• Elizabeth Crouch, Tia S Andersen, and Hayden P Smith.
• Rural and Minority Health Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29210, USA.
• Mil Med. 2024 May 18; 189 (5-6): e1072e1079e1072-e1079.

IntroductionMany facets of military life are contributors to child health including frequent mobility, family separation, and increased risk to parental physical and mental health, as well as strong social networks and military support systems; yet, there has not been an examination of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs) among military children.Materials And MethodsThis study used the 2020-2021 National Survey of Children's Health, limited to children aged 6 to 17 years of age, to examine the association between a child who has ever had a caregiver on active duty and their exposure to ACEs and PCEs (n = 54,256 children). Bivariate analyses used Pearson's chi-squared tests and were weighted to be nationally representative. Multivariable regression models were used to examine the association between military status and selected ACEs.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in PCEs between military and civilian children. Compared to children with a civilian caregiver, children who had a caregiver who had ever served on active duty had a higher odds of experiencing domestic violence (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR), 1.61; 95% CI 1.23-2.11), mental health issues or depression in the household (aOR 1.28; 95% CI 1.07-1.52), and substance use (aOR 1.28; 95% CI 1.06-1.55).ConclusionsThis study complements and extends previous research that has taken a deficit approach and focused exclusively on the hardships faced by children in military families. The findings from this study may be instructive for child welfare advocates and policymakers as they intervene in communities with programming that promotes PCEs among children and adolescents.© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2023. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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