https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Kaeppler2020

Kaeppler, C. & Lucier-Greer, M. (2020). Examining impacts of cumulative risk on military-connected youth and the role of family in coping. Child & Youth Care Forum, 49, 581-602. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-020-09544-7

Through the lenses of the stress process model and cumulative risk model, this study examined how cumulative risk (i.e., the accumulation of risk factors such as family structure, parental deployment, school transitions, or living outside the United States) is associated with military-connected youth’s self-efficacy (e.g., youth’s feelings about their abilities) and depressive symptomology. Further, this study also examined if age, gender, and turning to family in times of stress buffer or exacerbate the effects of risks on outcomes. Participants were youth who had at least one active duty parent in the Army (i.e., military youth; N = 1,036), and were between the ages of 11 and 18. Youth participated in self-report surveys answering questions about their life experiences. Youth with more risk factors reported lower levels of self-efficacy and greater depressive symptoms. Additionally, there were some differences in age regarding how cumulative risk was associated with depressive symptomology, and that turning to family for support appears to act as a buffer in the association between cumulative risk and self-efficacy.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-020-09544-7

Children
Mental health
Youth

Army

Active Duty

Child of a service member or veteran

Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
School age (6 - 12 yrs)
Adolescence (13 - 17 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

Cross-Sectional Study
Quantitative Study

Kaeppler, Carlie, Lucier-Greer, Mallory

Background Youth in military families are confronted with stressors that are normative (e.g., racial or ethnic minority status, non-married family structure, social isolation) and context-specific in relation to a parent’s military career (e.g., parental deployment, school transitions, parent rank, dual military parents, living outside of the continental United States, living 30+ min from a military base). This study applied a stress process and cumulative risk lens to examine the impact of cumulative risk on military-connected youth outcomes accounting for contextual factors such as gender, age, and family. Objective First, this study examined the relationship between cumulative risk and two outcomes, self-efficacy and depressive symptomology. Then, gender differences, developmental considerations, and the role of family were examined to determine whether any of these factors buffered or exacerbated the relationship between risk and adverse outcomes. Methods Data were collected from military-connected youth (N = 1036) between the ages of 11 and 18. Multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted. Results Higher levels of cumulative risk were associated with lower levels of self-efficacy and higher levels of depressive symptomology. Few differences were found based on gender or age; however, a trend in which older youth reported higher levels of depressive symptomology than younger youth in the context of risk emerged. Turning to family as a coping resource buffered the effects of risk on self-efficacy, but this finding did not exist for depressive symptomology. Conclusion Youth who are able to turn to their family when they are overwhelmed by stressors are more likely to experience a protective or buffering effect, especially with regard to self-efficacy.

Springer

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, CK
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, MLG