Abstract
BackgroundFoster children are reported to often have mental health difficulties. To optimize foster children’s development chances, we need to know more about the characteristics that are predictive of foster children’s mental health.ObjectiveIn the current study, we aimed to establish what accounts for the differences in foster children’s mental health, by examining the change and predictors of change in foster children’s mental health. Insight into foster children’s mental health outcomes and their predictors could inform the design of targeted interventions and support for foster children and foster families.MethodIn a sample of 432 foster children between 4 and 17 years old (M = 10.90) we examined a multivariate model in which characteristics of the foster child, the child’s care experiences, foster family, and foster placement were included as predictors of foster children’s mental health (internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial behaviors) using a three-wave longitudinal designResultsResults showed that levels of mental health were generally stable over time. Differences between foster children’s developmental outcomes were mainly predicted by foster parent stress.ConclusionsFoster parent stress levels were high and consistently found to be the strongest predictor of foster children’s mental health outcomes. Given this finding it is important for researchers and practitioners to consider foster parent stress in screening as a point of attention in creating conditions conducive to foster children’s mental health.
Highlights
Foster care is a form of child welfare wherein children who cannot be raised by their own parents are placed out-of-home and raised by foster parents
The current study aimed to examine characteristics related to the foster child, the child’s care experience, the foster family, and the foster placement in relation to foster children’s mental health
We examined a multivariate model in which characteristics of the foster child, the child’s care experiences, foster family, and foster placement are included as predictors of foster children’s mental health using a three-wave longitudinal design and applying multiple imputation
Summary
Foster care is a form of child welfare wherein children who cannot be raised by their own parents are placed out-of-home and raised by foster parents. Method In a sample of 432 foster children between 4 and 17 years old (M = 10.90) we examined a multivariate model in which characteristics of the foster child, the child’s care experiences, foster family, and foster placement were included as predictors of foster children’s mental health (internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial behaviors) using a threewave longitudinal design Results Results showed that levels of mental health were generally stable over time. Conclusions Foster parent stress levels were high and consistently found to be the strongest predictor of foster children’s mental health outcomes. Given this finding it is important for researchers and practitioners to consider foster parent stress in screening as a point of attention in creating conditions conducive to foster children’s mental health
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