The war at home: Consequences of loving a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Demers, A. (2009). The war at home: Consequences of loving a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The Internet Journal of Mental Health, 6(1), 1-25. doi:10.5580/5ac
Abstract Created by REACH:
Research on military families is often related to Service members' spouses and children. This study explored the impact of deployment experiences on additional family members (e.g., parents and siblings) and the family members' experiences of seeking and receiving support to cope with the impact of deployment.
Focus:
Deployment
Mental health
Other
Parents
Veterans
Branch of Service:
Air Force
Army
Marine Corps
Multiple branches
Navy
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Subject Affiliation:
Military families
Parent of a service member or veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Empirical Study
Interview
Focus Group
Qualitative Study
Cross-Sectional Study
Authors:
Demers, Anne
Abstract:
Objective. The experiences of parents, partners, and siblings of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans were explored, to understand the consequences of repeated deployments on participants’ mental health. Method. Purposive sampling was used. Respondents completed preliminary electronic surveys and participated in one of three focus groups. Results. High levels of relationship and psychological distress exist. Reactions and coping with deployment were split along gender lines, with females reporting anxiety and males reporting avoidance or anger. Veterans returned with significant emotional demands. The need for social and emotional support was identified. Conclusion. Similar to the experiences of spouses of veterans, extended family members are negatively impacted during deployment and reintegration. They are struggling to cope and lack the necessary skills to do so. Attempts at help seeking are unsuccessful. Recommendations include training for clinicians, school counselors and physicians to address the needs of this population, and also development of support groups for families of veterans and the veterans themselves.
Publisher/Sponsoring Organization:
Internet Scientific Publications
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Author Affiliation:
San Jose State University, AD
Keywords:
war, military veterans, love, military deployment, mental health, parent experiences, partner experiences, siblings, iraq war, afghanistan war
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary