Abstract
There are approximately three million people serving in the Armed Forces, and there are about 1.8 million children that are part of military families. With over a decade in war, multiple and prolonged absences of the military parent have taken a toll on the military youth. With deployments and Temporary Duty (TDY) separations have become a way of life for these families. Although it may seem they are accustomed to these separations, recent studies have found increased emotional and behavioral difficulties associated to the military deployment cycle for youth of all ages. Adolescents, who are naturally going through a period of marked changes in their lives, and as they are trying to find their identity and learn to be independent, parental separation due to the military can impact their development. This paper includes research and a literature review on adolescents and the military life, how being part of a military family affects their social, emotional, cognitive and physical development, as well as the findings from an informational interview with a School Counselor. Introduction
The United States military force consists of more than 2.2 million voluntary service members (Department of Defense; DoD, 2011). In 2007, approximately 1.88 million US Children had at least one parent serving in the military (Reed, Bell, & Edwards, 2011, p. 1676). The experience of being part of a military family is unique and rewarding, but at the same time is filled with sacrifices that impact the family as a whole. One of the most impacting factors that is currently affecting youth is deployments. Over a decade of war signifies various deployments, not only these are more frequent but lengthier in occasions. The families left behind, to include spouses and children, are to deal with the consequences of war. Due to the critical developmental period adolescents are going through, they are uniquely susceptible to these separations (Reed, Bell, & Edwards, 2011). In order to better understand the effects of these separations is important to begin discussing the different deployment phases.
According to Esposito-Smythers et al. (2011) there have been identified four phases during the deployment cycle (APA, 2007) and each phase is characterized by its unique stressors and emotions; these are: pre-deployment, deployment, reunion, and post-deployment or re-unification. The pre-deployment phase is the period from notification to the departure, this is characterized by feelings of stress, confusion, disbelief, uncertainty and shock, the service member as well as the family members experience these feelings; the deployment or departure phase is usually characterized by loss, fear, grief and getting use to new routine and responsibilities as well; the reunion is the period of preparation just prior to return phase, at this stage there is anticipation, excitement, and anxiety; and the post-deployment or re-unification phase is characterized by joy and happiness but at the same time families might experience mixed feelings and show some trouble readjusting to how life use to be and in most cases they have to readapt to new routines, roles and responsibilities, especially if the service member is suffering from any disorder or having difficulties readjusting as well.
Military life in general can generate psychological stress on children and adolescents. Multiple deployments, frequent moves and having a parent injured or die is a reality for many children in military families. Family supports can mitigate the youth’s negative experiences with a parental deployment. Support systems also have the ability to support the nondeployed parent’s mental well-being, thus improving outcomes for children. Overall, research indicates that families who get or feel supported by their communities, the military or religious organizations experience less deployment related stress.
Theories and Research
Various studies involving various groups (i.e., parent, youth, teachers) and different methods (i.e., quantitative, qualitative) have yield similar results (Esposito-Smythers et al. 2011), youths’ emotional and behavioral health are being impacted by their parents’ deployments. The following are few examples of the above mentioned studies: Gorman, Eide, and Hisle-Gorman (2010) found that behavioral and stress disorders are increased by 18 % to 19% as well as an 11% increase of visits to mental health care; Flake, Davis, Johnson, and Middleton (2009) found that 56% youth had trouble sleeping and 14% had school related problems.
In a focus group study conducted by Huebner and Mancini (2005) (as cited by Esposito-Smythers et al. 2011) with 107 adolescents (ages 12-18) who were attending summer camps for military youth they found out that:
Teens were asked to respond to the question “Has your behavior changed since your parent has been deployed?” Emotionally, many teens reported a loss of interest in activities, social withdrawal, changes in sleeping and eating, sadness, crying, and worry about their deployed parent’s safety. Behaviorally, many teens reported increased irritability and disrespectful behavior at home and school. Academically, teens reported a decline in grades due to concentration problems, less time for homework, and less supervision (p. 5).
Huebner and Mancini (2005) findings were consistent with results from a different study focus on the school staff perspective. Chandra, Martin, Hawkins, & Richardson (2010) conducted interviews and focus groups with 148 school staff who have worked with children from military families. The school staff who responded to the interview or participated in the focus groups viewed parental deployments as a causative agent that created anger and sadness on many youth, this conduct has a negative impact in the classroom performance and peer relationships. Moreover, in about one-third of the middle and high school focus groups, school staff communicated their worry in regards students engaging in high risky behavior, like for example: cutting themselves and promiscuous sexual behavior.
