Abstract
Military infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are perhaps one of the least examined populations in the military literature. In this chapter, we attempt to shed light on the existing knowledge base regarding these children and their caregivers and provide guidance for future researchers and service providers working with this population. The chapter begins with a review of salient developmental factors spanning this age range with a particular emphasis on socio-emotional development within the caregiving context. Using this developmental framework, we then review the known literature regarding the impacts of military life on young children and their caregivers. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research as well as points to guide clinicians and parents in fostering optimal development and coping throughout early childhood in the military environment.
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Stepka, P., Callahan, K. (2016). The Impact of Military Life on Young Children and Their Parents. In: Gewirtz, A., Youssef, A. (eds) Parenting and Children's Resilience in Military Families. Risk and Resilience in Military and Veteran Families. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12556-5_2
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