Psychology of Military Children - Coursework Example

Psychology of Military Children Number Due Faculty A deployed member of the military usually leaves a child behind. Recent statistics reveal that forty-four percent of service members are parents. A child whose parent is deployed faces many hurdles in their everyday life. These hurdles include frequent relocation, stress transference from the parent at home, multiple deployments, and aggravation of pre-existing conditions. Support is essential in order for these children to grow up to become well-adjusted adults. Support from the military community is readily available to military families who live on base, but seventy percent of military families live in civilian communities. Educating community members, neighbors, teachers, and health care professionals on the specific problems military children face while their parent is deployed is essential to the well-being of the military child. Psychological Effects of Deployments on Military Children The negative effects of war extend past the battlefield. Since the global War on Terrorism began over ten years ago, child dependents of military personnel have suffered at home. There are no benefits to a child having a parent deployed for a year to a war zone. Studies that evaluate the psychological affects on children when their parent is deployed are now emerging after a long period of not knowing the long-term affects. Imagine for a moment, that you are a military child. Your father is deployed overseas, and your mother misses him tremendously. You can tell even though she does not say anything. Her stress from missing the deployed service member affects you indirectly. At school you are called a “military brat.” Your family moves every three years, so it is difficult to make friends. This is not the first time your father has been deployed, and it probably will not be the last. It is difficult to adjust to life when your father is initially deployed, and it is even more difficult to adjust to when he comes back. When he is gone, you worry constantly that he will never come back because this is always a possibility. You feel like you are alone, and no one understands what you are going through. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “military children bear a complex Psychosocial burden” (Johnson). The academy also say that children whose parents are deployed feel anxious and stressed above reasonable levels. These feelings, if fostered, become very harmful. There are many sources of stress for these children, and not many of them know how to alleviate this stress. The amount of stress and anxiety that military children are subjected to is far more than that of a normal child. Constantly being afraid that a parent might be killed because they are in a war zone most likely has lingering affects on the psyche. It is important to note that not many clinical studies have been done in regards to military children. Many studies have been done to discover the affects of deployment on the deployed military member as well as the spouse of the military member. In comparison, studies of how the dependents of deployed military personnel have been affected have been fewer in number. The studies that have been done were conducted at least five years into the current War on Terrorism. Also, the studies that this paper focuses on do not include children of single parents who are deployed. Most of the research centers on active duty service members. Children of military members who serve part time and are deployed have not yet been analyzed. The long-term effects of deployments on children also remains to be discovered. One of the first concrete studies of military children and the stress they undergo when a parent is deployed was published by the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics in 2009. Eric M. Flake, the lead investigator in the study, stated that “few studies have looked at how having a parent deployed during wartime affects children” (Johnson). The study, based in Tacoma, Washington, centered on children aged five to twelve. Military children and their non-deployed parent were given an extensive questionnaire. From their responses, over one-third of children who have a deployed parent were considered “at risk” for “psychosocial morbidity” (Flake 2009). Flake’s study included 101 parents of military children, in addition to the children themselves. Compared to normal children, military children are 2.5 times more likely to develop psychosocial problems (Johnson). Children whose parents are deployed are affected on a deep psychological level. Another important study was conducted from 2003 to 2006 by the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Honolulu (Fung). In 2009, 44 percent of active duty military members are parents of an estimated 1.2 million children (Health Day). Since 2001, over two million military members have been deployed overseas. The Honolulu study included more than 300,000 military children. Most military children, roughly seventy-five percent, are younger than age eleven. Over 62% of parents were deployed during that four year period, and were deployed for an average of eleven months (Fung). The Honolulu study came to the conclusion that “children with an active-duty parent deployed (to Afghanistan and Iraq) for long periods were more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health problem than children whose parents were not deployed” (Fung). Not surprisingly, children whose parents are deployed have more developmental problems behaviorally and psychologically than children whose parents do not deploy. There are many factors that contribute to one-third of military children being considered “at-risk.” The known factors include pre-existing conditions, stress from the non-deployed parent, repeated deployments of the military parent, and frequent physical relocation. These four main factors contribute to why one-third of children are at risk for sociological and psychological disorders. A child may not experience all four, but it is likely that some military children