Gregory A Leskin, Steven P Nemcek, Sydni A J Basha, Abigail Gewirtz
{"title":"Global Perspectives on the Mental Health of Children of Military Service Members.","authors":"Gregory A Leskin, Steven P Nemcek, Sydni A J Basha, Abigail Gewirtz","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530804","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530804","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveThis article reviews international research on the mental health of children of military service members, with a focus on the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. It highlights the unique service-related stressors these children experience and presents Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory as a framework for understanding how various risk and protective factors interact to influence mental health outcomes. The article also explores prevention and intervention strategies that support resilience and psychological well-being in this population. <i>Method:</i> A comprehensive review of empirical studies was conducted using peer-reviewed journal articles, governmental reports, and institutional research databases. The review examined key variables including rates of mental health concerns, contributing risk and protective factors linked to military service, and best practice prevention and intervention approaches. Country-specific trends and gaps in research were also analyzed. <i>Results:</i> In addition to extensive research from the United States, a smaller but growing body of work from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom was identified. Findings consistently show that children of military service members face increased risks of depression, anxiety, and behavioral challenges. However, protective factors such as strong family cohesion, supportive parental mental health, and access to structured services can buffer these risks. Ecological frameworks help capture how personal, family, and societal systems intersect in shaping outcomes. <i>Conclusions:</i> Continued research is needed to develop and evaluate scalable, evidence-based interventions tailored to military families. A family-centered and ecologically informed approach is essential to fostering resilience and improving long-term psychological outcomes for children of military service members.</p>","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 3","pages":"273-287"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Applying the Core Stressor Framework to Understand the Experiences of Refugee Children in Transition.","authors":"Vanja Pejic, Kayla Mehjabin Parr, B Heidi Ellis","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530317","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530317","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveCurrently, 47.2 million children worldwide are displaced due to conflict and violence. Most refugees (69%) are relocated to neighboring countries and often live in refugee camps or informal settlements. The transition period during displacement can have significant effects on youth wellbeing and psychosocial development. The paper explores how displacement due to conflict and violence impacts the mental health and wellbeing of children, particularly those living in refugee camps or informal settlements. It aims to guide the development of effective mental health programs and interventions by examining the role of the social environment in shaping the psychosocial development of displaced youth. <i>Method</i>: The Four Core Stressor Framework is introduced and applied to assess the mental health challenges faced by refugee youth, focusing on the effects of conflict and displacement on their psychosocial development. <i>Conclusion:</i> The paper highlights promising psychosocial interventions that address the political, structural, and social challenges faced by displaced youth. These interventions aim to support their mental health, promote resilience, and foster positive growth during displacement.</p>","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 3","pages":"177-191"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Parenting During War.","authors":"Abigail H Gewirtz, Lynn Muldrew, Sydni A J Basha","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530319","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530319","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveIn this article, we review the effects of war on children via their impact on parenting and propose a novel family stress model to inform research and intervention development. <i>Method:</i> Focusing specifically on families living in active war zones, we conducted a review of the empirical literature on parenting and child adjustment, and parenting interventions during wartime. We excluded parental deployment to war if the family at home was not residing in the war zone. <i>Results:</i> A growing body of literature highlights challenges to parenting practices, cognitions and emotions during war, and parental adaptations to living in a war zone but we could find no parenting intervention research reporting outcomes of programs <i>during</i> war. <i>Conclusions</i>: While emerging literature highlights the impact of war on parenting and potential targets for intervention, there is a critical dearth of research on strategies and programs to support parents during wars. We propose a model to guide future research and intervention development for parenting during war and some examples of ways to accomplish this.</p>","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 3","pages":"262-272"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Children and War: Perspectives from Developmental Resilience Theory and Research.","authors":"Ann S Masten, Hopewell R Hodges","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2025.2530347","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 3","pages":"293-299"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christopher M Layne, Kelly Dixon, Gesenia Sloan-Pena, Nicole Jimenez, Lauren Adams, Kyra Klemes
{"title":"Traumatic Loss, Grief, and Developmental Disruptions in War-Exposed Adolescents: A Three-Wave Study of Postwar Adversities and Adjustment.","authors":"Christopher M Layne, Kelly Dixon, Gesenia Sloan-Pena, Nicole Jimenez, Lauren Adams, Kyra Klemes","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530321","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530321","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveAn exploratory-descriptive three-wave survey was designed to explore the nature of wartime and postwar trauma, bereavement, grief, and developmental disruptions in war-exposed Bosnian adolescents; and to guide theory building, intervention, and policy. Specific aims included describing: Prevalence rates of war exposure types, war-related disruptions to social networks (traumatic deaths, disappearances, natural deaths, separations), short- and long-term postwar adversities, adolescent postwar grief reactions, and war-related disruptions in developmentally sensitive life domainsg. <i>Method:</i> A three-wave self-report survey (conducted 1.5-2.5 years after the Bosnian civil war, across multiple geographic/ethnic