The impact of changes in family communication on sustained mental health symptom improvement in parents/caregivers following a military family intervention

Wasserman, M., Dodge, J., Barrera, W., Alaris, H., Woodward, K., & Lester, P. (2023). The impact of changes in family communication on sustained mental health symptom improvement in parents/caregivers following a military family intervention. Military Behavioral Health, 11(3), 176-188. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2023.2221473

This study assessed how improvements in family communication after participating in the Families OverComing Under Stress (FOCUS) program were related to sustained reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms among 1,372 parents from Navy and Marine Corps families. All parents in this study reported clinically meaningful levels of anxiety or depression at baseline and then reported on their anxiety and depressive symptoms at program exit and 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow ups. Family communication (e.g., other family members know why someone is upset) was reported at baseline and exit. After each session and at follow-up, parents also rated their progress towards self-identified family communication goals. Overall, improvements in family communication over the course of the program were related to a greater likelihood of sustained reductions in anxiety or depressive symptoms at follow-up.

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