Select a career related to human development and family sciences: Teacher . Using the class Readings and lecture material (and prior knowledge), make five suggestions for how to increase resilience among children in military families. Thoroughly integrate research concepts into your suggestions and define your terminology to demonstrate your knowledge. Explain why you made each suggestion by tying each point back to the research. Each point should be 4-7 sentences.
Class notes:
Definitions
“military member refers to individuals currently serving in the armed forces”
“veteran refers to any individual who has served in the active military, naval, or air services and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.”
“family members include loved ones who have supported their service member and/ or veteran.”
Stress experienced by military families
children : 1,715,519
military personnel : 2,100,328 (1,288,596 active duty)
spouses : 995,609
total number of individuals who are part of us military families = 4.8 million
A closer look at military members
stats, demographics, and trends
40% of total force is 25 yrs or younger
31-35 years 15% and 13% are 41 years or olders
17% women
50% total military force are married
45% (1,049,529) never married and 4.9% divorced
there are more family members (56%) than military members (43%)
39.9% military members have children, 60% without children
4.3% single with children
dual-military with children 2.6%
42% of children are 0-5 years
70% caucasians, 17% AA, 13.5% hispanic or latinx
General Stressors
frequent relocations
long work hours
physical separations
deployment
homecoming
threat of injury or death
difficulty staying in touch with family/ friends
unfamiliar surroundings
career difficulties for the spouse
strain on marriage
Stressors during pre-deployment
shock
anger
anticipation of loss
withdrawal
tendency to put life on hold
need to talk about money and will
Stressors during deployment
safety of deployed spouse 96.3% 284
feelings of loneliness 89.8% 265
raising a young child while my spouse is not present 63.1% 186
problems communicating with spouse 61.4% 181
caring/ raising/ duscipling children with spouse absent 56.3%
balancing work and familt obligation/ responsibilities 52.9%
managing and maintaining the upkeep of my home 48.5%
managing and maintaining family/ personal finances 46.4%
personal/ family health issues 43.1%
childcare 39.7%
experiencing the death of a close friend or relative 33.2%
being pregnant during the deployment 27.1%
Stressors for children during deployment
internalizing and externalizing behaviors
academic difficulties
attention-seeking behaviors
regression
attention problems
difficulty connecting with deployed parent
poorer overall health
Contributing factors of stress for children during and after parental deployment
non-deployed parents mental health
age of child
gender ; girls
time deployed; longer time, worse outcome
place of residence
Stressors during post-deployment
honeymoon period
reintegration
post-traumatic stress syndrome
caregiver burden resulting from trauma or injury
a 400% increase in relationship problems within first six months of reintegration
increased family violence
Supporting military families
martin and sherman 2010 state there are four distinct things professionals working with military families need to be doing:
“promoting awareness, increasing knowledge, enhancing pratice skills, and increasing engagement”
what are some things you as a professional could do to accomplish the aforementioned tasks?
family stress theory – resources
social support
numerous programs – ex operation purple camps
sesame street
books and dvds (for children and adults)
public policies – ex training – school personnel
