Search Results
Publication Date
Military REACH Publications
Focus Terms
Military Branch of Service
Sample Affiliation
Age Group
Military Affiliation
Publication Type
Award Winning Publications
1.A systematic review of family stress theory in mental health research (2010–2020)
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2.Using internal family systems theory in the treatment of combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and their families
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3.Application: Family systems theory in the military context
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4.Families coping with military-related PTSD: A grounded theory approach
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5.Protective & recovery factors in family resiliency: Lessons learned from a follow up study of families of repatriated American prisoners of war from Vietnam
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6.Using internal family systems theory in the treatment of combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and their families
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7.A theory of risk and resilience factors in military families
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8.PTSD intervention with military service member parents: A call for relational approaches
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9.Community social organization and military families: Theoretical perspectives on transitions, contexts, and resilience
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10.Siblings of military servicemembers: A qualitative exploration of individual and family systems reactions
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11.Family stressors and resources: Relationships with depressive symptoms in military couples during pre-deployment
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12.Family resilience: Moving into the third wave
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13.Ambiguous loss research, theory, and practice: Reflections after 9/11
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14.The burgess award lecture: Ambiguous loss research, theory, and practice: Reflections after 9/11
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15.Using military friendships to optimize postdeployment reintegration for male Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans
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16.An investigation of the impacts of locus of control on marital satisfaction among wives of combat veterans with PTSD in the U.S
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17.The resilience of military families: Theoretical perspectives
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18.Pathways of human development: Explorations of change
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19.Competence, risk, and resilience in military families: Conceptual commentary
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20.Using multidimensional grief theory to explore the effects of deployment, reintegration, and death on military youth and families
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Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.
REFLECTIONS AND PREVENTIONS FOR CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH
Being a parent is hard and comes with many challenges. Children misbehave because they often have difficulty following directions, and they may push their parents’ buttons to get what they want. It’s important for parents and caretakers to put support in place (e.g., a go-to person who can help when needed) to ensure they can raise their children in a healthy, effective way regardless of the challenges they face. When parents’ actions harm their child emotionally or physically, they are committing child abuse (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). And while child abuse is on the decline, it’s still a pervasive problem in the United States today (Children’s Bureau, 2020). This article will discuss a few contexts in which child abuse can occur, stress management suggestions for parents, and available resources for child abuse prevention, specifically within the military. Understanding Child Abuse Children who experience abuse can suffer long-term effects on their physical and mental health, such as depression, anxiety, and chronic health conditions (Maschi et al., 2013). Research and social learning theory (i.e., modeling behaviors observed in one’s environment; McMillen & Rideout, 1996) show that child abuse often occurs within a family cycle: if you have experienced abuse yourself, you are more likely to abuse as a parent (Morgan et al., 2022). Similarly, children who see fewer examples of emotional regulation from their parents or caregivers will have fewer opportunities to learn such skills and become more likely to perpetuate the cycle (Osborne et al., 2021). In addition to the role of generational abuse, the challenges that new parents face also can also contribute. Parenthood is stressful enough, but the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how compounding stress affects families. The pandemic heightened stressors for parents, but their typical resources (e.g., daycare, school), perceptions (e.g., thoughts about how a stressful event may affect their family), and coping strategies (e.g., creating positive meaning, social support) were less effective, which, in turn, increased child maltreatment (Wu & Xu, 2020). When parents have reduced coping skills and a decreased ability to regulate their own emotions, their children can be less likely to develop the same skills (Osborne et al., 2021). Additionally, parents with maltreatment histories themselves often struggled with regulating their emotions then passed the struggles to their children (Osborne et al., 2021), in turn hindering an effective coping skill these children might use when experiencing stress as an adult. How to Cope Identifying healthier coping skills and means of emotional regulation (e.g., not holding onto anger) can be one way for parents to improve their well-being and limit opportunities for abuse. Some potential coping skills are: Creating a community for social support Talking with other parents about their coping skills Taking relaxation breaks (e.g., deep breathing, listening to music), even if only for 5 minutes Asking for help (e.g., with errands, babysitting) from community and friends Finding and using professional support when stress begins to pile up or when parents can no longer manage their stressors alone (APA, 2011). Prevention Efforts and Resources for Military Communities Just like civilian populations, military families can experience child abuse, and may even perpetrate it. Thankfully, the military has developed programs to support families and children experiencing abuse. One such program is the Family Advocacy Program (FAP), which works to prevent abuse and provide treatment for those affected by abuse. FAP also supports military families and connects them to local resources. Another program for Service members and their families is the After Deployment Adaptive Parenting Tools (ADAPT) program. At-risk families can use this program to build resilience, strengthen emotional regulation, and improve overall family well-being. The ADAPT program (which has been researched extensively) seeks to improve family functioning by teaching core parenting skills, such as teaching through encouragement, problem-solving, and emotional socialization. The New Parent Support Program assists military parents and expecting parents with transitioning into parenthood and developing a nurturing home. The program’s goal is to help parents build strong, healthy bonds with their children and manage the demands of parenting within the context of the military and its already-stressful job demands (e.g., deployment). Support and Resources for Those Who Have Experienced Abuse Having community support is essential to creating a buffer between oneself and the negative outcomes of child abuse. We know that experiencing abuse can lead to repeating the cycle with a child’s future family; however, there are also protective factors predictive of greater long-term psychological well-being for children (Siddiqui, 2015). Examples of such factors include receiving love from siblings or people outside of the family and participating in activities outside the home (e.g., school sports). These experiences can heighten a child’s sense of social support (Fasihi Harandi et al., 2017) and self-esteem (Liu et al., 2021). If you or your loved one experienced childhood abuse and still struggle with its effects, know that you are not alone. Below is a list of resources to help improve your well-being. Suicide & Crisis Line – 988 (https://988lifeline.org/) Child Help (https://childhelphotline.org/) MilParent Power ToolKit (https://www.militaryonesource.mil/parenting/children-youth-teens/milparent-power-toolkit/) Child Abuse Report Line for Military Families (877-790-1197 + 571-372-5348) It is important that we find healthy ways of coping with our stress so we can be positive role models for our children and families. If you need help coping, look within your community for mental health support programs or parenting classes (APA, 2008). Helping professionals should stay on top of reporting requirements and help their families create safe, loving environments for their children (APA, 2008). We still have a long way to go in preventing and limiting child abuse cases – ultimately, though, prevention starts with us.
THEORY SERIES: ABC-X MODEL OF FAMILY STRESS
In family science, theory is a useful tool that provides a framework to understand family experiences and create resources or interventions that promote individual and family functioning. However, trying to understand theory and how it can be applied to families\u2019 everyday lives \u2013 either by families or by others working on their behalf \u2013 can be an intimidating task. Thus, Military REACH wants to help break down common family science theories into more digestible terms. In this piece, we will provide an overview of the ABC-X Model of Family Stress, connect the theory to military family experiences, and suggest how families can use knowledge of the theory to understand and adapt to their experiences. \n\n\n\n\n#### ABC-X Model of Family Stress Overview\n\n\n\n\n Hill\u2019s (1958) ABC-X model of Family Stress is a framework for explaining the processes through which families respond to stressful events and the resulting outcomes for family well-being. The ABC-X model can be broken down into four key components: (A) *the stressor event*, (B) *family\u2019s resources*, (C) *family\u2019s perception of the stressor*, and (X) *crisis* (Price at al., 2021; Weber, 2011). \n\n\n\n\n**ABC-X Model of Family Stress (Hill, 1958)**\n\n\n\nA. *The Stressor Event.