How can policy strengthen community support for children in military families?

Abstract

The extraordinary demands of recent wars have increased burdens on many military families and existing systems of care. The sacrifices made by service members are made also by their children and families, and these sacrifices can have long-term consequences. Therefore, military children and families cannot go unrecognized and unsupported. Policy responses should be less about diagnosing and treating individuals and more about recognizing and supporting families' and communities' resilience in the face of wartime deployment. Policy should focus on identifying military children in diverse communities and supporting them where they live, learn, and receive care. A range of community-based prevention strategies could decrease stress before it escalates into serious mental health issues. Efforts to develop family resilience during deployment and reintegration are extremely important in facilitating children's healthy development and veterans' recovery. Military personnel should partner with community leaders to implement effective programs providing emotional, social, and practical support to families. Emphasizing family cohesion, community social support, and comprehensive programs through education and health care organizations would go a long way in fostering families' resilience. At the same time, pro- grams should be monitored and evaluated, and military and civilian researchers should share data on family risk and resilience to improve evidence- based approaches. Such efforts would benefit not only military children, but also larger populations as programs improve family and community capacity to support thriving and mitigate challenges in the face of adversity.

Toward a Model of Military Family Resiliency: A Narrative Review

“…These resources include “consistent employment, free medical care, legal assistance, a social network of persons with similar interests and experiences, and screenings for severe illness/dysfunction and criminal history” (Palmer, , p. 211). This observation affirms that military families experience a positive and supportive culture with rich traditions, shared experiences, and resources that address perceived family needs (Boberiene & Hornback, ).…”

“…Social support is a critical resource that can influence military family resiliency. However, in addition to the availability of the social support, factors such as accessibility, reciprocity, and formality affect its capacity to enhance resiliency (Boberiene & Hornback, ; Bowen & Martin, ; Easterbrooks et al, ; Russo & Fallon, ). Moreover, formal supports may exacerbate vulnerability for families (Bowen & Martin, ).…”

“…Exposure to stressors need not create harm; rather, emphasizing the family system's capacity can catalyze resource and skill mobilization to potentially yield positive effects (Boberiene & Hornback, ; Easterbrooks et al, ; Russo & Fallon, ). Repeated exposure to the normative stressors of military life may create enhanced resiliency (Baptist et al, ; Easterbrooks et al, ; Palmer, ; Wiens & Boss, ).…”

“…One article described the use of structural equation modeling to better understand the impact of parent stress across military family systems (Saltzman, Lester, Milburn, Woodward, & Stein, 2016). Across all models and frameworks that emerged from this review, military families are described as experiencing a state of resiliency, even when faced with significant challenges (Boberiene & Hornback, 2014;Bowen & Martin, 2011;Chapin, 2011;Easterbrooks, Ginsburg, & Lerner, 2013;Riggs & Riggs, 2011;Saltzman et al, 2011;Saltzman, Pynoos, Lester, Layne, & Beardslee, 2013;Wiens & Boss, 2006). The models and frameworks reviewed focus on teasing apart the factors that can enhance and disrupt the experience of resiliency in military families.…”

“…Methods such as community‐based participatory research could extend research capacity to the system level. Social network analysis exploring network density and reciprocity and the intersections and transactions across multiple levels within the resiliency model would accomplish the same objective (Boberiene & Hornback, ; Easterbrooks et al, ; Ohye & Bui, ). The broader resiliency research has recently highlighted the need to qualitatively understand the nature of the social support that is available.…”