This qualitative study explored the experiences of older U.S. women Veterans regarding their experiences and perceptions of their time in military service and its overall impact on their lives. Five women Veterans participated in interviews that were analyzed and resulted in four main themes: 1) family military history, 2) being treated differently and proving themselves, 3) making the most of opportunities, and 4) lasting personal strengths. Findings from this study highlight how, despite enduring negative experiences during military service because of gender, participants credited the military with having an overall positive impact on their lives in the long term. This study suggests that health care interventions and services that tap into positive aspects of military service, as identified by older women Veterans (i.e., personal strengths such as resilience and pride), may have the potential to promote the health and well-being of this population.
Search Results
Library (13)
Research in Action (4)
Showing library results for: May 2024
1 - 13 of 13
Being a woman in a man’s military: The impact of military service on the lives of older U.S. women veterans
APA Citation:
Carroll, A., & Kirchen, T. (2024). Being a woman in a man’s military: The impact of military service on the lives of older U.S. women veterans. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3138/jmvfh-2023-0024
Focus:
Deployment
Veterans
Other
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Marine Corps
Navy
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Aged (65 yrs & older)
Very old (85 yrs & older)
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Research & Summary
Carroll, Amanda; Kirchen, Twylla
2024
2 "We're trained to survive.": Veterans' experiences seeking food assistance
"We're trained to survive.": Veterans' experiences seeking food assistance
APA Citation:
Kamdar, N., Haltom, T., Epshteyn, G., Wohlford, C., Smith, J., Celardo, C., & True, G. (2024). “We’re trained to survive.”: Veterans’ experiences seeking food assistance. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 35(1), 264284. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/919818
Focus:
Mental health
Veterans
Other
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Kamdar, Nipa; Haltom, Trenton; Epshteyn, Gabriella; Wohlford, Chasity; Smith, John; Celardo, Caitlin; True, Gala
2024
Purpose. Food insecurity threatens veterans' health, yet little is known about their experiences seeking food assistance. Thus, we studied veterans' experiences as they navigated from food insecurity to food assistance. Methods. We built a journey map using thematic analysis of interviews with 30 veterans experiencing food insecurity. Findings. The map focuses on: (1) identifying contributing circumstances, (2) recognizing food insecurity, (3) finding help, and (4) obtaining assistance. Contributing circumstances included unemployment/under-employment, mental health challenges, and interpersonal violence. Veterans did not recall being screened for food insecurity. Military training also inhibited some veterans from recognizing their own food insecurity. Locating and accessing food assistance was a struggle. While many veterans applied for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, few qualified. Food pantries were a last resort. Conclusions. Opportunities to help veterans include (1) addressing contributing circumstances, (2) improving identification, (3) sharing knowledge of resources, and (4) reexamining sufficiency of food assistance programs.
Dyadic links between adverse childhood experiences, mindfulness, and relationship quality in a diverse sample of couples
APA Citation:
Cooper, E., Adler-Baeder, F., & McGill, J. (2024). Dyadic links between adverse childhood experiences, mindfulness, and relationship quality in a diverse sample of couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231226378
Focus:
Couples
Trauma
Mental health
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Cooper, Erin; Adler-Baeder, Francesca; McGill, Julianne
2024
Emerging research finds negative implications of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for individual relational outcomes. The current study advanced these explorations by utilizing a risk and resilience approach, as well as a family systems framework that considers couple dynamics. We tested the concurrent dyadic links among (ACEs), mindfulness, and relationship quality in a racially and economically diverse sample of different-gender couples (N = 801). Results from actor-partner interdependence models indicate men’s and women’s ACEs were associated with their own lower relationship functioning as expected. Further, men’s ACEs were associated with women’s lower relationship functioning. Importantly, men’s and women’s mindfulness level were each uniquely and positively associated with their own and their partner’s relationship functioning. Comparatively, the links between mindfulness and one’s own and their partner’s relationship functioning were stronger than the links between ACEs and relationship quality. Suggestions for research and practice are provided.