* Stressor events are events that bring about change in the family. They can include both positive (e.g., birth of a new child) and negative life events (e.g., loss of job) that trigger familial stress. Stressors can also be either normative (i.e., common experiences, such as the death of a loved one or moving residence) or non-normative (i.e., unusual experiences, such as a natural disaster).\n\nB. *Family\u2019s Resources.* Resources can buffer a stressor\u2019s effects on the family\u2019s ability to cope with it. Resources may lay within individual family members (e.g., financial, educational, health, psychological resources), the family system (e.g., emotional bonds between family members), and/or the community (e.g., religious organizations, schools).\n\nC. *Family\u2019s Perception of the Stressor.* A family\u2019s *perception* of a stressor event can also buffer the event\u2019s effects on the family\u2019s ability to cope. If a family perceives a stressful event more *positively* (i.e., something they can overcome), it may adapt to the stressor successfully. For instance, a family who believes it can solve any problem together may be more likely to adapt positively to the news that it has to relocate for work. Alternatively, families who perceive a stressful event more *negatively* may struggle to adapt. For example, in this case, the family may react to news of relocating for work by avoiding the necessary preparations for moving, which can lead to poor adaptation to the new community after the move. Families\u2019 interpretations of stressful experiences also differ across cultures and value systems.\n\nX. *Crisis.* Crisis occurs when a family is unable to adapt positively to the stressor that brought about change within the family. This change then disrupts family boundaries and roles, as well as individual physical and psychological well-being. For example, after the death of a loved one, family members may struggle to cope with grief. While most family members can return to a sense of normalcy after a while, some people are at risk of complicated grief, meaning their emotions do not improve over time. One or more family members experiencing complicated grief following the stressful experience of losing a loved one is an example of a *crisis*.\n\n\n It\u2019s worth noting that experiencing change does *not* automatically guarantee a family will enter into a crisis. Stress is a normative result of change. We all go through it. Only when we feel the disruption so severely that we could enter a state of crisis do we need further help from family, friends, and community. \n\n\n\n\n#### ABC-X Model and Military Families\n\n\n\n\n Military families are no strangers to change and can face a variety of stressors from both military-specific and civilian experiences. \n\n\n\n\n\n| Common Military-Specific Stressors |\n| --- |\n| - Frequent relocation for permanent changes of station (PCS) |\n| - Traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, limb loss, combat exposure |\n| - Barriers to spousal employment | \n\n | Common Civilian Stressors |\n| --- |\n| - Divorce |\n| - Death of a loved one |\n| - Mental or physical illness |\n| - Financial problems |\n\n\n\n Thankfully, military families have access to a variety of resources to help take control of their circumstances. These resources, paired with the family\u2019s perception of the stressful experience, can help the family adapt and avoid a crisis. \n\n\n\n*Examples of resources and perceptions that positively influence military families\u2019 response to a stressful event*\n\n\n\n\n| Resources |\n| --- |\n| [- Counseling services](https://www.militaryonesource.mil/confidential-help/non-medical-counseling/) |\n| [- Parenting programs]( https://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/parenting-and-children/parenting-and-children-resources/) |\n| - Military community support |\n| - TRICARE health insurance |\n| [- Spousal employment programs](https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/msep/) | \n\n | Perceptions |\n| --- |\n| - Mission-oriented mindset |\n| - Nationalism/sense of duty |\n| - Family framed as a team |\n| - Celebrating new opportunities |\n\n\n\n\n\n#### Implications of the ABC-X Model for military families\n\n\n\n\n What can military families do to apply the ABC-X Model of Family Stress to their lives? The ABC-X Model highlights the importance of drawing on your family\u2019s strengths and using your resources to allow you to adapt and overcome when faced with a stressful experience. Equally important is your family\u2019s framing of the stressful event. Is it debilitating \u2013 something you cannot overcome? Or is it an opportunity for you all to build resilience and come out stronger than before? \n\n\n Here are some questions to consider when stressful events arise. They may help you and your family think through your resources and perception of the event so you can proceed accordingly: \n\n\n* What stressful experience has triggered change in my family?\n* What\u2019s the meaning behind this stressful experience? Why was it stressful?\n* Does this stressful experience have long-term consequences for my family?\n* Does this stressful experience present new opportunities for my family to grow?