Marked for Life: Young Adults Perspectives on the Impact of Parental Military Deployment Megan Humlicek Advisor: Dr. Jeanette Harder College of Public Affairs and Community Service University of Nebraska at Omaha Co-Author: Dr. Maha Younes University of Nebraska at Kearney

Literature Review Children experienced more emotional and behavioral challenges in military families (Chandra et al., 2010). Children assumed more parental roles (Truhan, 2015). Adolescents suffered higher levels of low quality of life, depressed temperament, and suicidal ideations (Reed, Bell, and Edwards, 2011). Parents often fail to recognize their child’s struggle in coping, which reflects the low service utilization among this population (Flittner et al., 2015). Most effective service was linking families with military and deployment experiences. Occupational inheritance was considered a factor in career choice (Roller and Doerries, 2008).

Methodology Participants (n=32) ages 19-25 who experienced parental military deployment (PMD) 21 Females 11 Males Recruited through Military and Veteran Services at 22 two and four-year universities Online Qualtrics Survey 48 questions regarding the following categories: Coping skills Personality development Career choice Considerations for military parents, service providers, and policymakers Phone interviews (n=7)  

Results Age at deployment: 14 (43.8%) were 5 to 10 years of age, 8 (25.0%) were less than 5, another 8 (25.0%) were 10 to 15, and 2 (6.3%) were 15 to 20 years of age. Impact on parent-child relationships: 13 (40.6%) negative-somewhat negative impact, 10 (31.3%) noted no impact, and 9 (28.1%) positive-somewhat positive impact. Coping with PMD: 21 (65.6%) rated coping as fair-fairly well, 7 (21.9%) rated it as very well, and 4 (12.5%) as poor. Areas of life affected: 24 (75.0%) noted impact on home life, 17 (53.1%) on parent-child relationship, 14 (43.8%) on mental health/emotional well-being, 10 (31.3%) on relationships with other people, and 5 (15.6%) on education/school performance.

Results Continued… Personality development: 16 (50.0%) of the participants described the impact as moderate, 7 (21.9%) as minimal, 6 (18.8%) as somewhat major, 2 (6.3%) reported no impact, and 1 (3.1%) as extreme. Career choice: 14 (43.7%) reported impact while 18 (56.3%) reported no impact. Only two of the 32 participants selected military services as a career. Despite this outcome, career choice was significantly impacted because of their experience.

Discussion This research demonstrates the imposition that PMD has on children and families. The choice of an individual parent represents sacrifice by the entire family, a compromised parent-child relationship, and a life mark that cannot be undone. Most helpful to military families was the company of other military families who understood their reality. Independence, self-reliance, and the importance of family, abandonment, betrayal, and feelings of being unimportant were themes related to personality development as a result of PMD. Regardless of occupational military inheritance, career choice was based on principles learned through PMD (ex. helping others).

Discussion Continued… No participant reported that they were worse off and 20 (62.5%) believed they were better off . They advise military families to recognize maladjustment and seek help as needed; advise school systems and communities to be more supportive of military families; and urge policymakers to ensure that benefits and services are made available to veterans and their families.

Limitations Primary target on the college population of young adults Summer timing More phone interviews Small sample size

Future Research Collaboration with military entities and services Perspective of former deployed parents and non-deployed parents

References Chandra, A., Lara-Cinisomo, S., Jaycox, L. H., Tanielian, T., Burns, R. M., Ruder, T., & Han, B. (2010). Children on the homefront: The experience of children from military families. Pediatrics, 125(1), 16-25. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-1180 Flittner O’Grady, A. E., MacDermid Wadsworth, S., Willerton, E., Cardin, J., Topp, D., Mustillo, S., & Lester, P. (2015). Help seeking by parents in military families on behalf of their young children. Psychological Services, 12(3), 231-240. doi:10.1037/ser0000027 Reed, S. C., Bell, J. F., & Edwards, T. C. (2011). Adolescent well-being in Washington state military families. American Journal of Public Health, 101(9): 1676-82. Roller, B., & Doerries, L. E. (2008). Occupational inheritance in service academy cadets and midshipmen. Journal on Educational Psychology, 2(2), 43-46. Truhan, T. (2015). Parentification in deployed and non-deployed military families: A preliminary assessment. University of Central Florida Undergraduate Research Journal, 8(1), 1-11.

“It is not just the soldiers saving our lives, it is the families “It is not just the soldiers saving our lives, it is the families!” – Phone Interview Respondent