Peer-reviewed article
Firearm safety behaviours in military families with children: Mixed-methods Study with U.S. service members and spouses
Jennifer K. Paruk, Sarah A. Limbacher, Ashley Brooks‐Russell, Julia Finn, Ian F Eisenhauer et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined firearm safety practices in U.S. military families with children, surveying 106 military service members and their partners. Nearly all parents reported storing their firearms locked, with military values of discipline, responsibility, and safety being key influences on their practices. The research found that both military culture and general safety concerns shaped how parents stored firearms and talked with their children about them. Prevention efforts for military families could be more effective if they align with military values around responsibility and safety.
Key points
- 93% of surveyed military parents reported storing all their firearms locked
- Military values of discipline, responsibility, and firearm safety were perceived to influence household firearm practices and reduce youth access to firearms
- Parents emphasized that firearms are tools for protection, not toys, and can be dangerous
- Joint decision-making between parents regarding firearms was common
- Both military and non-military factors jointly influenced parents' firearm practices at home
Limitations
The study was based on self-reported survey responses from a non-random sample of military families who agreed to participate, so results may not represent all military families. The study did not measure actual outcomes such as whether secure storage practices prevented youth injuries or suicide attempts.
Abstract
Introduction: U.S. youth in military families experience higher rates of suicide ideation than youth from civilian families, and, given that U.S. military families also report higher rates of firearm ownership, military-connected youth may face elevated risk of firearm injury. Secure firearm storage may reduce youth suicide and unintentional injury risk, yet the factors that influence military parents’ firearm-related practices around their children are not known. Methods: The authors conducted a mixed-methods study of online survey responses from 106 U.S. military service members and their partners whose home contained firearms and children. Participants provided information on military affiliation and occupation as well as firearm-related beliefs, storage practices, and behaviours. Participants also answered open-ended questions about factors that influence their firearm-related practices and the role of military culture. Results: Nearly all parents (93%) reported storing all of their firearms locked. Parents reported how military values of discipline, responsibility, and firearm safety influenced household practices and were perceived to reduce military youth’s access to firearms. These military values, along with general safety concerns, a desire to be honest and transparent, and an emphasis that firearms can be dangerous and are tools for protection and not toys, all shaped parents’ firearm-related behaviours and conversations with their children. Joint decision-making between parents regarding firearms was common. Discussion: Military and non-military factors jointly influenced parents’ firearm practices at home. Prevention efforts for military families with respect to suicide and firearm injury may find benefit in alignment with military values of discipline, responsibility, and safety.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Secure firearm storage practices (locking all firearms) combined with parental conversations emphasizing firearm safety and that firearms are tools for protection, not toys
- Population
- U.S. military service members and their partners (parents) whose homes contained firearms and children
Key finding
93% of military parents reported storing all firearms locked