Children of military parents have higher levels of anxiety and emotional difficulties than their non-military counterparts, according to decades of studies. A 2010 study, however, revealed a less evident point: when the spouses returned home, their anxiety returned to normal, whereas their children’s anxiety remained elevated.

One-third of the cases were «clinically noteworthy,» meaning they required the care of a professional. Katherine Mogil, a clinical psychologist with the UCLA FOCUS initiative that assists military families, led the study.

She claims that the cause of the children’s persistent fear is unknown, but military youngsters face terrifying questions such as, «Could anything horrible have happened?» — something kids don’t generally have to deal with until they’re older.