do have all of these contributing factors. The first main factor of the at-risk military children is a pre-existing condition. According to a 2008 article in the Journal of Psychology, children without pre-existing medical conditions usually cope with the deployment of a military parent well (Lincoln 985). However, children dealing with depression or child abuse have a much harder time. Adding an enormous amount of stress to a condition that they already has amplifies the problem. Children who are already dealing with psychological issues have an extremely hard time with the added stress of a parent being deployed. Almost seventeen percent of the 300,000 children in the Honolulu study were diagnosed with a mental health issue during the four-year study period (Fung). Fung states that most of these diagnoses were “anxiety, behavioral problems, depression, sleep disorders, and stress disorders.” For a child to undergo these issues at such a young age is concerning. Studies will need to be conducted that determine the long-term affects on the psychology of children whose parents were deployed. It will be interesting to find out how the long-term effects of these challenges affect the children as they become adults. The second factor that contributes to military children being at-risk for psychological problems is the transference of stress from the non-deployed parent. Children mimic their parents. When a military child’s parent is deployed, the child mirrors the stress level of the parent who remains at home (Johnson). In Flake’s study of 101 military children, 42% of the parents who remained at home were under huge amounts of stress from parenting. When a military member is deployed, the spouse is subjected to enormous stress. Many studies have been done regarding this stress. However, Flake’s study is one of the first that correlates the stress of the parent with the stress of the child. If a parent is feeling the stress of the loss of their spouse, then the child will indirectly pick up on that stress. Children are very intuitive, and can often feel how their parent feels even when the parent does not directly communicate that. Repeated deployments have a directly negative affect on the children of deployed military members, and are the third main factor for at-risk military children. “Mental health diagnoses became more common as the length of deployment increased” (Fung). The longer the parent is deployed, the more likely the child will develop mental health issues. Dr. Catherine Mogil, who directs a resiliency program for military families, says: “over time, multiple deployments put serious wear and tear on children. It wears on their resiliency, in a group that is very resilient. Every kid we talk to worries and has concerns; often they feel like they are in it alone” (Fung). Even after the deployed service member returned home, the child’s level of stress remained elevated. Mogil says that children are “hyper vigilant and constantly concerned about danger.” They realize that the more frequently their parent is deployed, the more likely it is that they will not be returning alive. The final main risk factor for military children is frequent physical relocation. Canon’s article highlights a military child who went to twelve schools in six states by the time she graduated from high school (Canon). The girl’s father was an active duty service member who was reassigned locations frequently in the Army. The family had no choice but to follow. On average, military children attend seven to nine different schools by the time they graduate from high school, says a Department of Defense statistic. Transitioning from location to location brings along its own issues, but children are forced to deal with a parent being halfway across the world as well. A study by the Department of Defense found that children were affected by a parent’s deployment based on their stage of development. Younger children exhibited “regression, physical complaints, and fears of separation,” while older children showed more signs of fear and irritability (Canon). In addition to the four main risk factors to high-risk military children, the psychological impact of a parent being deployed also has a lot to do with how much support the family receives from both the military and civilian community. Being able to rely on family members, teachers, and friends plays a huge role in a military child’s life. If the child whose parent is deployed feels like he is being picked on at school, his problems will continue to get worse. Also, a military child seeking help from a mental health professional deserves to receive appropriate care. In order for this to occur health professionals need to be properly educated. In addition, military stigmas towards mental health need to be changed so that stating a person is “weak” if they need assistance is not the norm. The conclusions of Flake’s study confirmed a connection between how much support a family has to their risk factors for psychosocial problems (Johnson). Military families who have a deployed loved one are offered many support services by the military. The families who live on military establishments have the most access to these support services, since most of them are located on base. According to Joyce Raezer, the director of the National Military Family Association, only 30-40 percent of military families live on military bases (Fung). Since the military families on base receive more assistance because of their proximity, it is logical to conclude that the children whose families live off base do not receive the care that they need during the deployment. The Executive Director of The National Military Family Association, Joyce Wessel Raezer, states, “more resources are available now than there have ever been, but we are dealing with the cumulative stress of a decade at war” (Canon). Even if the United States removes all its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, there will still be long-term effects to deal with by children who had a parent deployed. The National Military Family Association