Digital therapeutic intervention for women in the UK Armed Forces who consume alcohol at a hazardous or harmful level: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial
APA Citation:
Williamson, G., Carr, E., Fear, N. T., Dymond, S., King, K., Simms, A., Goodwin, L., Murphy, D., & Leightley, D. (2023). Digital therapeutic intervention for women in the UK Armed Forces who consume alcohol at a hazardous or harmful level: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 12(1), Article e51531. https://doi.org/10.2196/51531
Focus:
Programming
Substance use
Branch of Service:
International Military
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research
Williamson, Grace; Carr, Ewan; Fear, Nicola T.; Dymond, Simon; King, Kate; Simms, Amos; Goodwin, Laura; Murphy, Dominic; Leightley, Daniel
2023
Background: Alcohol misuse is common in the United Kingdom Armed Forces (UKAF), with prevalence significantly higher than in the general population. To date, digital health initiatives to support alcohol misuse have focused on male individuals, who represent approximately 89% of the UKAF. However, female veterans drink disproportionally more than female members of the public. Objective: This 2-arm participant-blinded (single-blinded) confirmatory randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to assess the efficacy of a brief alcohol intervention (DrinksRation) in reducing weekly self-reported alcohol consumption between baseline and a 3-month follow-up (day 84) among women who have served in the UKAF. Methods: In this 2-arm single-blinded RCT, a smartphone app that includes interactive user-focused features tailored toward the needs of female veterans and designed to enhance participants’ motivations to reduce the amount of alcohol they consume is compared with the UK Chief Medical Officer guidance on alcohol consumption. The trial will be conducted among women who have served at least 1 day of paid service in the UKAF. Recruitment, consent, and data collection will be carried out automatically through the DrinksRation app or the BeAlcoholSmart platform. The primary outcome is change in self-reported weekly alcohol consumption between baseline (day 0) and the 3-month follow-up (day 84) measured using the Timeline Follow Back for alcohol consumption. The secondary outcome is the change in the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score measured at baseline and 3-month follow-up between the control and intervention groups. The process evaluation measures include (1) app use and (2) usability ratings as measured by the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire. Results: RCT recruitment will begin in January 2024 and last for 5 months. We aim to complete all data collection, including interviews, by May 2024. Conclusions: This study will assess whether a smartphone app tailored to the needs of women who have served in the UKAF is efficacious in reducing self-reported alcohol consumption. If successful, the digital therapeutics platform could be used not only to support women who have served in the UKAF but also for other conditions and disorders. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05970484; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05970484
5 Sexual and reproductive health in military settings: A qualitative study
Sexual and reproductive health in military settings: A qualitative study
APA Citation:
Vargas, S. E., Thornton, K., Norris, C., Gist, G., Clark, M. F., Ramirez, L., …Landoll, R. R. (2024). Sexual and reproductive health in military settings: A qualitative study. Military Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2024.2324644
Focus:
Youth
Physical health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Army
Navy
Air Force
Marine Corps
Coast Guard
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Vargas, Sara E.; Thornton, Kade; Norris, Colby; Gist, Galen; Clark, Madison F.; Ramirez, Leslie; Guillen, Melissa; Guthrie, Kate M.; Landoll, Ryan R.
2024
Mission readiness is critical to the operational success of the United States (US) military and includes having a healthy and fit fighting force. Service members and their dependents have access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services with no out-of-pocket costs. Despite this access, negative outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy persist. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with service members and stakeholders (e.g. medical providers). Interviews explored the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and institutional factors that inform sexual norms, behaviors, and healthcare experiences in the US military. Interview transcripts were coded manually; data were summarized for themes related to unique aspects of military culture and healthcare affecting sexual and reproductive health. Twenty-five (25) service members and 15 stakeholders completed interviews. Four themes emerged: 1) despite free access, both general and military-specific barriers to sexual and reproductive healthcare persist; 2) general and military-specific cultural norms apply to sexual behavior and care seeking; 3) sexual and reproductive health-related norms can be perceived as confusing and contradictory within the military; and 4) resources addressing sexual assault are ubiquitous in military settings, but resources addressing prevention of STIs and unintended pregnancy are limited. Both general and military-specific norms, behavior, and healthcare experiences need to be considered in clinical care, public health campaigns, and other efforts to promote sexual and reproductive health in military settings.
