Research

The Child and Family Program (CFP) of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress is conducting research to advance scientific knowledge and clinical interventions that address the needs of children and families affected by trauma. This research is especially focused on the impact of war including deployment stress, parenting and family function, and the impact of war injuries on military children and families. Under the leadership of Dr. Stephen Cozza, CFP Director, the Center’s current research includes:

Addressing the Needs of Children and Families of the Combat Injured

Principal Investigator: Stephen Cozza, M.D.

This four-year study is designed to longitudinally investigate the impact of combat injury on military families along 5 major dimensions of parent and family functioning: 1) acute child and parent traumatic stress symptoms; 2) levels of parental efficacy; 3) parent-child communication; 4) alterations to family schedule and structure; and 5) long term impact of injury on child, parent and family interaction. The study will follow-up families at three points in time in order to gain insight into the long term recovery process of the combat injured.

The study involves Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) and Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) as primary sites for identifying combat injured service members and their families.  A comparison group of non-injured service members will be recruited from Ft. Stewart, GA.

This study is funded by CDMRP.

Deployment Family Stress: Child Neglect and Maltreatment in US Army Families

Principal Investigator: Stephen Cozza, M.D. Co-PI is Dr. Carol S. Fullerton; Co-Investigators: Robert Ursano, David Benedek, James McCarroll, John Newby; Consultant: Lynn McCullom

The project is the first in depth study of child maltreatment and neglect among Army personnel. Its goal is to describe the characteristics of substantiated child neglect cases in the Army and identify factors within the family (including parent and child), the military community and the civilian community that contribute to such neglect. A four year study, the project consists of three cross-informing methodologies: 1) a clinical record review of child neglect cases at 4 military bases around the country; 2) a series survey administrations to 26 military bases with selected key informants; and 3) an epidemiological examination of selected installation and civilian community characteristics and resources. 

Clinical Record reviews and on site community resource surveying will take place at Ft. Bragg, NC, FT. Hood, Texas, FT. Stewart, GA and FT. Drum, NY, FT. Polk, LA, Ft. Carson, CO, FT Wainwright, AK, FT. Huachuca, AZ, FT. Meade, MD, FT Irwin, CA will participate in a phone based community resource survey. Sixteen additional Army sites across the USA will participate in electronic versions of this survey emailed to selected participants.

This study is funded by CDMRP.

FOCUS-CI: A Preventive Intervention with Children and Families of the Combat Injured

Principal Investigator: Stephen Cozza, M.D.

Co-PI’s include: Patricia Lester, M.D., William Saltzman, Ph.D., Investigators: Robert  J. Ursano, M.D., Carol Fullerton, Ph.D., Douglas Zatzick, M.D., Alan Maiers, Psy.D., Kris A. Peterson, M.D., Brett Schneider, M.D., Co-Investigator: Jennifer Guimond, Ph.D., Teresa Arata-Maiers, Psy. D., Ryo Sook Chun, M.D., Collaborator: Janet Schmidt, Ph.D., Consultants: William Beardslee, M.D., Robert Pynoos, M.D.

The project will study an intervention for severely combat injured service members and their families using the “Families OverComing Under Stress” (FOCUS) framework, a resiliency-building intervention for families facing the challenges of multiple deployments and parental combat related psychological and physical problems. A second intervention model Early Combined Collaborative Care (ECCC) will be incorporated into this new work to address the long term and changing needs of traumatically injured patients as they transition from hospital to home.  The project a randomized clinical control research design testing subjects at three major military medical centers: Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), and Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) Participant families will be followed up at three month intervals for a period of two years to learn more about the long term recovery trajectory.

This study is funded by CDMRP.

 

 

Research Publication

Combat-Injured Service Members and Their Families: The Relationship of Child Distress and Spouse-Perceived Family Distress and Disruption.