Support Groups for Military Family and Significant Other

Tomoko Kudo Grabosky, Ph.D.

Shippensburg University

More families of military services members are using GI Bills to attend colleges and universities.

Family members with deployed service members have significantly higher stress than civilians (Davis& Treiber, 2007).

It is estimated that 25 percent of soldiers in Iraq had "significant others" who are not spouses (Fontaine,2009).

There is no formal support available to military significant others.

Why support group?

Common Difficulties among Military Families

“Unfriendly” policies and procedures Lack of funds/benefits slow to arrive Constant worries about the service member’s

safety Increased responsibility in household Communication Difficulties “Others don’t understand” Dealing with other’s insensitive comments

after deployment Dealing with readjustment issues and changes,

relationship issues, multiple-deployment, etc. Source: Frantz & Pfeffer (2010)

Collaborative Model

Support Group

Counseling Center

Veterans Services Office

PA National Guard Family Care Program

Student Veteran

Association

Facilitators Counselor

◦ Counseling skills, college student issues, campus resources, crisis management

Family Care Specialist◦ Military specific

information, Deployment cycle, integration issues, military family issues, off campus military specific resources

Members Spouse Siblings Parents Relatives Significant Others Veterans Active members Reserve members

Group Composition

Types of Social SupportSupport Group

Emotional support

Complimenting and encouraging othersShowing respect for ability or skillsListening to others’ problems without offering criticisms or suggestionsSharing feelings

Informational Support

Giving directions, advice, and suggestionsDemonstrating a way to perform a taskExplaining problems and approaches

Task Support & Tangible Assistance

Helping with one another with workDoing small favors

BelongingExpressing acceptance of personExpressing approval for entire groupDemonstrating inclusion in group

Forsyth (1999)

Anticipation of Departure

Detachment & withdraw

Emotional disorganization

Recovery & StabilizationAnticipation of Return

Return adjustment & Re-negotiation

Reintegration & Stabilization

Seven Stages of the Emotional Cycle of Deployment Jennifer Morse, MD

Tomoko Kudo Grabosky, Ph.D.Department of Counseling ServicesShippensburg University1871 Old Main DriveShippensburg, PA 17257(717) 477-1481tkgrab@ship.edu

Contact Information

Davis, H., & Treiber, F.A. (2007). Perceived stress, heart rate, and blood pressure among adolescents with family members, deployed in Operation Iraq Freedom, Military medicine, 172, 40-43.

Demers, A. (2009). The war at home: Consequences of loving a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan. Internet Journal of Mental Health, 15312941, 20090101, Vol. 6, Issue 1

Forsyth, D. R. (1999). Group dynamics, (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing company.

Fontaine, S. (2009, November 22). It’s marriage license that counts for military. The News Tribune.

Frantz, S., & Pfeffer, D. (2010). Veterans on campus: Are you ready? A webinar presented at Paper Clip Communications, May, 20, 2010 2 – 3:30 pm EST.

References