Women play a pivotal role in military operations, and their experiences and responses may differ from their male counterparts. This webinar looks at how mental health manifests differently for women, in particular women in the military.

1. 6/29/20
1
When you think of mental
health what comes to mind?
1
Welcome!
2
Event Materials
Visit the event page to download
a copy of the presentation slides
and any additional resources.
Let’s Chat!
Select All Panelists & Attendees
from the drop-down when
commenting in the chat pod.
Tech Support
Email us if you need tech
support or have questions!
MilFamLN@gmail.com
Event Page:
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/69337
2

2. 6/29/20
2
Welcome!
3
Latest Podcast
Anchored. Supporting Military
Spouses with Employment and
Higher Education Transitions
Recording Available
Moral Injury & Killing in Combat:
Research and Clinical Implications
Upcoming Event
What Helping Professionals
Need to Know about Kincare
November 13, 2019
Visit Our Website:
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org
3
4
Warrior Wellness: Mental Health &
Women in the U.S. Military
Event Materials
Visit the event page to download a
copy of the presentation slides and any
additional resources.
This webinar has been approved to offer
continuing education credit. Please stay
tuned for more information!
Continuing Education
Event Page:
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/event/69337/
Pixabay / CC0
4

3. 6/29/20
3
Connecting military family service providers
and Cooperative Extension professionals to
research and to each other through engaging
online learning opportunities
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of
Defense under Award Numbers 2015-48770-24368 and 2019-48770-30366.
5
5
Mary Mattson,
MSW, LICSW
Today’s Presenter
Director of Psychological Health
133rd Airlift Wing -- MN National Guard
Clinical interests include working with adults and
teens:
• experiencing anxiety
• depression
• eating disorders
• PTSD and trauma
• Interpersonal Violence/Intimate Partner
Violence (IPV)
mary.mattson8.civ@mail.mil
6
6

4. 6/29/20
4
1. Understand predominant mental health concerns for women
serving in the military.
2. Discover how these concerns can be different because of
military service.
3. Discuss experiences and consequences of deployment on
women’s mental health.
4. Examine challenges and barriers for women service
members seeking help.
5. Identify and discuss symptoms, warning signs, resources, and
how to help women service members seek the help they
want and need.
Learning Objectives
7
7
Women in the Military
• As of July 2018:
– women comprise more than 16% of active duty
service members
– fill 10% of all positions among deployed forces in
recent conflicts
• 150,000+ women serve in National Guard and
Reserves
• Women are the fastest growing population
served in the VA
Source: Psychological Health Center of Excellence.
8
8

5. 6/29/20
5
What are mental health issues
that you think might be faced by
a woman in the military and why?
9
9
According to research,
more than a quarter of all
women (25.2%) serving
on active duty in
December 2018 had a
history of a mental health
condition.
Source: Psychological Health Center of Excellence.
10
Cpl. Sarah Stegall / Marine Corps Installations Pacific
10

6. 6/29/20
6
Active Duty women are 1.5 to almost 2 times more
likely to be diagnosed with mental health disorders
than their male counterparts.
11
David Perry / 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
11
Common Mental Health Diagnoses
for Women in the Military
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Adjustment Disorder
• Eating Disorders
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (men
diagnosed more often)
12
12

7. 6/29/20
7
Demographics
• Women seen and treated for mental health
disorders:
– Young
– Black
– Enlisted
– Unmarried
• Stressors:
– Responsible for
families or children
– Employment
– School
Source: Maguen, Ren, Bosch, Marmar and Seal, 2010.
13
Tech. Sgt. Lynette Hoke / 133rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
13
Enlisted Women and Mental
Health Research
• Over 1000 women studied post 9/11
• Enlisted: Over half were E4-E6
• Branch:
– 85% Army
– 6% Air Force
– 6% Marines
– 2% Navy
Source: Dye, Eskridge, Tepe, Clouser and Galarneau, (2016).
14
Graphics by Lynn Kaczenski / DVIDS Hub
14

8. 6/29/20
8
• 40% diagnosed within a year of injury
– Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 20%
– Depressive Disorder: 12%
– Adjustment Disorder: 9%
– Anxiety Disorder: 8%
Source: Dye, Eskridge, Tepe, Clouser and Galarneau, 2016.
Enlisted Women and Mental
Health Research
15
15
• Older women were at higher risk to be
diagnosed with PTSD and depression
– More deployments
– Different place in their life with their families
– Life transitions
16Cpl. Sarah Stegall / Marine Corps Installations Pacific
16

9. 6/29/20
9
Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
• MST is an experience and not a diagnosis
• 1 in 4 women have answered yes to experiencing MST (as
opposed to 1 in 100 men)
• All survivors are different and react differently
– Sleep difficulties
– Substance abuse
– Relationship difficulties
– Strong emotions and/or feelings of numbness
17
17
True or False?
Women in the military have a higher
occurrence of suicide compared to male
service members.
18
18

10. 6/29/20
10
Suicide
• Lower for women vs men
• Higher for military women vs civilian women.
– Military women are 1.8 times more likely to die by suicide (Military
Times, 2019)
• Factors contributing to suicide for military women:
– leaving the military
– financial struggles
– domestic violence
– substance abuse
military sexual trauma
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
– 1-800-273-8255 (press 1 for military)
19
19
Reintegration Struggles
• 43% of women and 45% of men have rated their
reintegration as difficult to very difficult
• Struggles:
– Family reintegration
– Anger and irritation
– Trouble adjusting back to civilian life and work
– Post traumatic stress
– Lost interest in doing anything
Source: Patten and Parker, 2019.
20
20

