title: The Impact of Military Deployment and Reintegration on Children and Parenting: A Systematic Review.
abstract: Hundreds of thousands of children have had at least 1 parent deploy as part of military operations in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom; OIF; Operation New Dawn; OND) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom; OEF). However, there is little knowledge of the impact of deployment on the relationship of parents and their children. This systematic review examines findings from 3 areas of relevant research: the impact of deployment separation on parenting, and children's emotional, behavioral, and health outcomes; the impact of parental mental health symptoms during and after reintegration; and current treatment approaches in veteran and military families. Several trends emerged. First, across all age groups, deployment of a parent may be related to increased emotional and behavioral difficulties for children, including higher rates of health-care visits for psychological problems during deployment. Second, symptoms of PTSD and depression may be related to increased symptomatology in children and problems with parenting during and well after reintegration. Third, although several treatments have been developed to address the needs of military families, most are untested or in the early stages of implementation and evaluation. This body of research suggests several promising avenues for future research.
authors.affiliation: Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island and Brown University.
authors.forename: Suzannah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Creech
authors.affiliation: Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, Providence, Rhode Island and Brown University.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.affiliation: Providence VA Medical Center, Providence Rhode Island and Brown University.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borsari
keywords: deployment; military; parenting; veterans
references.citation: Mil Med. 2009 Oct;174(10):1033-40
references.pmid: 19891214
references.citation: J Clin Psychiatry. 2009 Feb;70(2):163-70
references.pmid: 19210950
references.citation: J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Sep;16(9):606-13
references.pmid: 11556941
references.citation: Addiction. 2013 Aug;108(8):1418-25
references.pmid: 23441867
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2010 Jul;126(1):22-7
references.pmid: 20530074
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96
references.pmid: 6668417
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010 Apr;49(4):310-20
references.pmid: 20410724
references.citation: Mil Med. 2011 Apr;176(4):402-7
references.pmid: 21539162
references.citation: J Fam Psychol. 2013 Apr;27(2):303-13
references.pmid: 23544925
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1997 Jul;38(5):581-6
references.pmid: 9255702
references.citation: Mil Med. 2011 Feb;176(2):126-31
references.pmid: 21366071
references.citation: J Fam Psychol. 2010 Jun;24(3):280-8
references.pmid: 20545401
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2011 Sep;101(9):1676-82
references.pmid: 21778477
references.citation: J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Oct;78(5):599-610
references.pmid: 20873896
references.citation: J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2009 Aug;30(4):271-8
references.pmid: 19606059
references.citation: Mil Med. 2012 Feb;177(2):184-90
references.pmid: 22360065
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 2007 Mar 12;167(5):476-82
references.pmid: 17353495
references.citation: Med Care. 2012 Sep;50(9):821-8
references.pmid: 22573256
references.citation: J Clin Psychiatry. 1998;59 Suppl 20:22-33;quiz 34-57
references.pmid: 9881538
references.citation: J Fam Psychol. 2011 Aug;25(4):521-30
references.pmid: 21707173
references.citation: Prev Sci. 2011 Dec;12(4):339-48
references.pmid: 21761154
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 2007 May 15;165(10):1199-206
references.pmid: 17329716
references.citation: J Adolesc Health. 2010 Mar;46(3):203-6
references.pmid: 20159494
references.citation: Fam Process. 2011 Jun;50(2):235-47
references.pmid: 21564063
references.citation: Mil Med. 2011 Jan;176(1):19-25
references.pmid: 21305955
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2010 Dec;126(6):1058-66
references.pmid: 21059715
references.citation: Mil Med. 2007 Jan;172(1):40-3
references.pmid: 17274264
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2012 Mar;102 Suppl 1:S48-54
references.pmid: 22033756
references.citation: Addiction. 1993 Jun;88(6):791-804
references.pmid: 8329970
references.citation: Prof Psychol Res Pr. 2011 Feb;42(1):56-62
references.pmid: 21841889
references.citation: JAMA. 2007 Aug 1;298(5):528-35
references.pmid: 17666673
references.citation: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Nov;162(11):1009-14
references.pmid: 18981347
references.citation: Child Health Care. 1989 Spring;18(2):114-6
references.pmid: 10292918
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2010 Jan;125(1):16-25
references.pmid: 19969612
references.citation: J Adolesc Health. 2010 Mar;46(3):218-23
references.pmid: 20159497
references.citation: J Fam Psychol. 2011 Aug;25(4):508-20
references.pmid: 21707171
references.citation: J Fam Psychol. 2011 Aug;25(4):497-507
references.pmid: 21707172
references.citation: J Pediatr. 1986 Aug;109(2):371-8
references.pmid: 3734977
references.citation: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011 Nov;165(11):999-1005
references.pmid: 21727258
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997 Apr;36(4):554-65
references.pmid: 9100431
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995 Dec;52(12):1048-60
references.pmid: 7492257
references.citation: J Pers. 1996 Dec;64(4):923-58
references.pmid: 8956518
references.citation: Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2009 Jul;79(3):336-47
references.pmid: 19839671
references.citation: Psychol Med. 1983 Aug;13(3):595-605
references.pmid: 6622612