Publication year
2014
Citation Title
The impact of maternal and paternal deployment on depressive symptoms and well-being among military-connected youth
Journal Name
Military Behavioral Health
Journal Volume
3
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
182-189
DOI
10.1080/21635781.2015.1038402
Summary
An examination of how military parents' gender may be associated differently with deployments, wellbeing, and depression among military-connected youth was conducted. Data were drawn from the 2011 California Healthy Kids Survey of 117,000 students in Southern California. A secondary analysis was conducted on the 1,370 military-connected adolescents who completed the survey.
Key Findings
The relationship between the number of times deployed and depression is stronger for youth of female Service members.
Among military-connected youth, older youth report lower levels of well-being and more depressivesymptoms.
Youth who experienced two or more parental deployments reported higher levels of well-being as compared to youth who had not experienced deployment.
Implications for Program Leaders
Offer pre and post-deployment support groups for youth and their families to discuss well-being
Provide opportunities for post-deployed parents and their adolescent children to reconnect
Support campaigns that bring attention to the needs of youth with parents in the military
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue support for the unique challenges (e.g. childcare, relationship tension) faced by deployed mothers and their adolescent children
Recommend education of school professionals (e.g. counselors, teachers, and principals) on the needs of youth of deployed parents
Continue efforts with each military branch to foster partnerships with local education units (e.g. elementary, middle, and high schools)
Methods
A secondary analysis of quantitative data from the California Healthy Kids Survey was used.
Data came from eight school districts in a Southern California county that educate approximately 117,000 students, 10% of whom are military-connected.
Participants’ well-being and depressive symptoms were measured by two scales and were adapted from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Expanded Form and the Kessler 6.
A series of multivariate regressions with the well-being and depressive symptom scales as continuous outcome variables were conducted.
Participants
A subset of 1,370 seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade students who identified as having a mother or father serving in the military in some capacity were included.
Participants identified as 13% American Indian/Asian/Pacific Islander, 26% White, 18% Multiracial, 36% Latino, and 7% Black.
Ten percent of participants mother’s deployed at least once and 66% of participants’ mothers or fathers deployed two or more times in the last 10 years.
Limitations
Analyses are based on self-report, cross-sectional data, so causality cannot be inferred from these findings.
The study used preexisting data; therefore, there were a number of contextual factors that couldn’t be controlled (e.g. mental health of parents, youths’ age, types of deployment, and families).
The survey from which the data were drawn was administered in one region of the U.S.; therefore, generalizability to other military contexts cannot be made.
Avenues for Future Research
Identify how maternal deployment may affect youth differently than paternal deployment
Investigate additional measures and nuanced variables to better understand the active contributors to youth outcomes such as depression and well-being
Focus on the sex of the parent in relationship to the sex of their child, deployment, and well-being
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
The Impact of Maternal and Paternal Deployment on Depressive Symptoms and Well-Being Among Military-Connected Youth
Abstract Document
PRTW Document
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