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MFS Resilience Research

Family Experience Survey

Military families in Canada encounter a number of challenges due to the unique nature of military life, which often includes military-related absences, relocations, and the transition back to civilian life. These challenges can deeply affect their emotional, financial, and social well-being.
One major challenge is military-related absences. Frequent and prolonged separations due to deployments, training, and operational duties strain family relationships and disrupt family routines. These absences can lead to emotional stress for both the service member and their family, requiring robust support systems and healthy coping strategies to manage the complexities of military service.

Geographical relocations pose another significant challenge, and military families often have to move multiple times during a service member's career, which involves adjusting to new communities, schools, and employment environments. These relocations can cause financial strain, disrupt educational attainment, and create challenges in accessing consistent healthcare. The stress of relocating is heightened for families with special needs dependents or dual-service couples.

Finally, the transition from military to civilian life ushers in a period that involves navigating a major identity shift and adjusting to new routines and responsibilities outside of the traditional military lifestyle. Veterans and their families may face difficulties in finding suitable employment, accessing healthcare, and integrating into civilian communities. Moreover, the loss of the structured military support system can lead to feelings of isolation and uncertainty.
The research on the challenges faced by military families in Canada is crucial for developing effective support systems and policies. This body of work focuses on understanding the unique difficulties that arise from the nature of military life. Our research aims to identify the factors that contribute to family resilience, enabling families to adapt and thrive despite these challenges.

The Family Experience Survey serves as a cornerstone of this research, capturing detailed data on these challenges. By gathering insights directly from military families, we can better understand their experiences and needs. This data is instrumental in shaping evidence-based strategies that enhance family functioning and resilience.

Military-Related Absences
What are the experiences of families related to military-related absences, and what is the impact on their well-being? Our research delves into how families cope with frequent and prolonged separations due to deployments, training, and operational duties. We investigate the support networks families rely on and examine the long-term emotional and psychological effects of these absences. Understanding these dynamics helps us develop strategies to strengthen family resilience and improve support systems.

Geographical Relocations
How do geographical relocations impact military families, and what measures can mitigate their negative effects? We study the financial strain, disrupted education for children, and inconsistent healthcare access that often accompany relocations. By exploring these challenges, we aim to identify effective ways to support families in transition, ensuring they can adapt to new environments with minimal disruption and stress.

Transition to Civilian Life
What are the challenges faced by military families during the transition to civilian life, and how can support systems facilitate smoother adjustments? Our research focuses on the significant adjustments required, including finding new employment, integrating into civilian communities, and accessing healthcare. We explore the factors that contribute to successful transitions and the support mechanisms that can alleviate difficulties, helping families build a stable and fulfilling post-military life.

Through resilience-focused research, we aim to provide valuable insights that inform service providers, policymakers, and researchers. Our primary goal is to improve the experience of military and veteran families, ensuring they receive the resources and support needed to thrive in the face of military life's demands.
Our research on military family experiences aims to strengthen family resilience. By examining the challenges these families encounter, including absences, relocations, and military to civilian transition, we can offer valuable insights to service providers, policymakers, and researchers. This knowledge is essential for creating effective support systems and policies that improve the well-being and resilience of military families.

The data collected through the Family Experience Survey will be instrumental in informing and improving the services provided by Military Family Services, and by capturing detailed experiences and needs, we hope to enable service providers to be better prepared to assist families. Additionally, aggregate results from the survey will be provided to Military Family Resource Centres as well as Base and Wing Commanders, enabling them to directly address the challenges faced by military and veteran families.

Of final note, our resilience research contributes to a broader understanding of how military families can adapt and thrive despite the inherent challenges of military life. These insights not only benefit military families but also inform broader societal support systems for veterans and their families. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that military and veteran families receive the comprehensive support they need to build resilience and maintain well-being, thereby improving their overall quality of life.
  • The Challenge
    One major challenge is military-related absences. Frequent and prolonged separations due to deployments, training, and operational duties strain family relationships and disrupt family routines. These absences can lead to emotional stress for both the service member and their family, requiring robust support systems and healthy coping strategies to manage the complexities of military service.

