Objective Grounded in the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick model of evaluation, we examine multiple dimensions of military service members' reactions to six online, asynchronous financial family life education efforts. Background Using a “just-in-time” training model, financial literacy trainings that correspond to key family and career transitions were congressionally mandated for all service members. Program evaluation efforts are ongoing to assess training merit and inform training improvements. Method The six specific trainings evaluated occurred when service members were relocating, returning from deployment, receiving a promotion, getting married, getting divorced, and the birth of a first child. We explored various dimensions of training reactions, including training topics that were perceived as most beneficial at certain life stages or transitions; the perceptions of the trainings' quality, relevance, and impact; and finally, the likelihood of them sharing that information with their significant other. Data were collected between July 2021 and June 2023. Results Overall, service members perceived the trainings as high quality, relevant, and impactful, and most service members were likely to share the information with their spouse. Some differences were seen by demographic groups, such that trainees who were enlisted (compared to officers), identified as African American (compared to White), and had a high school diploma or associate's degree (compared to a more advanced degree) typically reported more favorable reactions. Conclusion and Implications Actionable strategies are provided to support service members and inform the development and evaluation of other family life education programs, particularly online, asynchronous training and financial-focused training.
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Showing library results for: Clairee Peterson
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Translating discovery science: Delivering online, asynchronous financial education to service members at career and personal life transitions
APA Citation:
O'Neal, C. W., Lucier-Greer, M., Peterson, C., & McKay, B. (2023). Translating discovery science: Delivering online, asynchronous financial education to service members at career and personal life transitions. Family Relations. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12966
Focus:
Programming
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
O'Neal, Catherine Walker; Lucier-Greer, Mallory; Peterson, Clairee; McKay, Brian
2023
Accepting influence in military couples: Implications for couples’ communication and family satisfaction
APA Citation:
Peterson, C., & Lucier-Greer, M. (2022). Accepting influence in military couples: Implications for couples’ communication and family satisfaction. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 48(4), 1075-1094. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12574
Focus:
Couples
Mental health
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
Peterson, Clairee; Lucier-Greer, Mallory
2022
In popular relationship resources, accepting influence is regarded as a couple-level process vital for relational satisfaction. However, empirical research has demonstrated inconsistent evidence for these suppositions, with several studies identifying no associations between accepting influence and relationship outcomes, and, furthermore, several gaps in the literature remain with regard to our knowledge on accepting influence (e.g., little identified research on military couples or family outcomes). To address these gaps, a measure of perceptions of one's partner accepting influence was retrospectively created to examine accepting influence in Army couples (N = 244). With theoretical underpinnings from family systems theory, this study used an actor-partner interdependence approach to investigate the associations between partners’ accepting influence and couple communication satisfaction and satisfaction with the family. Service members’ perceptions of their partners’ accepting influence were associated with their own outcomes, whereas civilian spouses’ perceptions of partners’ accepting influence were related to both partners’ outcomes. Results suggest accepting influence may be an intervention point to improve couple and family outcomes.
Problematic sexual behavior among children and youth: Considerations for reporting, assessment, and treatment
APA Citation:
Lucier-Greer, M., Nichols, L. R., Peterson, C., Burke, B., Quichocho, D., & O’Neal, C.W. (2018). Problematic sexual behavior among children and youth: Considerations for reporting, assessment, and treatment. Auburn, AL: Military REACH.
Focus:
Children
Youth
Parents
Programming
Child maltreatment
Trauma
Mental health
Population:
Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
Neonatal (birth - 1 mo)
Infancy (2 - 23 mo)
Preschool age (2 -5 yrs)
School age (6 - 12 yrs)
Adolescence (13 - 17 yrs)
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Research Report
Lucier-Greer, Mallory; Nichols, Lucy; Peterson, Clairee; Burke, Benjamin; Quichocho, Davina; O'Neal, Catherine Walker
2018
4 Family life education for military families: An exploratory study of family program use
Family life education for military families: An exploratory study of family program use
APA Citation:
Peterson, C. T., & O’Neal, C. W. (2023). Family life education for military families: An exploratory study of family program use. Military Behavioral Health, 11(1-2), 78-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2023.2221466
Focus:
Couples
Deployment
Programming
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
Peterson, Clairee T.; O’Neal, Catherine Walker
2023
Recognizing the stressors that military families may face, the military offers educational programs to support families, including deployment/reintegration programs and financial programs. However, little research examines these commonly offered programs. Grounded in the Contextual Model of Family Stress (CMFS), this study addresses this gap, conceptualizing program use as a resource that may be impacted by families’ external contexts (i.e., demographic and military contextual characteristics) and associated with various indicators of well-being. This study was a secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data from 266 military families at one Army installation. A logistic regression path model was used to examine if the likelihood of program use varied by demographic and military contextual characteristics (e.g., number of deployments, PCS moves), and independent samples t-tests were conducted to assess mean differences in elements of military families’ well-being (e.g., financial well-being, anxiety). Demographic and military contextual characteristics (e.g., number of deployments and PCS moves) were associated with program use. Families that used financial programs had SMs with lower financial well-being and civilian spouses with marginally higher anxiety. The results indicate that programs providing standardized yet personalized content may be helpful for families, as well as suggest important directions for future research.