regions) assessed prewar, wartime, and postwar experiences and psychosocial adjustment in war-exposed Bosnian secondary school students. <i>Results:</i> Students reported: (a) high rates of exposure to both high-magnitude types of war trauma (including traumatic losses) and postwar adversities; (b) extensive war-related disruptions to their social networks, including deaths to natural and unnatural causes, and separation from loved ones. Significant effects were found for sex, type of death, and type of grief; but not for their interaction, age, or geographic region/ethnicity. (c) Pervasive war-related developmental impacts-primarily slowdowns-were reported for impulse control, help-seeking, identity formation, moral development, and understanding political issues. <i>Conclusions:</i> Many families were struggling economically and interpersonally 2.5 years after the war. Pervasive disruptions in youths' social networks persisted. Interventions for war-exposed youth should address a diverse array of problems including traumatic losses, ongoing separations, interpersonal conflict, and disruptions in developmentally important life domains. Balanced, strength-based grief interventions should both facilitate adaptive grief reactions and therapeutically reduce unhelpful grief reactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 3","pages":"240-261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Shared Strengths & Challenges of Children Born of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and Their Mothers in Post-Genocide Rwanda.","authors":"Myriam Denov","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530322","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2530322","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Given the prevalence of conflict-related sexual violence, tens of thousands of children are estimated to have been born from wartime mass rape campaigns, sexual violence, and forced pregnancy in conflicts around the globe. Despite their vital interconnection, the existing empirical literature has tended to examine either the realities of women survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, or children born of war rape. Much less literature has addressed the realities of both mothers and children and their shared and interrelated experiences. This paper explores the shared post-conflict experiences and realities of children born of conflict-related sexual violence and mothers in post-genocide Rwanda.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The paper draws on a case study of one mother and her now adult child living in Rwanda. The case study draws from a larger qualitative study using in-depth interviews with 44 mothers and 60 adult children born of conflict-related sexual violence in Rwanda.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants revealed their shared, long-term post-conflict challenges, which included family and community stigma, marginalization, poverty and health issues. Participants also highlighted their shared strengths and the ways in which they drew enormous strength from one another, facilitating empathy, pride and hope for the future.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Given their shared realities, service provision should aim to engage both mothers and children together, enabling both parties to draw upon shared strengths and mutual support. Moreover, interventions that are community-driven, family-oriented, and culturally-attuned should be adapted to mothers and children, addressing the complexities, and potential ambivalences in their relationship.</p>","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 3","pages":"207-219"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reloading the Matrix: An Integration of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches.","authors":"Harold Kudler","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2471212","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2025.2471212","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 1","pages":"31-38"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143701956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Telepsychiatry in Academic Medical Centers: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Regulatory Landscape of a Hybrid Ecosystem.","authors":"Amir A Afkhami","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2499411","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2025.2499411","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":"88 2","pages":"92-97"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Relationship Between Bullying Victimization and Adolescent Sleep Quality: The Mediating Role of Anxiety and the Moderating Role of Difficulty Identifying Feelings.","authors":"Jiale Wang, Yang Liu, Ting Xiao, Mengting Pan","doi":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2484147","DOIUrl":"10.1080/00332747.2025.2484147","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Bullying victimization is strongly associated with adolescent sleep quality; however, the underlying mechanisms between these variables require further exploration. This study aims to elucidate the psychological mechanisms linking bullying victimization and sleep quality by investigating anxiety as a mediating factor and difficulty identifying feelings as a moderating factor.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A self-reported survey was conducted among 1,407 adolescents in China. The survey assessed bullying victimization, sleep quality, anxiety, and difficulty identifying feelings. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed on these variables, followed by the construction of a moderated mediation model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed significant positive correlations between bullying victimization and adolescent sleep quality, anxiety, and difficulty identifying feelings. Additionally, difficulty identifying feelings was significantly positively correlated with sleep quality. Anxiety partially mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and adolescent sleep quality, while difficulty identifying feelings strengthened the relationship between bullying victimization and sleep quality.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study clarifies the psychological mechanisms linking bullying victimization and adolescent sleep quality, identifying anxiety as a mediator and difficulty identifying feelings as a moderator. The findings highlight the role of emotional factors in this relationship, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. This study underscores the broader significance of emotional regulation in reducing the negative impact of bullying, supporting school-based mental health programs and early interventions. By identifying key psychological factors, it provides valuable insights for educators, parents, and mental health professionals to promote adolescent well-being and healthier sleep patterns.</p>","PeriodicalId":49656,"journal":{"name":"Psychiatry-Interpersonal and Biological Processes","volume":" ","pages":"409-430"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143796908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}