    Geographical relocations pose another significant challenge, and military families often have to move multiple times during a service member's career, which involves adjusting to new communities, schools, and employment environments. These relocations can cause financial strain, disrupt educational attainment, and create challenges in accessing consistent healthcare. The stress of relocating is heightened for families with special needs dependents or dual-service couples.

    Finally, the transition from military to civilian life ushers in a period that involves navigating a major identity shift and adjusting to new routines and responsibilities outside of the traditional military lifestyle. Veterans and their families may face difficulties in finding suitable employment, accessing healthcare, and integrating into civilian communities. Moreover, the loss of the structured military support system can lead to feelings of isolation and uncertainty.
  • The Research
    The research on the challenges faced by military families in Canada is crucial for developing effective support systems and policies. This body of work focuses on understanding the unique difficulties that arise from the nature of military life. Our research aims to identify the factors that contribute to family resilience, enabling families to adapt and thrive despite these challenges.

    The Family Experience Survey serves as a cornerstone of this research, capturing detailed data on these challenges. By gathering insights directly from military families, we can better understand their experiences and needs. This data is instrumental in shaping evidence-based strategies that enhance family functioning and resilience.

    Military-Related Absences
    What are the experiences of families related to military-related absences, and what is the impact on their well-being? Our research delves into how families cope with frequent and prolonged separations due to deployments, training, and operational duties. We investigate the support networks families rely on and examine the long-term emotional and psychological effects of these absences. Understanding these dynamics helps us develop strategies to strengthen family resilience and improve support systems.

    Geographical Relocations
    How do geographical relocations impact military families, and what measures can mitigate their negative effects? We study the financial strain, disrupted education for children, and inconsistent healthcare access that often accompany relocations. By exploring these challenges, we aim to identify effective ways to support families in transition, ensuring they can adapt to new environments with minimal disruption and stress.

    Transition to Civilian Life
    What are the challenges faced by military families during the transition to civilian life, and how can support systems facilitate smoother adjustments? Our research focuses on the significant adjustments required, including finding new employment, integrating into civilian communities, and accessing healthcare. We explore the factors that contribute to successful transitions and the support mechanisms that can alleviate difficulties, helping families build a stable and fulfilling post-military life.

    Through resilience-focused research, we aim to provide valuable insights that inform service providers, policymakers, and researchers. Our primary goal is to improve the experience of military and veteran families, ensuring they receive the resources and support needed to thrive in the face of military life's demands.
  • The Impact
    Our research on military family experiences aims to strengthen family resilience. By examining the challenges these families encounter, including absences, relocations, and military to civilian transition, we can offer valuable insights to service providers, policymakers, and researchers. This knowledge is essential for creating effective support systems and policies that improve the well-being and resilience of military families.

    The data collected through the Family Experience Survey will be instrumental in informing and improving the services provided by Military Family Services, and by capturing detailed experiences and needs, we hope to enable service providers to be better prepared to assist families. Additionally, aggregate results from the survey will be provided to Military Family Resource Centres as well as Base and Wing Commanders, enabling them to directly address the challenges faced by military and veteran families.

    Of final note, our resilience research contributes to a broader understanding of how military families can adapt and thrive despite the inherent challenges of military life. These insights not only benefit military families but also inform broader societal support systems for veterans and their families. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that military and veteran families receive the comprehensive support they need to build resilience and maintain well-being, thereby improving their overall quality of life.

Military-Related Absences

Military-related absences from family due to operational tempo, which include deployments, taskings, training, and imposed restrictions, significantly affect Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) families. 
Learn more

Geographical relocations due to a posting

While relocations are integral to military life and many families manage them successfully, they present substantial challenges that require adequate support and preparation to ensure the well-being of military families.
Read the research

Military-to-civilian transitions

The transition from military to civilian life poses significant challenges for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families. Research primarily focuses on the experiences of medically releasing personnel, highlighting the varied ease of adjustment. 

Financial stress

Financial stress has quickly emerged as one of the most pressing issues for military families, ranking alongside work-related pressures as a top daily stressor. To this point, approximately half of CAF members struggle to meet their financial obligations, leading to adverse effects on job performance and quality of life. 
Learn more

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