The Effects of Multiple Deployments on Army Adolescents
Abstract
This monograph examines the effects of multiple deployments on adolescent children of a deployed Army parent through the perspectives of the Soldiers, their spouses, and the adolescents themselves. The authors sought to identify factors that predict the level of stress experienced by Army adolescents during a parent's deployment, and to determine the key indicators of the overall ability of Army adolescents to cope with a life of repeated deployments. The analysis shows that the factors that best predict lower levels of stress in adolescents during a deployment are as follows: (1) high participation levels in activities, especially sports; (2) a strong family; and (3) the adolescent's belief that America supports the war. Interestingly, the cumulative number of previous deployments is not significantly related to adolescent levels of deployment stress. The results also show that the best predictors of an adolescent's overall ability to cope with a life of deployments are a strong nondeployed parent, the child's belief that America supports the war, a strong family, and the adolescent's belief that the deployed Soldier is making a difference. Of note, the strongest of these predictors is the child's perception that his or her deployed parent is making a difference. Overall, the findings reinforce the advantages of a strong family and the value of staying busy to mitigate the negative effects of a deployment. The monograph also highlights, however, the role of attitudinal factors, such as the influence of public opinion concerning the war and the importance -- in a life marked by multiple deployments -- of an adolescent's confidence that his/her parent's call to duty is meaningful and thus worth the sacrifice.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA514462
Entities
People
- Leonard Wong
- Stephen Gerras
Organizations
- United States Army War College