11. 6/29/20
11
Mental Health Stigma
• Military records show that talking to a doctor
is a good career move.
• 97% of personnel who sought mental health
treatment did not experience any negative
career impact.
21
21
What signs might indicate that a
Service Member is struggling with a
mental health issue?
22
22
22

12. 6/29/20
12
What Do I Look For?
Have a conversation; dig deeper. Listen.
• Anhedonia: Inability to find pleasure in things usually
found pleasurable.
• Change in appetite; eating too much or too little.
• Change in sleep patterns.
• Ask questions about self harm or harm to others.
– “It’s common for someone who has a lot of stress to feel
like things are hopeless. Have you felt like that?”
• Trust your gut.
23
23
How Can I Help?
• Refer to (or establish!) mental health
programs geared specifically for military
women (veterans, prior service, active).
• Understand the difference between Active
Duty, Reserve, and National Guard.
• Give referrals of websites, literature,
agencies.
• Normalize experiences.
24
24

13. 6/29/20
13
Resources
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA)
• VA:
– Center for Women Veterans
– Local Vet Centers
– Moving Forward
• Mental Health America
• Military One Source
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
25
25
Case Study
Kim is 24-year-old and is a single, Caucasian Staff Sergeant
who comes to see you for financial information on
budgeting and money management. She reveals to you that
she completed her first deployment a year ago and says, “I
haven’t felt like myself since then.” She reveals through
your conversation that she sleeps about five hours a night
and has a hard time shutting off her mind.
What additional questions might you ask?
What recommendations do you give Kim?
26
26

14. 6/29/20
14
Case Study
Janice is a married, African-American Major who was referred
to you because she is deploying next year. She reveals to you
that her partner has complained about Janice’s anxiety and
wants her to see a professional. Janice refuses saying, “I don’t
want to lose my military career talking to a counselor.”
How do you respond?
27
27
References
• Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. (2012). Mental disorders and mental health problems, active component, U.S. Armed Forces,
2000-2011. MSMR, 19(6), 11–17.
• Bean-Mayberry, B., Batuman, F., Huang, C., Goldzweig, C. L., Washington, D. L., Yano, E. M., … Shekelle, P. G. (2010). Systematic review
of women Veterans’ health research 2004–2008 (VA-ESP Project #05-226). Retrieved
fromhttp://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/women-vets.cfm
• Defense Manpower Data Center. (2018). Table of active duty females by rank/grade and service. Retrieved
fromhttps://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/dwp/dwp_reports.jsp.(link is external)
• Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy. (n.d.).
2016 Demographics profile of the military community. Retrieved
fromhttp://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2016-Demographics-Report.pdf(link is external).
• Dye, J. L., Eskridge, S. L., Tepe, V., Clouser, M. C., & Galarneau, M. (2016). Characterization and comparison of combat-related injuries in
women during OIF and OEF. Military medicine, 181(suppl_1), 92-98.
• Maguen, S., Ren, L., Bosch, J. O., Marmar, C. R., & Seal, K. H. (2010). Gender differences in mental health diagnoses among Iraq and
Afghanistan veterans enrolled in veterans affairs health care. American journal of public health, 100(12), 2450-2456.
• Manning L. (2013). Women in the Military: Where They Stand. 8th ed. Washington, DC: Women’s Research & Education Institute.
• Patten, E. & Parker, K. (2019) Women in the U.S. Military: Growing Share, Distinctive Profile. PewResearch Center. Retrieved from
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/12/22/women-in-the-u-s-military-growing-share-distinctive-profile/
• Rosenfield SH. Gender and dimensions of the self: implications for internalizing and externalizing behavior. : Frank E, Gender and Its
Effects on Psychopathology. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 2000:23–36.
• Rychnovsky, J., & Beck, C. T. (2006). Screening for postpartumdepression in military women with the postpartumdepression screening
scale. Military Medicine, 171(11), 1100–1104.
• Thomas, KH & Hunter, K. (2019) Why women veterans are more likely to commit suicide than civilian women. Retrieved from
https://www.militarytimes.com/education-transition/2019/08/14/why-women-veterans-are-250-more-likely-than-civilian-women-to-
commit-suicide/
• VA/DoD Integrated Mental Health Strategy Strategic Action 28 Task Group. (2013). Summary Report of a Systematic Literature Review:
Female Mental Health Needs and Military Sexual Trauma, Assault, and Harassment among Military Service Members and Veterans of
Both Genders.
28
28

15. 6/29/20
15
29
Women in the Military
Resource Page
https://militaryfamilieslearninnetwork.org/
womeninthemilitary/
29
Evaluation & Continuing Education
30
This webinar has been approved
for the following continuing
education (CE) credits:
• 1.0 CE from the University of Texas at
Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work
• 1.0 clock hours from the National Council
on Family Relations for CFLE’s
• A certificate of completion
Go to the event page for
evaluation and post-test link.
Evaluation Link
Questions?
Email Anita Harris
aharris@umn.edu
Event Page:
30

16. 6/29/20
16
Subscribe and Stay Connected!
31
Quarterly Newsletter
• Upcoming Events
• Latest Podcast Episode
• Articles of Interest
Topics of Interest:
• Deployment
• Transitions for
Military Families
• Community Capacity
Building
Subscribe Here!
MilitaryFamiliesLearningNetwork.org/Family-Transitions/
@MFLNFT
31
Explore upcoming events, articles, resources, and more
https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org
Connect with the MFLN
32
32