Military adolescents' experiences of change and discontinuity: Associations with psychosocial factors and school success
APA Citation:
O'Neal, C. W., Peterson, C., & Mancini, J. A. (2023). Military adolescents' experiences of change and discontinuity: Associations with psychosocial factors and school success. Family Relations, 72(3), 1118-1137. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12740
Focus:
Youth
Mental health
Deployment
Branch of Service:
Army
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adolescence (13 - 17 yrs)
Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
School age (6 - 12 yrs)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
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Research & Summary
O'Neal, Catherine Walker; Peterson, Clairee; Mancini, Jay A.
2023
Objective Drawing from the contextual model of family stress, social support and depressive symptoms were examined as two psychosocial factors that may link experiences of change and discontinuity common to military families to military adolescents' school success (i.e., academic achievement, school engagement, and homework commitment). Background Many military adolescents experience frequent changes that create discontinuity (e.g., parental deployments, relocations) and can impact their school success. Research has not examined psychosocial factors as a possible mechanism explaining the link between family change and discontinuity and adolescents' school success. Method A path model based on 821 military adolescents' responses examined how experiences of family discontinuity were associated with adolescents' psychosocial factors and, in turn, their school success after accounting for grade level, sex, and racial/ethnic minority status. Indirect effects between family discontinuity and school success were also evaluated. Results For adolescents attending public school off the military installation, parental deployment was significantly associated with less social support, and recent relocation was significantly associated with elevated depressive symptoms. Both psychosocial factors were associated with adolescents' academic achievement, school engagement, and homework commitment. Implications Prevention and intervention efforts directed at enhancing both social support and positive mental health are discussed at various systemic levels including families, schools, and communities.
6 Post-high school military enlistment and long-term well-being
Post-high school military enlistment and long-term well-being
APA Citation:
Lucier-Greer, M., O’Neal, C. W., Peterson, C., Reed-Fitzke, K., & Wickrama, K. A. S. (2023). Post-high school military enlistment and long-term well-being. Emerging Adulthood, 11(1), . https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968221131854
Focus:
Mental health
Physical health
Youth
Branch of Service:
Army
Air Force
Navy
Marine Corps
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adolescence (13 - 17 yrs)
Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
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Research & Summary
Lucier-Greer, Mallory; O’Neal, Catherine W.; Peterson, Clairee; Reed-Fitzke, Kayla; Wickrama, K. A. S.
2023
Longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were used to evaluate the impact of post-high school military enlistment during emerging adulthood. Comparisons were made between matched samples of emerging adults who enlisted in the military (n = 576) and their civilian counterparts (n = 576) on well-being over a decade later. Well-being was broadly conceptualized to reflect socioeconomic well-being, physical health, mental health, and risky lifestyle behaviors. Matching maximizes confidence that findings reflect differences due to enlistment, rather than pre-existing characteristics that contribute to both enlistment rates and well-being. No consistent differences emerged between the matched samples. Service members reported some indicators of better mental health (perceived stress, anxiety), yet higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis, and civilians reported some indicators of better physical health. Strengths-based perspectives and models that account for the concurrent possibility that military service may positively and negatively impact well-being are needed in future research.
Military couples’ childhood experiences and romantic relationship satisfaction: The role of accepting influence
APA Citation:
Peterson, C., O’Neal C. W., & Futris T. G. (2022). Military couples’ childhood experiences and romantic relationship satisfaction: The role of accepting influence. Family Process, 61(2), 689-704. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12689
Focus:
Couples
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
Peterson, Clairee; O’Neal, Catherine Walker; Futris, Ted G.
2022
Although accepting influence (i.e., being open to the influence of others) is considered important for couple relationships, there is a lack of empirical research on the association between accepting influence and relationship satisfaction. Moreover, research has not examined what family experiences may precede one's ability to accept influence in later romantic relationships, although life course theory and the vulnerability stress adaptation model support the notion that stressful childhood experiences may be consequential for accepting influence adaptive processes, which, in turn, can impact relationship satisfaction. This study used dyadic, couple data and an actor partner interdependence model to investigate the associations between stressful childhood experiences, accepting influence, and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 229 military couples (with one male service member and one female civilian spouse) after accounting for elements of their military context (e.g., rank, number of deployments), relationship length, and mental health. The path model also estimated the indirect effects from both partners’ stressful childhood experiences to relationship satisfaction through accepting influence. Female spouses’ stressful childhood experiences were associated with their perceptions of male partners’ accepting influence, which, in turn, was associated with both partners’ relationship satisfaction, demonstrating partial mediation. Military couples, as well as other couples in stressful contexts, may benefit from interventions that address how prior family experiences impact current accepting influence processes. Moreover, accepting influence behaviors can be a tool for couples to utilize to mitigate the possible negative consequences of their stressful circumstances on their relationship.
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS: CLAIREE PETERSON, RESEARCH TEAM
Posted on March 24, 2020
