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Military Moms: Deployment and Reintegration Challenges to Motherhood

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Motherhood in the Face of Trauma

Part of the book series: Integrating Psychiatry and Primary Care ((IPPC))

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Abstract

With women representing an increasing proportion of the U.S. military, and approximately 40% of women who serve in the U.S. military being parents, “military mothers” are a steadily growing population. Military mothers face prolonged separations from their children due to deployment, and experience significant stress before, during, and after deployment. This chapter explores mothers’ experiences of parenting across the deployment cycle. While many military mothers demonstrate remarkable resilience and coping abilities, all mothers returning home from deployment confront normative challenges including the reestablishment of relationships, roles, and routines, and for some, these challenges are compounded by PTSD symptoms and other psychological impacts. Much is yet unknown regarding the distinct experiences and support needs of military mothers and their families as they negotiate separations and reunions, and better understanding is necessary to inform services that are responsive to their specific needs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rutgers School of Social Work, 536 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Tova B. Walsh PhD, MSW

  2. School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 225 N. Mills Street, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Bethsaida Nieves PhD

Authors
  1. Tova B. Walsh PhD, MSW
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  2. Bethsaida Nieves PhD
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Correspondence to Tova B. Walsh PhD, MSW .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Maria Muzik

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Katherine Lisa Rosenblum

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Walsh, T.B., Nieves, B. (2018). Military Moms: Deployment and Reintegration Challenges to Motherhood. In: Muzik, M., Rosenblum, K. (eds) Motherhood in the Face of Trauma. Integrating Psychiatry and Primary Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65724-0_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65724-0_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-65722-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65724-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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