6 Women veterans’ definitions of peer support: A qualitative description analysis
Women veterans’ definitions of peer support: A qualitative description analysis
APA Citation:
Matteson, A. L., & Hardiman, E. R. (2024). Women veterans’ definitions of peer support: A qualitative description analysis. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3138/jmvfh-2023-0013
Focus:
Veterans
Mental health
Other
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Matteson, Amanda L.; Hardiman, Eric R.
2024
This study examines peer support among women who served in the U.S. military. Women Veterans reported peer support to be helpful for mental health and well-being by meeting social, emotional, and concrete needs. Participants found peer support to be acceptable, non-clinical, and non-stigmatizing. Critical elements of peer support included a safe environment, someone to listen to and validate them, and the shared experience of serving as women in the military. Peer support was particularly helpful for discussing sexism, sexual assault, and trauma. Mental health providers should understand the importance of peer support for women Veterans and how it is a distinct and complementary service to clinical treatment. Peer support programs can help ensure women Veterans’ needs are considered in service delivery. Introduction: Women are the fastest-growing subpopulation of U.S. military Veterans, yet their voices have rarely been used to explore peer support among Veterans. This study defines Veteran peer support from the perspective of women Veterans and aims to increase providers’ awareness of the value of peer support for improving Veteran mental health. Methods: Data were drawn from a multi-site evaluation of Veteran peer programs. Transcripts from semi-structured interviews with women Veterans (N = 25) were selected and analyzed. Guided by a qualitative description approach, the researchers used in vivo coding to capture common descriptive language used by the Veterans. Themes were drawn by the primary researcher and audited by a second researcher to increase the findings’ trustworthiness. Results: Women Veterans described peer support as a relationship between Veterans based on shared military experience, an understanding of military culture, and similar life challenges. Emerging themes regarding peer support included viewing peers as genuine, trustworthy friends, empathizing over shared struggles, cultivating a safe, non-judgmental, egalitarian space to discuss sensitive topics, using a non-stigmatizing, non-clinical approach, and being a source of fun and social connection. Discussion: Participants provided evidence that peer support is a meaningful, authentic, and accessible means of exchanging emotional and concrete assistance for women Veterans. Mental health providers and program developers working with women Veterans need to understand the importance of peer support in complementing therapy and how it can be essential for women Veterans to discuss sensitive topics such as sexual assault or harassment they experienced in the military.
7 Mothers’ experiences of their sons’ appearance-altering combat injuries: Distressed and unsupported
Mothers’ experiences of their sons’ appearance-altering combat injuries: Distressed and unsupported
APA Citation:
Keeling, M., Williams, V. S., Harcourt, D., Kiff, J., & Williamson, H. (2023). Mothers’ experiences of their sons’ appearancealtering combat injuries: Distressed and unsupported. Military Behavioral Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2023.2293896
Focus:
Mental health
Physical health
Parents
Veterans
Branch of Service:
International Military
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Aged (65 yrs & older)
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Research & Summary
Keeling, M.; Williams, V. S.; Harcourt, D.; Kiff, J.; Williamson, H.
2023
Emerging evidence indicates that combat injuries that change appearance, such as limb loss and physical scarring, can impact psychosocial wellbeing of injured military veterans. Parents of young children with a visibly different appearance may experience emotional distress and consequently have their own support needs, but less is known about the experiences of the parents of veterans with appearance-altering combat injuries. Using a qualitative individual interview design, this study aimed to understand the experiences and support needs of parents of military veterans who sustained appearance-altering combat injuries. Reflexive Thematic Analysis of interviews with six mothers identified two main themes “The distress of my son’s appearance-altering injury” and “I can’t express my distress”. The themes represent the emotional distress, guilt, and social difficulties experienced by the mothers following their sons’ appearance-altering injury, their experience of feeling they should supress their feelings of distress, the limited available support, and barriers to accessing support. This study highlights how the mothers of combat-injured veterans are often overlooked and provides emerging evidence that adjusting to a son’s changed appearance following combat-injury can create additional challenges for mothers, who could benefit from specific support.
