Little is known about the functioning of children in veteran-connected families, who may experience a unique constellation of stressors including exposure to parental mental health symptoms and unemployment. Further, research has not previously considered the role of school climate in counteracting these stressors for veteran-connected students. This preliminary study examines the relationship between veteran parent’s mental health and employment with adverse outcomes for their school-age children, as well as the potential moderating effect of safe school climate. Participants were 218 veteran parents of children in K-12 schools, who completed the Chicago Veterans Survey, including measures of PTSD and depression, unemployment, a school safety scale drawn from the California School Parent Survey, and an adverse child functioning screening tool. Regression models suggest that depression symptomatology and perceptions of less safe school climate were significantly associated with adverse outcomes among veteran-connected students. Safe school climate buffered against the negative effects of parents’ depression symptoms, particularly at lower levels of depression severity. Findings suggest the need for future research to explore the potentially crucial role for schools, including teachers, administrators, and particularly school-based mental health providers, in supporting the healthy functioning of veteran-connected students and their families.

对于与退伍军人有联系的家庭中的儿童的功能知之甚少，他们可能会经历一系列独特的压力源，包括暴露于父母的心理健康症状和失业。此外，之前的研究并未考虑学校氛围在抵消这些有经验的学生的压力方面的作用。这项初步研究调查了退伍军人父母的心理健康和就业与其学龄儿童的不良后果之间的关系，以及安全学校气候的潜在调节作用。参与者是 K-12 学校儿童的 218 名退伍军人家长，他们完成了芝加哥退伍军人调查，包括创伤后应激障碍和抑郁症的测量、失业、从加州学校家长调查中得出的学校安全量表，以及不良儿童功能筛查工具。回归模型表明，抑郁症状和对不太安全的学校氛围的看法与有退伍军人关系的学生的不良结果显着相关。安全的学校氛围可以缓冲父母抑郁症状的负面影响，尤其是在抑郁严重程度较低的情况下。研究结果表明，未来的研究需要探索学校（包括教师、管理人员，特别是学校心理健康提供者）在支持有退伍军人关系的学生及其家庭的健康运作方面的潜在关键作用。安全的学校氛围可以缓冲父母抑郁症状的负面影响，尤其是在抑郁严重程度较低的情况下。研究结果表明，未来的研究需要探索学校（包括教师、管理人员，特别是学校心理健康提供者）在支持有退伍军人关系的学生及其家庭的健康运作方面的潜在关键作用。安全的学校氛围可以缓冲父母抑郁症状的负面影响，尤其是在抑郁严重程度较低的情况下。研究结果表明，未来的研究需要探索学校（包括教师、管理人员，特别是学校心理健康提供者）在支持有退伍军人关系的学生及其家庭的健康运作方面的潜在关键作用。