261277 Normative rates of depression, suicide and well-being for military and nonmilitary middle and high school public school students

Monday, October 29, 2012

Julie A. Cederbaum, PhD, MSW, MPH , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Tamika Gilreath, PhD , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Rami Benbenishty, PhD , Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Jerusalem, Israel
Ron Astor, PhD , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Diana Pineda, MSW , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Monica Esqueda, MEd , Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Kris DePedro, MEd , Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Purpose: The mental health of military connected youth is a primary public health concern, particularly given the association of multiple deployments with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescents. As such, the present sought to better understand the influence of military connectedness and deployment on adolescent mental health.

Methods: Data from the 2011 California Healthy Kids Survey were used to examine four assessments (suicidal ideation, feeling sad/hopeless, positive affect, negative affect) of mental stress by military connectedness among a subsample (N=14,931) of 7th, 9th and 11th grade California adolescents. Cross-classification tables and multiple logistic regression were utilized.

Results: Military-connected youth were more likely to be older and identify as Asian or Hispanic. Nonmilitary affiliated youth were significantly less likely to report feeling sad/hopeless in the last two weeks (X2=7.91, p<0.05) or report suicidal ideation (X2=25.1, p<0.0001) as compared to their military-connected counterparts. In regression models, while military connectedness was not associated with feeling sad or having thoughts of suicidal ideation, number of deployments increased mental stress both in the single-item measures(suicide 1.17; CI 1.07-1.27 and sad/hopeless 1.26; CI1.18-1.34) and the negative affect scale (1.18; CI 1.11-1.26).

Conclusions: This study is one of few to use a normative sample to explore the mental health of military-connected adolescents. The findings highlight the need for teachers and clinical service providers to be sensitive and proactive with military-connected youth and families, particularly those adolescents experiencing multiple deployments.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe mental health stressors among military connected youth 2. Differentiate rates of sadness/hopelessness and suicidal ideation by military connectedness 3. Discuss ways in which to support military connected children, particularly those experiencing multiple deployments

Keywords: Depression, Suicide

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I assisted with data analysis conceptualization and wrote the accompanying manuscript under review
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3404.0: Child and adolescent mental health needs: Prevalence, correlates and service needs