Effect of parents' wartime deployment on the behavior of young children in military families.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the effect of wartime military deployments on the behavior of young children in military families.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Childcare centers on a large Marine base.


METHODS
Parents and childcare providers of children aged 1(1/2) to 5 years enrolled in on-base childcare centers. Main Exposure Parental deployment.


METHODS
Mean externalizing, internalizing, and total symptom scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (1(1/2)-5 years) and the CBCL-Teacher Report Form (TRF) (1(1/2)-5 years).


RESULTS
One hundred sixty-nine of 233 consenting families (73%) participated. Nonresponders did not differ from responders in their child's age or TRF scores. Fifty-five children (33%) had a deployed parent. Parents with children aged 3 years or older and a deployed spouse had significantly higher depression scores than those without a deployed spouse. There were no differences in the demographic characteristics between groups. After controlling for respondent's age, stress and depressive symptoms, deployed service member's rank, and total number of children in the home, we found an age by deployment interaction: children aged 3 years or older with a deployed parent had significantly higher CBCL externalizing and total scores (externalizing, 48.50 vs 43.31, P < .05; total, 47.71 vs 42.68, P < .05) and externalizing and total TRF scores (externalizing, 50.21 vs 45.62, P < .05; total, 48.54 vs 43.73, P < .05) compared with same-aged peers without a deployed parent.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is the first to show that children aged 3 years or older with a deployed parent exhibit increased behavioral symptoms compared with peers without a deployed parent after controlling for caregiver's stress and depressive symptoms.
Chartrand
Molinda M
MM
Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. molinda.chartrand@spangdahlem.af.mil
Frank
Deborah A
DA
White
Laura F
LF
Shope
Timothy R
TR
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005178:Faculty; D005220:Fathers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015588:Observer Variation; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014857:Warfare