Adjustments among adolescents in military families when a parent is deployed

Abstract: This report summarizes the findings of a study supported by the Military Family Research Institute and the DOD Quality of Life Office that focused on the adaptations of adolescents in military families when a parent is deployed. Qualitative methods were used through focus groups conducted with youth attending camps in the summer of 2004. The research was implemented by Drs. Angela J. Huebner and Jay A. Mancini, of the Department of Human Development at Virginia Tech. Because there are few systematic studies of adolescents in military families, the present study marks what we hope will be the beginning of an important line of inquiry. The findings presented in this report should confirm observations made by professionals who work with military adolescents and provide a context for exploring new ways to support adolescents who have a deployed parent. The findings have general applicability to program development, whether the focus is on the provision of services or on curriculum development. Findings can serve as catalysts for discussions among youth development professionals, both inside and outside the military family support systems.