8 The association between early life trauma and veteran reintegration to civilian life
The association between early life trauma and veteran reintegration to civilian life
APA Citation:
Mendez, P. M., Slifka, L. M., Daniels, L. B., & Hansen, C. (2023). The association between early life trauma and veteran reintegration to civilian life. Military Behavioral Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2023.2267434
Focus:
Veterans
Trauma
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Air Force
Army
Coast Guard
Marine Corps
Navy
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Aged (65 yrs & older)
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Research & Summary
Mendez, Patrick M.; Slifka, Laurie M.; Daniels, Lori B.; Hansen, Cheri
2023
The rate of early life trauma (ELT) is higher among military service members than civilians. While ELT is associated with higher post-traumatic stress disorder following deployment, it is unknown whether other reintegration difficulties are associated with various types of ELT. The present study investigated the relationship between ELT and reintegration difficulties among veterans. Additionally, the influence of the desire to escape ELT as enlistment motivation on this relationship was examined. Data were obtained from 257 veterans between the ages of 20 and 76 years who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Global War on Terrorism. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and physical neglect with veterans’ reintegration difficulties. Additionally, enlisting as motivation to escape ELT significantly influenced the relationship between emotional abuse and physical neglect with intimate relationship problems and career challenges, respectively. These findings help facilitate our understanding of factors contributing to reintegration difficulties. In particular, information about the individual history of veterans’ ELT and their enlistment motivation can be used by social workers and other mental health care professionals to successfully assist veterans with the transition to civilian life.
Predicting soldier retention from army spouse characteristics and attitudes: Soldiering on with spouse support
APA Citation:
Sims, C. S., Trail, T. E., & Coe, J. (2024). Predicting soldier retention from Army spouse characteristics and attitudes: Soldiering on with spouse support. Military Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2024.2319014
Focus:
Couples
Other
Branch of Service:
Army
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Sims, Carra S.; Trail, Thomas E.; Coe, Jessie
2024
The U.S. Army has a vested interest in retaining the skilled personnel necessary to achieve its mission and strategic goals. A wealth of research has investigated the retention process and what influences service member decisions to stay in the military. While families are an important influence on soldier retention decisions, research on the mechanism by which this happens is lacking. This report explores the relationship between spouse attitudes and perceptions, resource use, and soldier retention almost two years later, using a proposed theoretical model. Our results generally support our model, with the important change that resource use and unmet needs and stress were not directly associated with specific attitudes toward staying in the military as we had expected. Instead, the association was accounted for by relationship with general attitudes toward the military. Spouses whose needs were unmet after seeking help from available resources experienced greater stress, and spouse unmet needs and reports of greater stress were associated with worse general attitudes toward the military; worse general attitudes toward the military were associated with less inclination to stay a military family; which in turn predicted soldier turnover almost two years later. As the research in this report shows, providing benefits to military spouses is also associated with a tangible and important outcome for the military: improved service member retention.
Pretreatment relationship characteristics predict outcomes from an uncontrolled trial of intensive, multicouple group PTSD treatment
APA Citation:
Fredman, S. J., Le, Y., Monson, C. M., Mogle, J. A., Macdonald, A., Blount, T. H., …Peterson, A. L. (2024). Pretreatment relationship characteristics predict outcomes from an uncontrolled trial of intensive, multi-couple group PTSD treatment. Journal of Family Psychology, 38(3), 502–509. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001185
Focus:
Couples
Programming
Veterans
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Fredman, Steffany J.; Le, Yunying; Monson, Candice M.; Mogle, Jacqueline A.; Macdonald, Alexandra; Blount, Tabatha H.; Hall-Clark, Brittany N.; Fina, Brooke A.; Dondanville, Katherine A.; Mintz, Jim; Litz, Brett T.; Young-McCaughan, Stacey; Yarvis, Jeffrey S.; Keane, Terence M.; Peterson, Alan L.
