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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Apr;46 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S23-31.
doi: 10.1111/sltb.12255.

Effects of a Military Parenting Program on Parental Distress and Suicidal Ideation: After Deployment Adaptive Parenting Tools

Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of a Military Parenting Program on Parental Distress and Suicidal Ideation: After Deployment Adaptive Parenting Tools

Abigail H Gewirtz et al. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2016 Apr.

Abstract

Few studies have examined whether parenting prevention programs might mitigate risk for suicidality in parents, yet parent suicidality is a strong risk factor for offspring suicidality. We report results from a randomized controlled trial of a parenting program for deployed National Guard and Reserve families with a school-aged child. Intent-to-treat analyses showed that random assignment to the parenting program (ADAPT) was associated with improved parenting locus of control (LOC). Improved parenting LOC was concurrently associated with strengthened emotion regulation which predicted reductions in psychological distress and suicidal ideation at 12 months postbaseline. Results are discussed in the context of ongoing efforts to reduce suicide rates in military populations.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structural equation path model for suicidality preventive intervention cascade for ADAPT post-deployed military families. Paths are standardized estimates. Father parameters (Mother parameters). BL=baseline. Model estimated with weighted least square estimator with robust standard errors, means, and variances (WLSMV). ***p < .001; **p <.01; *p <.05; Father model fit: χ2 (29) = 34.48, p = 22, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .02; χ2/df = 1.18; Mother model fit: χ2 (29) = 46.33, p = .02, CFI = .96, RMSEA = .04; χ2/df = 1.59.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Summary of indirect effects for ADAPT intervention. Estimates are sum of standardized indirect effects

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