ABSTRACT
Many children face changes in their family constellation as they grow up. Some of these changes occur as a result of divorce or separation, as discussed in Chapter 5, and some from the death of a parent, as discussed in Chapter 8. This chapter examines other circumstances in which family changes do not result in the permanent loss of a parent, but nevertheless bring additional stressors into a child's life. First we will discuss the special needs of children in families with a disabled parent. Next we will examine the impact of having a parent incarcerated, and finally we will review the reaction of children of military or other personnel who are deployed abroad for long periods of time. Although these are very different circumstances, they have a number of similar hazards in common.