Like a stone dropped into a pond, there is a larger ripple effect felt beyond just the individual military member (Manos, 2010, p. 297). The service member is not the only one who suffers before, during and after deployments; the families and children are affected by it as well. In a study, cited by Manos (2010), Lester et al (2009) concluded that: youth whose service member parent reported posttraumatic symptoms were more likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors, but not internalizing behaviors or depressive symptoms; youth showed “wear and tear” effect; they also reported that although the levels of anxiety on the spouse of deployed service member lowered once they have returned home, on youth the anxiety levels were clinically significant regardless of the deployment status of the service member parent. The results of all the research studies and focus groups that have been conducted lead to the same results and conclusion, separation have a negative impact on children and adolescents as well as on the person left behind (spouse or primary caregiver) to take care of them, thus making it difficult for them in occasions to provide the necessary support that youth need and are looking for. This idea is supported by Bowlby’s attachment theory which explained attachment as the strong affectionate tie we have for special people in our lives that leads us to experience pleasure and joy when we interact with them and to be comforted by their nearness in times of stress (Berk, 2012 p. 264). Attachment relationships are important throughout the lifespan, according to Scharf and Mayseless (2007) adolescents need attachment relationships to regulate their emotions, as during infancy attachment relationships are based on safety and survival. Although in different ways, one believes that the basic functionality of attachment relationships at any stage of the lifespan it can be seen as safety and survival.
During infancy attachment is created due to physical safety and survival needs, but during adolescence instead of being physical, attachment relationships are based on emotional survival and safety; because of all the developmental changes adolescents go through they need attachment relationships in order to feel safe and to feel that they can survive this stage. But based on the stressors factors created by the deployment cycle such as repeated and prolonged parental absence, poor parental emotional health, fear of parental loss, and financial trouble (Esposito-Smythers et al. 2011) this bond is being impacted and is affecting children’s mental wellbeing.
On the other hand research has also found that being part of a military family has positive aspects as well. For example Bradshaw, Sudhinaraset, Mmari, & Blum (2010) stated that many adolescents were motived and interested by the particular opportunity in occasions the military life would offer, to live and travel abroad. Adolescents in the study that have had this experience mentioned to have gain a greater tolerance and appreciate diversity and individual differences. They also stated to have developed understanding for other "outsiders" that are trying to adapt to the main culture on any given country.
Literature findings
The family systems theory (Chabot, 2011) which states that family functions as a collaborating system. Any situation affecting any family member will affect and be reflected in all family members. This theory is a useful tool when trying to understand the influence of the different stressors, like for example frequent relocations and deployments, on military families (Bradshaw et al., 2012). Adolescents in military families, according to Bradshaw et al. (2010), represent a particular concern because they must adapt to their own developmental stressors (e.g., puberty, peer relationships, parent-child relationships, increasing academic demands), plus they have to cope with the stress of frequent military-related relocations and deployments (Kelley, Finkel, & Ashby, 2003), which could negatively impact they adjustment to new schools.
Bradshaw et al. (2010) reported that:
Several students reported that the frequent moves and school transitions had a significant "emotional toll" on them and their entire family. Some students reported feeling "angry" at their parents and the military, whereas others discussed the fear they experience regarding their parents' deployment and safety. Seemingly simple tasks, such as navigating the hallways and deciding with whom to sit during lunch, were described as extremely anxiety provoking for military students in transition. Some military students reported shame and embarrassment when confronted with gaps in their education, being retained a grade, or not graduating on time (p. 100).
Some of the common concerns or stressors that are a result of being part of the military community that affect adolescents are tension at home, when is time to relocate or when the service member is about to deploy, adolescents might demonstrate their frustration by changing their behavior not only at home, but at school as well; strains on their peers relationships, establishing and sustaining new friendships can be challenging as well as leaving them behind (Bradshaw et al., 2010).
Adapting to a new school can be challenging not only because adolescent have to start establishing new friendships, but they also have to become accustom to the new schools environment, policies and procedures, and physical building. This also represents new teachers and academic challenges. New schools are not only a concern or stress for the student but for the parent too, because they want to ensure their children are getting the proper education (not repeating classes or missing critical topics), and becoming involved in extracurricular activities even though adolescents may have the interest to participate in such activities, for military students can be challenging sometimes due to the frequent moves. For example in sports they may arrive after tryouts session or have made the team but have to leave in the middle of the season due to relocation (Bradshaw et al., 2010).
In order to have a “normal” live adolescents in military families have to make an effort to learn and apply coping skills. Bradshaw et al. (2010) explained that currently military youth are using various coping strategies in order to try to make smooth transitions. For example: military adolescents tend to be more adaptable and have an accelerated maturation, they try to blend in or adapt their personality in order to fit in the new social context, and develop better communication skills. These and all the coping strategies utilize by adolescents in military families make the adolescent more self-sufficient and mature which is part of the adolescence developmental process. Nevertheless the accelerated maturation process could be beneficial in some cases, but negative in others (Bradshaw et al., 2010).
