Research has shown that the emotional impact on a child due to parental deployment can impact their success at school in 3 areas: academic, behavior, and social interactions.
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Behavior
Adolescent behavior is an expression of the internal conflicts they are living through. During a deployment, the child is more likely to be angry, disrespectful to authority figures, and impulsive. Conversely, some children may be more withdrawn and show a lack of interest in participating in any way. Much of these behaviors stem from a lack of consistency and predictability in their current situation. The parent at home is experiencing the same stressors, which can result in a relaxing of rules, guidance, and consistency at home. The child carries these negative experiences into their behavior at school.
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Social Interactions
Adolescents rely greatly on peer interactions for emotional well-being. Some children continue to depend on these relationships and increase their interactions as a way to escape the stressors at home during deployment. Other children, may become socially isolated as they are experiencing feelings of depression and anxiety. Isolation is of great concern for the proper social development of the child.
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