Women Service Members and Family Reintegration

Women are being deployed at increasing rates. This article reviews literature related to the risk and protective factors that explain varied levels of adaptation for servicewomen and their families. Implications suggest that clinicians assess risk factors for female soldiers upon return home such as the number and length of deployments, the presence of mental health challenges, physical injuries including traumatic brain injury, the experience of military sexual trauma, a history of childhood or adult sexual trauma, and the pile-up of additional life stressors that can lead to a cumulative negative effect for women and their families. Clinicians are also encouraged to assess and encourage family strengths that foster resilience such as social support, ongoing communication, family structure that is flexible, and positive appraisal.