Another important developmental aspect of military adolescents, especially those with at least one deployed parent, is what some researchers refer to as parentification, this is when children, especially adolescents take and manage adult emotions, responsibilities and roles that are not within their scope of development for them, in some cases resulting in adjustment problems (Byng-Hall, 2002).
Interview Questions
The person selected to be interviewed is a recently retired certified School Counselor with over twenty years of experience working with children, and specifically the last eight years working with high school students, majority with at least one parent in the military. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in school counseling.
1-How did you enter this field? / What is your typical day like in this position? / What challenges/frustrations do you face? / What gives you the most satisfaction?
I entered school counseling through my Social Work experience. Working in different communities doing social work made me realize I had an opportunity to be more directly involved in providing children with better opportunities to achieve their goals through a school setting. Moving to a military community then allowed me to work with children of military families.
A typical day involves making individual assessments, planning and structuring appropriate individual and group counseling, as well as consulting with students, parents, teachers and other school and community members in order to assist in achieving the goals of the student or group.
One of the biggest challenges is when parents do not want to be engaged in securing the best future for their child. Many children are eager and willing to work on the milestones we set and try their best to get to the goals we have worked on; it certainly is frustrating to see when their hopes are crumbled not by health issues or cognitive deficits but by the lack of simple support and motivation from a parent.
The most rewarding aspect on the other hand is when despite poor parenting, children are able to overcome all the difficulties typical of their adolescence plus those added ones and are able to remain focused on their educational and life goals. It is gratifying to see them at graduation and for them to come to you and thank you for not losing fate on them and for continuously pushing them to excel. More rewarding is when you see them as adults, well realized, productive citizens making a difference in their communities.
2- What effects do multiple deployments are having on adolescents? How adolescents are coping with the separation? What is the impact on their development?
In my experience multiple deployments reflect differently in children; however they increase the pressure on them as they face multiple episodes of stress and strain of separation. Into consideration is the amount of deployments, strength of the family nucleus, access to family support services, and how well connected are they with the deployed parent. In addition to the common changes they face, adolescents deal with the perception of loss and uncertainty. These added stressors may affect their ability to progress through adolescence affecting their physical and mental health such as conflict in relationships. You see different reactions, some adolescents center in the uncertainty and fear of loss and become very detach or very emotional. Isolation, aggressiveness, poor concentration, anxiety, depression, all these presentations which are already part of the adolescent phase becomes amplified.
The type of deployment and the length are also factors. With the first Gulf war for instance, it was more conventional than the current conflicts. The conflict didn’t last long and the public was very supportive of the war. With the current conflict the separation is a yearlong in most cases and as the years pass public support has been fluctuant. As stated, some adolescents will not be affected at all, they manage well, and others do not tolerate at all and need some type of intervention in order to help them cope.
As for coping, it also depends on the adolescent and in which phase he or she is in. Younger adolescents, like 11 to 13 tend to have more difficulty adjusting and higher stress while those older tend to manage better. This could be explained by the fact that the younger adolescent is entering a phase of uncertain emotions and is adjusting to this new phase in his or her life, while the older adolescents who tend to enjoy the sense of independence see it as an opportunity to demonstrate they are able to manage on their own. My experience has shown me that if a child has a strong family or support system and stays engaged in useful activities, like sports, music he or she is able to cope better. One important aspect also is how they view the support for what their parent is doing while deploy. If they feel the parent is making a difference, then they see that their separation and sacrifice is worth. It is also noted that with the more deployments experienced, the adolescents tend to be affected less. Children are resilient and with the right tools they are able to overcome the effects of the separation and are able to secure a normal growth.
3- At what point and how do you intervene? Are the adolescent referred to you or can they do an “auto referral” to see you? What are the most common reasons they go to see you?
Intervention is also dependent on the child and how it is affecting the child. It could be because they are demonstrating difficulties at school, like discipline problems, poor performance or both. In those cases the adolescent may be referred by the teacher or the parent. In some instances the adolescents will come as a self-referral. We also try to be proactive and speak to groups to discuss deployments and the effects they will have not only on the family but on each individual. This will help them realize they are not alone on the struggle and it is also a source for getting connected with the adolescent. In military communities there is the advantage that many of the children are in a similar situation and they are a source of support in itself.
The most common reason for referrals is poor performance in school. I would say followed closely by discipline, like being in fights or disruptive in class. As mentioned, adolescents are also going through some developmental changes as it is; the added stressor of separation and uncertainty adds one extra roadblock.
4- After an intervention how receptive are parents to be involved with their adolescents?
