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Development and Validation of the AMSM for Military-Connected Adolescents

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Abstract

Military-connected adolescents are at increased risk of adverse behavioral and mental health outcomes compared to civilian peers, a finding which may be explained by exposure to unique military-specific stressors. Existing measures of adolescent stress fail to account for these stressors, potentially underestimating stress experienced by these youth. To fill this gap, the present study describes the development of the Adolescent Military Stress Measure (AMSM) and examines its psychometric properties. Qualitative data from individual Life History Calendar interviews (n = 24) and a focus group (n = 5) informed AMSM item development. Focus group cognitive interviews (n = 17) and advisory board input were used to refine the measure, which was piloted on the California Health Kids Survey with military-connected youth (n = 410) in one school district. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis indicated a four-factor structure (deployment, relocation, social support, ongoing socioecological stressors). Cronbach’s alphas for the 23-item scale (0.86) and four subscales (0.69 - 0.83) provided evidence of good reliability. Logistic regression suggested each additional stressor on the AMSM was associated with an increase of 7% in feeling sad/hopeless (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01-1.12) and 6% in suicidal thoughts (OR = 1.06, CI = 1.03-1.12). In a structural equation model, the ongoing sociological stressors subscale significantly predicted suicidality (b = 0.67, p = 0.05). The AMSM has sound psychometric properties and may be used to identify common combinations of stressors as well as risk behaviors associated with stress, which may inform school- and community-based supports around military-related stressors to improve the quality of research with this population.

Highlights

  • Identification of psychosocial stressors salient to military-connected adolescents

  • Understanding relevant stressors may provide opportunity for risk behavior reduction

  • The AMSM presents as a potential measure of military-connected adolescent stress

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Funding

This work was supported by funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1R21HD085149-01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Transdisciplinary Center for Health Equity Research, Department of Health & Kinesiology, Texas A & M University, 267 Gilchrist Building, 4243 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-4243, USA

    Tamika D. Gilreath

  2. Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    Kathrine Sullivan

  3. National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, 6707 Democracy Blvd, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD, 20892-5465, USA

    Francisco A. Montiel-Ishino

  4. Africana Studies, SUNY Binghamton University, 4400 Vestal Pkwy E, Vestal, NY, 13850, USA

    Titilayo Okoror

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  1. Tamika D. Gilreath
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Gilreath, T.D., Sullivan, K., Montiel-Ishino, F.A. et al. Development and Validation of the AMSM for Military-Connected Adolescents. J Child Fam Stud 32, 2931–2943 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02661-6

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