2024
Cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (CBCT for PTSD; Monson & Fredman, 2012) is associated with improvements in patients’ and partners’ mental health and relationship satisfaction. Some pretreatment relationship characteristics have predicted CBCT for PTSD outcomes for patients, but findings were limited to a single community sample consisting primarily of female patients with male partners. A better understanding of whether pretreatment relationship characteristics predict outcomes in other patient populations and whether there are partners who may be particularly responsive to couple therapy for PTSD could optimize treatment matching. This study investigated whether pretreatment partner accommodation and relationship satisfaction predicted patient and partner treatment outcomes from an uncontrolled trial of an abbreviated, intensive, multicouple group version of CBCT for PTSD conducted with 24 active-duty military or veteran couples (96% male patients/female partners). In general, changes in patients’ PTSD and comorbid symptoms and relationship satisfaction did not vary by pretreatment partner accommodation or patients’ own pretreatment relationship satisfaction. In contrast, pretreatment relationship characteristics predicted partner outcomes. Partners who engaged in higher levels of accommodation pretreatment and partners who reported lower levels of pretreatment relationship satisfaction experienced greater declines in psychological distress following treatment. Also, partners who began the study relationally distressed exhibited significant increases in relationship satisfaction following treatment, whereas those who were not relationally distressed did not. Findings suggest that improvements generally do not vary by pretreatment relationship characteristics for patients, whereas partners who begin treatment with elevated relationship risk factors may be especially likely to experience improvement across outcomes.
11 Predictors of crosscutting patterns of psychological health and family maltreatment
Predictors of crosscutting patterns of psychological health and family maltreatment
APA Citation:
Nichols, S. R., Rhoades, K. A., Lorber, M. F., Xu, S., Heyman, R. E., & Slep, A. M. (2023). Predictors of crosscutting patterns of psychological health and family maltreatment. Military Medicine, 188(9-10), 3134–3142. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usac173
Focus:
Couples
Mental health
Child maltreatment
Children
Parents
Branch of Service:
Air Force
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Nichols, Sara R.; Rhoades, Kimberly A.; Lorber, Michael F.; Xu, Shu; Heyman, Richard E.; Slep, Amy M.
2023
Psychological problems and family maltreatment are significant public health problems. Although research focuses almost exclusively on either individual psychological problems or family maltreatment, there is substantial co-occurrence of these problems. Similarly, intervention services are often “siloed”: individuals with mental health needs are referred for mental health services, individuals with family conflict are referred for family-based treatment, etc. These treatment “silos” may miss the larger picture of the co-occurrence of risk, promotion, and the problems themselves. In a previous paper, we used latent class analysis to identify subgroups of individuals with crosscutting patterns (i.e., classes) of psychological and family maltreatment problems. In this study, we explored the predictors of these latent classes.Participants consisted of two large population samples of U.S. Air Force active duty members (ns = 27,895 and 30,841) who were married or cohabiting and had one or more children living in their household. Participants completed an anonymous community assessment survey, which included questionnaire items tapping personal, family, and community problems and well-being. Assessments were conducted in 2008 and 2011. All study procedures were approved by the authors’ Institutional Review Board. We used exploratory factor analysis and latent class analysis to (1) identify higher-order factors of risk and promotive variables and (2) examine them as predictors of our previously identified latent classes.Findings indicated that individuals who reported better physical well-being as well as personal and family coping, relationship satisfaction, and support were more likely to be in the lowest-risk subgroup. Notably, individuals in the subgroup most at risk for serious violence and suicide, evidencing disinhibitory psychopathology, endorsed lower risk and higher promotive factors than those individuals in other high-risk subgroups who fell along the internalizing/externalizing continuum.These findings reinforce the need for integrated prevention and treatment of psychological and family maltreatment problems. Not only do these problems often co-occur, but their risk and promotive factors also tend to be intertwined. The unique (i.e., not on the continuum of the other five classes) problem profile of participants evidencing disinhibitory psychopathology is matched by a unique risk/promotive factor profile, and they will thus likely require a unique intervention approach.