provides services not only to service members but also to community members who are not part of the military. This is Raezer’s idea of “sustained support,” showing the country that the war is still here and its effects will linger even after the official end. Continues Raezer, “Families are strong, but they are tired and stressed. Communities need to learn how to help, because it takes all of us to support that military family” (Canon). Schools are a very crucial aspect of providing assistance to a child whose parents are deployed. According to a National Military Family Association publication, over seventy percent of military families live off base (Canon). As such, they are an integral part of local communities and should be appreciated and supported. Educating civilians on the problems that military families is crucial to helping them cope with the deployment of their loved one. However, problems arise when children are bullied. According to the National Journal, “some military offspring complain of being bullied by civilian children for having an absent parent or ‘a dad who kills people’” (Fung). This type of ignorance must be combated with education. The teachers sometimes have difficulties with the way they approach military children. Teachers must be objective and not push their own feelings about war or how they might feel about the military onto their students. Stigmas behind seeking professional help are also a hindrance to the prevention of the psychological issues of a child whose parent is deployed. Thom Bornemann, the director of a mental-health program in Georgia, says “military families might have access to mental-health professionals but won’t seek help because of the social stigma surrounding mental-health issues” (Fung). In a military environment, a person might be considered weak if they are to seek assistance from a mental health professional. It is possible that this stigma may be passed on to families by the service member. Then, if the family member does seek help, civilian mental health providers are not always trained to deal with the special circumstances military families face. Simply getting past the stigma can be a hurdle, then compound it to the fact that a child needing help might not receive the proper type of care. Children whose parent is a member of the Reserves or National Guard might not receive proper medical care once the service member returns home. Family members are covered by medical insurance while the service member is deployed, but that coverage does not extend to after they return (Fung). Because they serve in the military once a month, they do not work enough to earn these benefits. Even after the parent returns home, the child might be feeling the stress from the deployment. A military parent coming home is a huge adjustment for a child. The family member who returned might almost feel like a stranger because they have been gone for so long. Ensuring proper medical care for these children, even if their parent resumes part-time military service, is essential and necessary. The child whose parent deployed deserves to be treated for the sacrifices he made while the parent was gone. According to the Honolulu study and the study conducted by Eric M. Flake in Tacoma, Washington, an estimated half a million children have experienced a parent deploying overseas in the last ten years. The heavy issues these children face are both urgent and frightening. To have a parent deployed into a war zone adds tremendous fear, instability, and anxiety to a child. The fact that children are developing emotionally, socially, intellectually, and physically, shows that the way they react to their parent being gone will affect them for the rest of their life. It will be interesting to see where these children end up in life. Perhaps the added stress will cause some of them to adapt and become more resilient. On the other hand, children with pre-existing conditions might continue to digress if not given the proper help psychologically. Military children face many stressors: pre-existing conditions, stress transference, repeated deployments, frequent physical relocation, conflict at school, lack of community support, military mental health stigmas, and lack of proper medical care. The key to ensuring these children develop well mentally before, during, and after their parent is deployed is multi-faceted. Civilian communities must come together to support the military family. In order to do this there needs to be proper education about how to help a military child. Support is essential for the military family, and it is the very least they deserve when they are sacrificing so much in order to ensure the safety of the nation. Works Cited: Canon, Gabrielle (2011), Military Children Face Greater Academic Challenges Due to Relocation and Emotional Stress. Huffington Post, accessed 17 November 2011: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/12/military-children-education_n_847537.html. Flake, E.M., Davis BE, Johnson PL, Middleton LS (2009), The Psychosocial Effects of Deployment on Military Children. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 30(4): 271-278. Fung, Athena (2011), A Parent’s Military Deployments Take a Major Toll on Children’s Mental Health, Study Finds. National Journal, accessed 17 November 2011: http://www.nationaljournal.com/healthcare/a-parent-s-military-deployments-take-a- major-toll-on-children-s-mental-health-study-finds-20110704. Health Day (2011), Parents’ Military Deployment May Harm Kids Mental Health. Accessed 17 November 2011: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family- health/sleep/articles/2011/07/05/parents-military-deployment-may-harm-kids-mental- health. Johnson, Alex. Stress of War Takes Mental Toll on Military Kids. Msnbc: 2009. www.msnbc.com. Lincoln, A., Swift, E. and Shorteno-Fraser, M. (2008), Psychological adjustment and treatment of children and families with parents deployed in military combat. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64: 984–992. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20520. Read More