Mobile App Interventions for Military and Veteran Families: Before, During, and After Deployment

Deployment to foreign wars leads to many challenges for military families. Unique risk factors for behavioral and psychological problems have been identified before, during, and after the deployment of a loved one. This brief report outlines these challenges and risk factors at each stage of the deployment process and describes mobile applications that may be beneficial in addressing them. The mobile applications, Babies on the Homefront, The Big Moving Adventure, and Sandboxx, were identified as relevant for addressing the parenting, communication, and relocation difficulties experienced by military families before and during the deployment process. Parenting 2GO, PTSD Coach, and PTSD Family Coach were identified as being relevant for addressing the difficulties with the reintegration of service members into the family unit. The potential for the clinical use of these apps are considered and discussed.