SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
Military Experiences, Risk and Protective Factors, and Adolescent Health and Well-Being – OMB Control Number: 0704-0635
Summary of Changes from Previously Approved Collection
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1. Need for the Information Collection
Military Community & Family Policy (MC&FP) of the Department of Defense (DoD) is requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance for the project entitled, “Millennium Cohort Study of Adolescent Resilience (SOAR).” MC&FP has partnered with the Millennium Cohort Program (MCP), which includes SOAR, to assess the direct and indirect association of military experiences with adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment and physical health, academic achievement, and educational and career aspirations to identify risk and protective factors that may promote or inhibit positive outcomes among military-connected adolescents and their families. SOAR is designed as a longitudinal study, so follow-up surveys can be administered to adolescents every 18-24 months spanning adolescence until they reach emergent adulthood to facilitate the assessment of the long-term impacts of parental military service on health and well-being.
Adolescence is a sensitive period of development in many areas that are critical to healthy adult functioning. MC&FP's Office of Military Family Readiness Policy has generated a number of special initiatives to support the more than 380,000 adolescent children coping and thriving in the face of military life challenges. There is, however, limited research to assist with verifying the most important protective factors that may ensure the long-term well-being of adolescent-age youth in the military community. With a source of quality data on the needs of military-connected youth and their families, DoD can more effectively address the critical issues facing military-connected youth and identify gaps associated with program utilization.
MCP is tasked with the mission of understanding the evolving impact of military operational stress on military members and their families as they serve our country. Specifically, MCP’s Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) must maintain a ready baseline and ongoing long-term follow-up for past and future population-based panels representing the U.S. military community to understand factors that impact their well-being over the life course. The generation of military youth born to MCS participants enrolled in 2001 are currently making career decisions, offering an important opportunity to integrate their experiences into this research program portfolio. With five panels of service members enrolled in MCS spanning 2001 to 2021, this study will not only assist MC&FP in outlining future strategic goals to address adolescent needs, but it will also assist the DoD in better understanding the needs of the next generation of potential service members. A study of adolescent children aligns with MC&FP’s strategic goal to evaluate the long-term well-being of youth in the military community and the Secretary of Defense’s mandate to incorporate the role of family life into organizational goals related to the operational readiness of the military force.
2. Use of the Information
This project, “Study of Adolescent Resilience (SOAR)” will collect survey responses from eligible adolescents that were referred to SOAR by their parent during baseline data collection, which was initiated in 2022. Under the previous collection, NHRC collected baseline data from 8173 MCS parents (22% response rate), 3372 co-parents (45% response rate), and 3782 adolescents (46% response rate). NHRC analyzed baseline survey data which suggests that military-connected adolescents are experiencing higher rates of anxiety, depression, and adjustment issues compared to civilian adolescents (full results pending). Under this collection, respondents will provide either follow-up or baseline information via web-based surveys on topics including demographics, living situation, physical and psychological health, academics and career aspirations, military and general life experiences, behavioral health, resilience factors, parent-adolescent relationship quality, and adolescents’ prosocial relationships.
The structure and content of the follow-up survey instrument is guided by the study objectives, comprising a mix of closed and open-ended questions (included in package). We expect the survey to take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Participants will be recruited using a combination of postal (e.g., postcards, packages with pre-incentives, letters) and electronic (e.g., email invitations, email reminders, links to study website) communications.
All data will be maintained by the study team at the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) for research purposes. All disclosures must have prior approval of the NHRC Institutional Review Board (IRB) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be entered into to ensure the rights and obligations of the signatories are clear. Access to data 1) is provided on a need-to-know basis only; 2) must adhere to the rule of minimization in that only information necessary to accomplish the purpose for which the disclosure is being made is releasable; and 3) must follow strict guidelines established in the data sharing agreement.
The primary objective of this research project is to study the impact of military service on the adolescent children of service members and veterans enrolled in MCS. DoD policy makers and researchers will use findings from analyses of collected survey data to inform prevention and treatment strategies to improve the well-being of military-connected youth and their families. Importantly, SOAR baseline findings will be used to respond to the STRONG Veteran’s Act of 2022 in order to understand the relationship between parental military-connected PTSD and depression with parent-adolescent relationship quality. Follow-up survey data provide the opportunity to examine the impact of military life experiences on adolescents at different developmental stages and to ascertain the implications of these experiences into emergent adulthood.
3. Use of Information Technology
100 percent of the surveys will be collected electronically using an online survey format. Online surveys will be optimized for readability and usability on phones, tablets, and computers. Online surveys will employ automatic skip patterns and smart features in which some text is auto-filled based on previously reported information from the participant.
4. Non-duplication
The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Less Frequent Collection
We plan to collect at least two additional waves of data from study participants at approximately 18-to-24-month follow-up intervals. A total of three time points of data will allow us to measure change over time and test causal hypotheses and behavioral trajectories. This is particularly important during adolescence given the vast developmental milestones that occur across time and the consequences of these changes for future adult outcomes. Lastly, for adolescents who eventually join the military and are invited to enroll in the Millennium Cohort Study, we will have the opportunity to examine multiple generations of military members (i.e., parents and their adult children) over time.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
A 60-Day Federal Register Notice (FRN) for the collection published on Monday, January 8, 2024. The 60-Day FRN citation is 89 FRN 1085.
