THE PATTERN OF PREDISPOSITIONAL AND MEDIATIONAL FACTORS RELATING TO DIFFERENTIAL MATERNAL SUCCESS IN COPING WITH THE CRISIS CREATED BY FATHER ABSENCE IN MILITARY FAMILIES WAS EXAMINED. MOTHERS IN 23 FAMILIES WHOSE HUSBANDS WERE ABSENT ON EXTENDED MILITARY TOURS, WERE ADMINISTERED AN EXTENSIVE BATTERY OF SOCIOMETRIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE OF THEIR HUSBANDS AND NINE TO 12 MONTHS LATER. A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF VARIABLES WAS MADE, AND INFERENCES ABOUT DIFFERENTIAL COPING PATTERNS OF THE SUBGROUPS WERE DRAWN. IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT PRIOR EXPERIENCE CAN LEAD TO MORE ACCURATE COPING. THE MOTHER'S REACTION TO STRESS IS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE IN UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONAL DISORDERS IN CHILDREN. INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, BASED ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE DISTURBED CHILD, AND ON STANDARD CRISIS DISCUSSION GROUPS FOR MOTHERS, APPEAR TO HAVE VALUE. FUTURE RESEARCH MAY ANSWER--(1) HOW FATHERS REACT TO CHANGES IN THEIR WIVES, (2) WHETHER PATTERNS OF CRISIS REACTION RELATE TO NON-CRISIS PERSONALITY FUNCTIONING, AND (3) WHAT RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN COPING PATTERNS OF MOTHERS AND THE CHILD'S REACTION TO THE CRISIS. A SIMILAR, LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION, USING A LARGER NUMBER OF FAMILIES AND IMPROVED TECHNIQUES IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN. THIS SPEECH WAS PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPTEMBER 4, 1967. (PR)