured and noninjured parents to cope effectively, maintain effective parenting, and help the child adjust to changes in family relationships and circumstances. Interventions with combat-injured families should focus on reducing distress, supporting healthy child and parent functioning, and encouraging constructive communication within families and with service providers about the injury.