https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Cheng2023

Cheng, C. H., Darawshy, N. A. S., Lee, S., Brigman, H., DeGarmo, D., & Gewirtz, A. (2023). Replication and extension of the military family stress model: The after deployment adaptive parenting tools ADAPT4U study. Family Process. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12918

The military family stress model proposes that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) negatively influences parenting practices and marital quality, and these negative effects influence child adjustment. Using multimethod data from 208 military families (mostly National Guard) participating in the After Deployment: Adaptive Parenting Tools (ADAPT4U) study, this research sought to test the military family stress model and compare links between mothers and fathers. Overall, more severe PTSD symptoms were related to lower marital quality and, in turn, to less effective parenting practices that were linked to poorer child adjustment. No key differences among these links emerged between mothers and fathers.

https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12918

Programming
Mental health
Deployment
Couples
Parents
Children

Army
Air Force
Navy
Marine Corps
Multiple branches

Active Duty
Guard
Reserve

Military families

Childhood (birth - 12 yrs)
Adolescence (13 - 17 yrs)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Quantitative Study

Cheng, Cheuk H., Ali-Saleh Darawshy, Neveen, Lee, Susanne, Brigman, Hayley, DeGarmo, Dave, Gewirtz, Abigail

The military family stress (MFS) model conceptualizes that wartime deployments and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with couple, parenting, and child adjustment difficulties. The aim of this study was to replicate and extend the military family stress model by examining the associations among deployment length, PTSD symptoms, marital functioning, parenting practices, and child adjustment in a replication sample of both National Guard and Reserve (NG/R) as well as active-duty service member families. The MFS model is extended to test whether these relationships vary between mothers and fathers. The sample included 208 families enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a parenting program for military families (94.4% of fathers and 21.6% of mothers were deployed). Replicating the MFS model, we specified parenting, marital quality, and child adjustment as latent variables and conducted multi-group structural equation models. Parenting practices were positively associated with marital quality and child adjustment. PTSD symptoms were negatively associated with marital quality. The indirect effect from PTSD symptoms to parenting practices through marital quality was marginally significant. The indirect effect from marital quality to child adjustment through parenting practices was significant. There were no significant gender differences between the two structural models. This study provides empirical support for the MFS model. Results demonstrate that deployment-related stressors are significantly associated with parent and family functioning. Parenting programs for military families might effectively target similar risk processes among both mothers and fathers.

Wiley Online

Article
REACH Publication

Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, CHC
Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, NAD
Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, SL
Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, HB
Department of Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership, University of Oregon, DD
Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, AG
School of Social Work, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, AG