Written by: Rachel Brauner
Military life presents unique stressors for families such frequent relocations, long deployments, and the emotional toll of service-related trauma can deeply impact not just service members, but also their spouses and children. A new study published in Military Behavioral Health (Wasserman et al., 2023) highlights a powerful resilience factor that can help families cope with these challenges: family communication.
Study Overview
Wasserman et al., (2023) examined whether improvements in family communication were linked to long-term reductions in depression and anxiety among parents and caregivers who participated in the Families OverComing Under Stress (FOCUS) program, a trauma-informed, family-centered intervention. The program, implemented across multiple military installations, teaches skills in goal-setting, emotion regulation, and effective communication through structured modules.
Using data from over 7,800 participants, researchers focused on parents/caregivers who had clinically significant symptoms of anxiety or depression at the beginning of the intervention. They found that improvements in communication during the FOCUS program were strongly associated with sustained improvements in mental health.
“Each additional unit increase in communication score from baseline to post-intervention was associated with a 73% increase in the odds of sustained improvement in depression and an 86% increase for anxiety” (Wasserman et al., 2023, p. 182).
Why This Matters
Communication has long been recognized as a cornerstone of family resilience (Walsh, 2002). This study provides empirical support that teaching families how to communicate more clearly, emotionally share, solve problems collaboratively, and prepare for future challenges can have measurable, lasting effects on mental health.
Moreover, the study reveals that civilian spouses and female caregivers, who often bear the brunt of household responsibilities during deployments, showed the greatest improvement—underscoring the importance of tailoring interventions to support their unique roles (Wasserman et al., 2023).
Strategies for Military Service Providers
Given these findings, military support professionals, such as behavioral health specialists, family support providers, and Extension professionals, can integrate the following practices to strengthen the well-being of military families:
- Incorporate Family Communication Training into Existing Programs
- Use modules or workshops that focus on active listening, emotional expression, and collaborative decision-making.
- Reinforce that communication is a teachable, modifiable skill and a key buffer against stress (Walsh, 2002).
- Encourage Goal-Setting and Regular Check-ins
- Support families in creating shared goals—such as “helping each family member feel heard” or “reducing misunderstandings during transitions.”
- Provide simple tools to track progress, similar to the FOCUS communication goal rating scale used in the study (Wasserman et al., 2023).
- Use a Strengths-Based, Family-Centered Approach
- Recognize and build on families’ existing strengths and routines.
- Empower caregivers to lead family-level changes and provide positive reinforcement when they make progress.
- Engage Both Parents When Possible
- While many participants were civilian spouses, the study emphasized that dual-parent involvement improves outcomes.
- Design flexible programs that accommodate active-duty members’ schedules and allow remote participation.
- Address Barriers to Participation
- Provide childcare, transportation, or virtual access when possible, to ensure families can attend regularly.
- Acknowledge the stigma that service members may feel around mental health and create safe, confidential environments for open discussion.
This study reinforces what many military family advocates already know: communication is not just about talking—it’s about connection, understanding, and resilience. With intentional support and structured interventions, service providers can equip parents and caregivers with the tools they need to sustain mental wellness through every stage of military life. By focusing on communication as both a goal and a process, we can help military families thrive, not just survive, the challenges they face.
References
Walsh, F. (2002). A family resilience framework: Innovative practice applications. Family Relations, 51(2), 130–137. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2002.00130.x
Wasserman, M., Dodge, J., Barrera, W., Aralis, H., Woodward, K., & Lester, P. (2023). The impact of changes in family communication on sustained mental health symptom improvement in parents/caregivers following a military family intervention. Military Behavioral Health, 11(3), 176–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2023.2221473
*Image Source: iStockphoto ID #1352163254; kate_sept2004
