Family priorities often must come second to military orders. When one spouse returns from deployment and begins the homecoming process, the couple may feel as if they are on an emotional rollercoaster. They may experience intense anticipation, anxiety, restlessness, impatience, and excitement. It is also typical to feel resentment, disappointment, frustration, and grief over losses of freedom or independence. It may take the couple several months to find a healthy balance in their relationship again after the deployment. Furthermore, it is common for military couples to deal with Post-…
Welcome home from your military deployment! For the next few months, you may feel as if you are on an emotional rollercoaster, full of both excitement and anxiety. You may also experience feelings of resentment, disappointment, and frustration. Don't worry--this emotional cycle is normal. The most important thing to keep in mind is that getting back into a positive routine with your spouse will take time. Things won't be like they were before the deployment--you both have grown and changed as a result of this challenge--but you can be an even stronger couple.After a deployment, it is common…
This fact sheet includes helpful information about how children react to domestic violence, short and long-term responses to domestic violence, possible reactions to domestic violence, factors that can help children recover, and working with parents and children through domestic violence situations. (Author abstract)
Although children eventually grow out of the Terrible Twos, they--and their fathers--face another developmental stage that can present similar challenges. In the pre-teen and teen years, the Other Terrible Toos can strain a dad's tolerance for his child's increasing desire for independence. In addition, the Other Terrible Toos can be a struggle for young people as they enter new environments and new relationships that test their values and self-discipline. This Spotlight suggests ways dads can recognize their children's virtues and character and help them learn to become responsible adults.…
Substance abuse affects millions of families either directly or indirectly, and the abuse of both legal and illegal substances is a prominent concern for public health officials throughout the world. Many addicts who stop using point to the strength, persistence, and understanding they received from a spouse, family member or friend as a major reason for their recovery. The purpose of this Tip Sheet is to offer hope and practical suggestions for you as your partner is struggling with addiction. It is not meant to replace therapy or counseling. Like most other suggestions, keep in mind that…
Marriage, although it is considered a private matter in many respects, is a public health issue. There is a body of evidence that positively links marriage with physical and mental health. Furthermore, research suggests that child well-being is improved when the child's parents are married. In recent years, social service providers across the U.S. have begun offering relationship education services to young single people and couples to strengthen their relationships and teach skills that foster healthy relationships. There are opportunities for social service organizations to continue this…
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Journal Article This editorial article discusses various reports published within the special issue of Early Child Development and Care entitled Emerging Topics on Father Attachment: Considerations in Theory, Context and Development, which includes several articles on children's attachment to fathers.
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Journal Article Sir Richard Bowlby, son of John Bowlby, has carried on his father's work by lecturing and writing on the topic of attachment theory. He has initiated and maintained international connections with researchers, practitioners and agencies in the field of child development, and has produced training videos to more widely disseminate information about attachment theory to professionals working with children and families. In this interview, conducted in London in February of 2009, Richard responded to questions regarding the father's role as an attachment figure, highlighting new theoretical…
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Journal Article This work aims to highlight the relevance of Stephenson's Q methodology (QM) for improving the assessment of child-father attachment relationships. We argue that reconceptualising the relationship can enhance the validity of assessment techniques and help in identifying the paternal behaviours that predict a secure child-father attachment pattern. To this end, we first review the inconclusive and sometimes contradictory findings about links among paternal behaviours, child-father security of attachment, and socio-emotional well-being. Second, the methodological challenges in assessing child-…
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Journal Article This study examined connections between fathering context (stress, social support, and fathers' internal working models), fathering dimensions, children's attachment to fathers, and children's social-emotional and academic outcomes within two culturally diverse samples in the USA and Taiwan. Participants included 274 fathers and their eight- to 11-year-old children. Fathers completed questionnaires regarding their close relationships, stress, social support, and children's academic achievement. Children completed measures of fathering dimensions, attachment, and standardised social-emotional…