\n* What steps can my family take to reduce this stress in the short and long term?\n* To whom can my family go for support?\n* What resources does the military offer for families facing this type of stress?\n\n\n The ABC-X Model shows us that supporting families through stress is a multifaceted process requiring access to support and positive perceptions of the stressful event in order for the family to overcome stress together. If your family experiences a change that causes stress, be aware of the resources available to you. Discuss the change with your family members, as well as how to frame the change as an opportunity to grow and/or achieve a common goal. \n\n\n To learn more about the resources available for military families experiencing a wide range of stressors, check out Military REACH\u2019s [Community Connections page](https://militaryreach.auburn.edu/resources.jsp). \n\n\n\n\n
SORTING THROUGH THE PILE: THE HELPFULNESS OF THEORY IN RESEARCH
When I was an undergraduate student, I had little interest in the role of theory in research. Honestly, it felt like a waste of time. Theory seemed like a bunch of old thoughts, all proclaiming obvious things about human experiences. “Yes, of course stress can lead to crisis,” I would think. “Why does anyone need to make a ‘Family Stress Theory’ to describe something so basic?” However, over time I have grown to see the invaluable utility of theory and its application to scientific study. Here, I will discuss the importance of theory because of its commonality in human experience and the power of theory to organize, explain, and predict phenomena. Theory development and application are nearly universal human experiences. People have been developing formal and informal theories about life for virtually all of recorded history. Consider the old adage: “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Essentially, this statement is a theory about where fires can be regularly located. Consider how the originators of this statement may have developed this expectation about the correlation between smoke and fire. Evidence was acquired: “I see smoke over there.” This evidence was blended with other observations: “Every time I see smoke, there has been some kind of fire.” Theory was developed from these observations: “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” This is a simple illustration, but the point is that theory development is ingrained in human experience. We want to understand the world, and theory aids us in that understanding by providing a mental framework to organize evidence and use that evidence to explain and predict phenomena. One of the primary ways that theory assists with understanding is by providing a frame or map to organize available data. Imagine you are going to a department store to buy a new set of pajamas. Unfortunately, when you get to the store you are dismayed to see that all of the clothes, shoes, jewelry, and appliances have been thrown into a large pile in the middle of the floor. Instead of trying to dig through the pile, you decide to try a different store. There, you find that all of the items have been neatly organized by sex, age, and type. As a result, it is easy to navigate the clothing sections and find your new favorite pair of pajamas! This is similar to the organizational clarity that theory provides academic research. Theory groups information in a systematic, understandable way. When new information is generated about a topic, it can be organized into its appropriate theoretical category to assist with understanding the phenomena as a whole. Additionally, aspects of the topic can be further clarified through explanation and prediction. Theory organizes information into a coherent story that can be used to explain and predict phenomena. Using an example from earlier, a theory would help us know to expect smoke from fire, and may eventually explain why fire causes smoke. In another example related to human sciences, let’s consider why some families seem to struggle with stressful events more than other families. The Family Stress Theory (Hill, 1949) was developed to accomplish this very task, and it organizes data into four basic categories: stressor events, resources, perceptions, and crises. The theory suggests that these various factors influence one another to produce different outcomes for families dealing with stress. When new data emerge through scientific study, the information can be organized into these categories, and used to better understand what kinds of families are most likely to adapt or experience a crisis. Ultimately, theory used in this way helps us predict human experiences with greater clarity, which assists with general understanding and can be transformed into practical use through application. Over time, I have grown to see theory as a vital aspect of scientific work. Theory is a basic aspect of the human experience that assists with our understanding of the world around us. Theory helps us better clarify phenomena and develop meaningful applications to adequately address important needs. Without theory in research, readers are less informed about how each piece of data fits into the broader whole and may be left to sort through a disorganized pile of evidence to find needed information. Reference Hill, R. (1949). Families under stress: Adjustment to the crises of war separation and reunion. New York, Harper & Brothers.