Maternal processes contributing to child internalizing and externalizing symptoms: Comparing military, two-parent, and single-parent families
APA Citation:
Aikins, J. W., & Aikins, D. (2024). Maternal processes contributing to child internalizing and externalizing symptoms: Comparing military, two-parent, and single-parent families. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 33(5), 1590-1601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02798-y
Focus:
Mental health
Children
Deployment
Parents
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
Preschool age (2 -5 yrs)
School age (6 - 12 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Aikins, Julie Wargo; Aikins, Deane
2024
Following the United States’ recent engagements in military conflicts, the impact of parent deployment on child adaptation has become an increased focus of research. This study examined the contributions of maternal depressive affect and parenting stress to young children’s (ages 3 to 7) internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. In order to examine how these maternal factors contribute to child well-being, mean level differences and path analysis with group level modelling examined differences between military, single-parent and two-parent civilian families. Mean level differences reflected higher rates of difficulty for military homefront mothers in terms of depressive affect than either single or two-parent families and similar levels of parenting stress with single mothers. Military children demonstrated higher rates of internalizing or externalizing symptoms than children in single or two-parent families. Path analysis results indicated group level differences in links between maternal depressive affect and internalizing symptoms, with military families having stronger associations than single parent families. No group level differences were found between maternal depressive affect and externalizing symptoms. Associations between parenting stress and internalizing symptoms were stronger for military families than two parent families but weaker than single parent families, while the links between parenting stress and externalizing symptoms were the same for military and for single-parent families. These findings have important implications regarding potential intervention/prevention approaches for military families, suggesting that it may be particularly beneficial to target homefront mothers’ depressive affect and parenting stress during deployment as a means for promoting positive child outcomes.
Harsh parenting among veterans: Parents' military-related PTSD, mentalization, and pre-military trauma
APA Citation:
Wang, X., Liu, Q., Merrin, G. J., Keller, A., Yoon, D., & Henderson, A. (2023). Harsh parenting among veterans: Parents’ military-related PTSD, mentalization, and pre-military trauma. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1283801. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1283801
Focus:
Veterans
Mental health
Parents
Trauma
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Wang, Xiafei; Liu, Qingyang; Merrin, Gabriel J.; Keller, Amanda; Yoon, Dalhee
2023
Objectives: Veteran parents experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may resort to harsh parenting. The indirect pathway from parental military-related PTSD to harsh parenting, and the moderating role of parents' pre-military trauma histories, has been less explored. Informed by mentalization theory, as well as trauma-sensitive and posttraumatic growth perspectives, we aim to explore the associations between veteran parents' military-related PTSD, mentalization, harsh parenting, and prior trauma before military service. Methods: Data were collected from an online research panel of 509 veteran parents with children under 10. We employed Structural Equation Models to test indirect and moderating effects. Results: We identified an indirect effect of parental pre-mentalization from military PTSD to harsh parenting (corporal punishment: b = .35, p < .001, 95% CI [.23, .46]; psychological aggression: b = .14, p < .001, 95% CI [.09, .19]). Multi-group analysis on four parent groups (parents with only pre-military physical trauma, parents with only premilitary psychological trauma, parents with both pre-military physical and psychological trauma, and parents with no pre-military physical or psychological trauma) highlighted differences in these associations, particularly between parents with only pre-military physical trauma and those without any physical and psychological trauma. The military-related PTSD effects on psychological aggression, corporal punishment, and pre-mentalization were all significantly higher for parents without pre-military physical and psychological trauma. Conclusion: Modifying parents' interpretation of their child's mental states can potentially counteract the effects of veterans' military PTSD on harsh parenting. Family-based programs should be created considering veteran parents' pre-military trauma histories.
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