# Multiple Informant Cluster Analysis Findings: Which Military-Connected Preschool Aged Children Are Doing Well and Why?

## TL;DR

This study identifies factors linked to social-emotional resilience in preschool-age children from military families, emphasizing parent wellbeing over military service characteristics.

## Contribution

The study empirically identifies two clusters of military-connected children based on social-emotional functioning and highlights maternal trauma history as a key factor.

## Key findings

- Two clusters of families were identified: those with children showing healthy social-emotional functioning and those with indicators of poor functioning.
- Maternal trauma symptoms across PTSD domains were strongly associated with child social-emotional risk.
- Military service characteristics like deployment history or rank did not significantly influence cluster distinctions.

## Abstract

Informed by models of resilience in military families, we explored factors theorized to be associated with social-emotional resilience and risk among young military-connected children. Our secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from 199 military-connected families (n = 346 parents) with at least one preschool-age child in the home (n = 199) led to the empirical identification of two distinct clusters: families with children demonstrating healthy social-emotional functioning and those showing indicators of poor social-emotional functioning. We then identified factors associated with membership in each cluster to determine which deployment and parental wellbeing variables were salient for young child adjustment. Parent psychological health symptoms, parenting, child behavior, and parent-child relationships were measured by parent report and observed interaction. Children with healthier social-emotional functioning were found to be residing with families experiencing less stress and distress. The importance of maternal trauma history is highlighted in our study, as elevated maternal symptoms across all three posttraumatic stress disorder symptom domains were associated with child social-emotional risk. Basic family demographic characteristics did not contribute significantly to the cluster distinctions, nor did military service factors such as active duty, reserve or veteran status, military rank or parent deployment history. These findings are important as the results deemphasize the importance of military service characteristics and highlight the importance of parent wellbeing when considering social-emotional risk and resilience of young children within military families.