Military deployment agitates stressors for all members of the soldier's family. Typical family structures depend on the presence of both parents for optimal functioning. For school-age children (adolescents), these stressors have been associated with an increased occurrence of depression and anxiety. In fact, "one third of school-age military children show psycho-social behaviors such as being anxious, worrying often, {and} crying more frequently" (Flake, et al. 2009). Young children are more resilient in regards to the temporary loss of a parent; however, as a child reaches adolescence, they become more aware of the potential dangers associated with deployment and feel an obligation to take on parental roles in lieu of the parent's absence. |
Fear of Loss |
Adolescents have accrued enough experiences to build a fear for the potential dangers and loss of their parent that accompany a deployment. This feeling of ambiguous loss and fear for a loved one's safety enhances the stress the child is experiencing (Riggs & Riggs, 2011) . The type of deployment can impact the severity of the fear in the adolescent. Direct combat deployment during a time of war would lead to a greater fear for the safety of their parent thus increasing the level of stress, depression, and anxiety. These feelings can impact various areas of the adolescents normal development and functioning.
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Lack of Attachment |
It is vital for an adolescent to feel safe in their environment in order to flourish. When a parent is deployed, the adolescent can feel unattached to their environment due to the unavailability of their parent. When a parent is unavailable, the child's sense of safety becomes interrupted. The extent to which the child feels unsafe and unattached depends on the maturity of the child, the behavior of the parent still at home, and the strength of the bond between the child and their deployed parent (Riggs & Riggs, 2011). Lack of attachment can result in the delay of a child's social and academic development.
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