Deployment Psychology Blog

Research Update: 2 April 2026

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The weekly Research Update contains the latest news, journal articles, and useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include:
● Prevention of Excess Weight Gain Among Adolescent Military-Dependents at High Risk for Obesity.
● Exploring Health Care Experiences of Military-Connected Parents of Children With Mental, Emotional, Developmental, and Behavioral Health Care Needs.
● Longitudinal analysis of 15-year health outcomes after combat-related lower limb amputation: A retrospective study.

Staff Perspective: Neurodiversity and Moral Injury - A Reflection on Meaning and Service

Over the years, working with service members, veterans, and their families, I’ve learned that some forms of distress can feel confusing and overwhelming until someone finally gives them a name. For many people, moral injury is one of those experiences. Many trauma reactions are rooted in fear and survival. Moral injury is different. It occurs when what we have seen, done, or been unable to prevent conflicts with our deeply held values—our sense of what is right and who we believe ourselves to be.

By the Numbers: 30 March 2026

1.85% & 2.95%

The incidence of homelessness among 211,530 transitioning service members (TSM) between August 2022 to December 2023 within one year and two years of discharge respectively, according to a study in the journal Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research -- Retrospective Study of Homelessness among Transitioning Service Members Within Two Years after Military Service.

Staff Perspective: Fatigue vs. Sleepiness – Untangling the Tiredness Conundrum

Feeling fatigued is not the same as feeling tired. Our society uses the word “tired” to mean so many different things to the point that most people don’t know that fatigue is something different. This can be a point of frustration for many people who experience chronic fatigue due to medical issues. Being told yet again that you just need more sleep and possibly treatment for insomnia can lead patients to believe there isn’t help, or at least that providers are clueless. Understanding that there is a difference between tiredness and fatigue is critical, and we need to be doing a better job understanding and assessing for this.

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