The majority of parents are very receptive, many have initiated the request and that is used as a reason to create an expectation for them to remain engaged in supporting the goals the adolescent wants to achieve. Parents will participate in counseling; learn how to use the coping tools and sometimes learning to just take the time to be there for their child. This support can be reflected by signing them up for school or after school activities like sports, drama, and music, reading or writing clubs. The key is to motivate the adolescent.
Some other parents unfortunately are not as supportive. They are reluctant to acknowledge there are issues or concerns with their child. Maybe in part because they see this as a failure as a parent or simply that they as adolescents never experienced an intervention with their issues or conflicts. In those cases one not only works the challenges faced by the adolescent, but must somehow intervene with the parent and connect them with services appropriate to their needs. One advantage on all this is the fact that the military is very involved and supportive of the military families. They offer several programs not just tailored to the children but to parents as well, and they engage the parents in these offerings. Encouragement to participate is not only in a voluntary way; at times the soldiers command may actually emphasize family participation.
5- As a School Counselor working with children from military families, what would be your advice for both parents and adolescents?
My advice to both parents and adolescents is to focus on the common aspects of the family. For them to continue to build on their family strength and beliefs in order to overcome the stress and to not be afraid to seek help and utilize the resources available to them, services provided by the military, the community, their church or other family and friends.

Discussion Research, literature findings and the interview results concur in the fact that adolescents in military families have more stressor and subsequently develop specific coping skills to deal with their unique needs. It is imperative to note that besides the deployment stressors, the nondeployed parent or caregiver is dealing with their own mental health problems for example, depression, which can adversely affect not only the parent-youth communication (Beardslee, Versage, & Gladstone, 1998) but also other aspects of the adolescent’s life, like for example: parental involvement in school related activities. Activities that besides being important for the student, can serve as a therapy, as another coping method or as a bonding activity for both the student and the nondeployed parent. As a continuation on the interviewee comments in regards parental involvement and support in their adolescents school related issues and the importance of building on the family strengths the following are two strategies to help families make the separation process an easier one. The first one is co-parenting alliance (Kim and Yeary, 2008) which means that parents, the nondeployed and the deployed one, work together on keeping an ongoing communication channel where the deployed parent is kept informed and involved in all adolescent’s activities and routine, this not only make the separation phase of the deployment cycle be less traumatic for both parts, but also helps in the reunification phase because the absent parent is up to date in all their children matters (Kim and Yeary, 2008).
The second strategy is the importance of the teachers’ involvement in the process, not only helps the adolescents but also alleviates the stress on the nondeployed parent, by knowing they have the teachers’ supports. There are various ways, according to the authors, that teachers can provide support to the family, for example: communicating with the nondeployed parent, knowing and sharing information about community resources for military families, being vigilant of warning signs in adolescents of possible behavioral health problems, creating a caring environment in the classroom and offering alternative for students to express their feelings in a safe environment (Kim and Yeary, 2008).
Like in any other aspect of the lifespan prevention is one, if not the most important aspect of any given situation. Horton (2005) proposed a model of how schools can help military youth stay in school and motivated and how they can support their emotional and behavioral well-being. His proposal is from a preventive perspective, that teachers should be train on how to observe and manage behaviors associated with the deployment cycle; have the parent informed of school available resources, before any academic or behavioral issues arises and share with military children who and how to access for help before is need it.
Other prevention strategies or services are: psychoeducation, to include websites, printed material and videos; outreach services for youth, involving communities agencies and creating a sense of community support, it also educates schools on the impact of deployment on families; youth peer-based prevention programs, which are support groups in school and summer camp facilitated by school counselors; and family based programs, which are different programs helping families as a whole coupe with the stressors related to the deployment cycle (Esposito-Smythers et al.,2011).
Conclusion
The military life has a direct impact in adolescents’ emotional, academic and behavioral well-being. Prevention and intervention are few of the various factors that can help adolescents’ through the processes military life encompasses (deployments, relocations). Several resources are available and can be employed to the deployment phases, however, since there might be unplanned or last minutes’ notice deployments it is imperative to build a strong parent-adolescent relationship. Schools and teachers are key players in the process as well, because they spend a considerable amount of time with adolescents, there input, observations and communication with parents are important in preventing and mitigating the effects of the deployments. Being proactive and executing prevention strategies during deployments and other military life events, the impact on adolescent can be reduced. The informational interview was an excellent opportunity to see from a real point of view the importance and how practice, theory and research are related to each other. Even with all the findings, more research still needed in the military area to determine the developmental and clinical effects of the current war on the adolescents, and to determine to what extent today’s adolescents may be at an increased risk to develop mental, behavioral or educational problems. References
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