No comments were received during the 60-Day comment period.
A 30-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Monday, May 20, 2024. The 30-Day FRN citation is 89 FRN 43829.
Part B: CONSULTATION
A Strategic Board (SB) consisting of up to twelve civilian and military experts in epidemiology, preventive medicine, statistics, Veterans Affairs, family policy and research provides scientific and operational guidance for MCP studies on an on-going basis. This committee meets annually to review progress and recommend course corrections when needed. In addition, the research staff confers regularly with subject matter experts to optimize survey content, participant outreach, and research priorities.
9. Gifts or Payment
Aligned with the Millennium Cohort Program, participants will receive incentives in the form of $20 Amazon electronic gift cards for completing their first follow-up, and a $30 Amazon electronic gift card for completing a second follow-up survey.
10. Confidentiality
The Privacy Act is presented before the first question of the online questionnaire.
A draft copy of the SORN “Millennium Cohort Study,” N06500-1 has been provided with this package for OMB’s review.
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is not required for this collection because PII is not being collected electronically.
Electronic records and consent forms generated by the MCP are permanent and transferred to the nearest Federal Records Center (FRC) when 5 years old and then transferred to NARA when 20 years old. Temporary supporting records are transferred to the nearest FRC when 5 years old and destroyed when 10 years old. Temporary non-record files will be destroyed when 5 years old or upon completion or termination of the project.
11. Sensitive Questions
Adolescent report of sexual behaviors: Adolescents are asked questions about sexual intercourse. These are important questions that may indicate engagement in sexual risk behaviors, which has consequences for reproductive health, future sexual victimization, and psychological health issues such as depression, a key outcome of this study.
Adolescent report of religiosity: Adolescents are asked one item about frequency of religious attendance. Religiosity has shown to be a protective factor against engagement in risk behaviors and antisocial peer groups, both of which are associated with poorer health and academic outcomes among adolescents.
Adolescent report of sexual and gender identity: Adolescents are asked items to assess their sexual orientation and gender identity. These items are important to include because sexual and gender minorities are at increased risk for psychological health problems, substance abuse, and suicidal behaviors. Healthy People 2030 goals, which set health benchmarks for the U.S. population, include specific objectives to increase the number of national-level surveys that collect data on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations by including specific items on sexual and gender identity. In addition, the June 15, 2022, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Data Action Plan for the Department of Defense (DoD) required by section 1 l(c) of Executive Order 14075, "Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals (LGBTQI+)," states that the DoD will work with OPA to provide standardized questions for the collection of SOGI data to be used on DoD-wide surveys. The MCP plans to contribute to the development and use of standardized SOGI data collection.
Suicide ideation: Adolescents are asked one item to assess whether they have seriously considered suicide in the last 12 months. This item is important to include because rates of suicide ideation have been increasing since the Covid pandemic and military-connected youth experience additional stressors that may make them more vulnerable.
Firearm access: Adolescents are asked one item about whether they currently have access to a firearm. If they respond with a yes, then they are asked if it is located at home or somewhere else. Given the increase in suicide among adolescents, it is important to understand whether firearm access is a risk factor.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
Study of Adolescent Resilience (SOAR) – Adolescent Follow-Up Survey
Number of Respondents: 3,776
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 3,776
Response Time: 30 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 1,888 hours
Total Submission Burden
Total Number of Respondents: 3,776
Total Number of Annual Responses: 3,776
Total Respondent Burden Hours: 1,888 hours
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
Study of Adolescent Resilience – Adolescent Follow-Up Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 3,776
Response Time: 30 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $7.25
Labor Burden per Response: $3.6235
Total Labor Burden: $13,688.00
Overall Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: 3,776
Total Labor Burden: $13,688.00
The Respondent's hourly wage was determined by using the federal minimum wage ($7.25) from Bureau of Labor Statistics Website (https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/minimum-wage/2022/home.htm).
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Collection Instrument(s)
Study of Adolescent Resilience (SOAR) – Adolescent Follow-Up Survey
Number of Total Annual Responses: 3,776
Processing Time per Response: 0.15 hours
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $25
Cost to Process Each Response: $3.75
Total Cost to Process Response: $14,160.00
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 3,776
Total Labor Burden: $14,160.00
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $210,896
Postage: $242,644
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $0
Other: $149,000
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $602,540
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $14,160
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $602,540
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $616,700
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
The burden has decreased since the previous approval due to the elimination of the parent survey. This collection effort is only for adolescent participants.
16. Publication of Results
The results of this study will be published in the form of DoD publications and in peer-reviewed manuscripts external to DoD. The timeline for this project is the following:
2024-2025: First follow-up data collection
2025-2026: Data analysis
2026: Publication of results
2026-2027: Second follow-up data collection
2027-2028: Data analysis
2027-2029: Publication of results
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2024-07-27 |