Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 6, 2026
Author Spotlight: Developing Precise and Clinically Relevant Models for Studying Secondary Degeneration in Traumatic Optic Neuropathy
Published on: November 29, 2024
Impact of deployment on military families with young children: A systematic review
Jennifer Trautmann1, Jeanne Alhusen1, Deborah Gross1
1Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.
Insights
Military family deployment impacts young children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric mental health
- Military family studies
- Deployment effects
Background:
- Over 40% of children in military families are under 6 years old.
- This age group is highly dependent on parental availability.
- Parental absence during deployment can affect child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- Systematically review deployment's impact on young military children's mental health since 9/11.
- Evaluate interventions for military parents with young children.
- Identify research gaps in supporting these families.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies from 2001-2014.
- Utilized Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
- Included 26 studies meeting review criteria.
Main Results:
- Deployment linked to increased parental stress, child behavior issues, healthcare use, and maltreatment.
- Limited research on interventions, minority, or veteran families.
- Methodological limitations were identified in existing studies.
Conclusions:
- Further research is essential to understand and support military families with young children.
- Future studies should employ diverse methods, robust designs, and inclusive samples.
- Addressing the mental health needs of this population requires more comprehensive research.
Background:
More than 40% of children in military families are <6 years old, a period when children are most dependent on their parents' physical and emotional availability.
Purpose:
This systematic review describes the impact of deployment since 9/11 on the mental health of military families with young children, evaluates evidence-based interventions for military parents with young children, and identifies gaps in the science limiting our ability to support the needs of these families.
Methods:
Databases were reviewed from 2001 to 2014 using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses approach; 26 studies met review criteria.
Results:
Deployment was associated with increased parent stress, child behavior problems, health care utilization, and child maltreatment. Few studies tested interventions or focused on racial/ethnic minority or veteran families. A number of methodological limitations are noted.
Conclusions:
More research using multiple methods, stronger designs, and more diverse samples is needed to understand and address the needs of military families with young children.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
01:27Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
00:55Parental Care
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children