Guided by the understanding of the unique problems faced by children of deployed military parents and boys who grow up with an absent father, this theoretical study examines their convergence. This study presents an understanding of the psychological, emotional, and psychosocial development of children with deployed parents and the current approaches utilized to address their problems. Current research treats military children as a singular entity and does not consider the gender of the child and the deployed parent. The areas of mental health, socialization, and masculinity of sons of absent fathers are examined. By incorporating additional theoretical orientations, mentor programs, and differentiated family systems counseling, many of the clinical inadequacies for this population may be addressed.
U022016