War and Military Children and Families: Translating Prevention Science into Practice

Abstract

Adecade of war has heightened the national awareness of the challenges faced by U.S. military children and families. Military families have faced a “high operational tempo,” defined not only by recurrent deployments to combat theater but also by a range of stressors associated with these deployments, including greater demands on the personnel and services to support the infrastructure and activities associated with war. Recent research findings documenting military families’ increased risk of psychological health problems and service usage have emerged in the public discourse. 1 Responding effectively to the needs of military families requires the development of an integrated research and service strategy at the national level, one that translates and extends established research on child and family resilience, developmental psychopathology, family-centered prevention, and implementation science. This article provides a translational framework and family-centered public health model for mitigating stress and promoting resilience in military families and children exposed to wartime deployments, psychological and physical injuries, and loss.