The Deployment Life Study: Longitudinal Analysis of Military Families Across the Deployment Cycle

Abstract

Armed conflict between nations and groups usually requires those who fight to leave behind their families and loved ones. From the Greeks mounting their siege of Troy to the Greatest Generation preparing to enter World War II, the three phases of the deployment cyclepreparation, separation, and reintegrationhave been a regular part of military life throughout the ages. Although many service members anticipate deployments, eager for the opportunity to defend their country and utilize their training, few look forward to time spent separated from spouses and children. Indeed, the separations required by deployments have long been described as one of the most stressful aspects of being a military family.How are military families affected by the challenges of deployment? To what extent are service members and their loved ones able to maintain their individual health and interpersonal relationships in the face of lengthy separations? To what extent does the well-being of service members and their families change across the phases of the deployment cycle? The Deployment Life Study was designed to address these questions. The broad goal of the study was to gather data to evaluate the effects of deployment on service members, spouses, and their children. In particular, this study sought to identify which families are best able to withstand the strains of deployment and the kinds of coping strategies that characterize these families, and which families are most vulnerable to the negative consequences of deployment so that those families might be targeted for extra support.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2016
Accession Number
AD1014454

Entities

People

  • Anita Chandra
  • Benjamin R. Karney
  • Beth A. Griffin
  • Esther M. Friedman
  • Lisa H. Jaycox
  • Lynsay Ayer
  • Rajeev Ramchand
  • Sarah O. Meadows
  • Terri Tanielian
  • Terry L Schell
  • Thomas E Trail
  • Wendy M. Troxel

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Brain Injuries
  • Employment
  • Families (Human)
  • Health Services
  • Human Behavior
  • Human Population
  • Iraqi-War
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Military Families
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Separation
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Surveys
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Readers

  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Military Mobilization and Reserve Forces Studies.