Foster Care Experience Research Articles

The Placement History Chart: A tool for understanding the longitudinal pattern of foster children's placements

Despite growing concerns about foster placement instability, little information is available regarding the longitudinal patterns of placement histories among foster children. The purpose of the present study was to develop a charting system using child welfare records to facilitate a better understanding of longitudinal patterns of placement history for 117 foster children. The resulting Placement History Chart included all placements that occurred during the observed time period and accounted for various dimensions: number, length, type, and sequence of placements; timing of transitions; and total time in out-of-home care. The Placement History Chart is an effective tool for placing foster care experiences within a broader developmental context. As such, the Placement History Chart can be a valuable research tool for understanding various dimensions and variations of placement transitions among foster children by capturing sequences and cumulative risks over time. Furthermore, this chart can facilitate the development of intervention programs that are developmentally sensitive and effectively address particularly vulnerable subpopulations of foster children.

Cognitive-Based Compassion Training: A Promising Prevention Strategy for At-Risk Adolescents

Compared to the general population, youth in foster care experience multiple psychosocial difficulties due to exceptionally high rates of maltreatment. Many youth in care receive psychological and/or psychotropic treatment but not all require or are willing to accept that level of intervention. For many, a “mental health” approach feels pathologizing. Nevertheless, these youth have suffered maltreatment and interventions to improve their ability to cope with past trauma and their often uncertain present are clearly needed. Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) provides an alternative perspective on suffering and can be framed as a wellness intervention that is appropriate for all humans. The present study examined whether a 6-week CBCT intervention would improve psychosocial functioning among adolescents in foster care. Seventy adolescents were randomized to CBCT (twice weekly) or a wait-list condition. Youth were assessed at baseline and after 6 weeks. Groups did not differ on measures of psychosocial functioning following training; however practice frequency was associated with increased hopefulness and a trend for a decrease in generalized anxiety. Qualitative results indicated that participants found CBCT useful for dealing with daily life stressors. Adolescents in care were willing to engage in CBCT. The majority reported CBCT was very helpful and almost all reported they would recommend CBCT to a friend. Participants reported specific instances of using CBCT strategies to regulate emotion, manage stress, or to respond more compassionately towards others. Standardized self-report measures were not sensitive to qualitative reports of improved functioning, suggesting the need for measures more sensitive to the positive changes noted or longer training periods to demonstrate effects. Practical issues surrounding implementation of such programs in high-risk youth populations are identified. Recommendations are provided for further development.

Suicidal ideation among Métis adult men and women – associated risk and protective factors: findings from a nationally representative survey

Objective. To determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation among Métis men and women (20–59 years) and identify its associated risk and protective factors using data from the nationally representative Aboriginal Peoples Survey (2006).Study design. Secondary analysis of previously collected data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey.Results. Across Canada, lifetime suicidal ideation was reported by an estimated 13.3% (or an estimated 34,517 individuals) of the total population of 20-to-59-year-old Métis. Of those who ideated, 46.2% reported a lifetime suicide attempt and 6.0% indicated that they had attempted suicide in the previous 12 months. Prevalence of suicidal ideation was higher among Métis men than in men who did not report Aboriginal identity in examined jurisdictions. Métis women were more likely to report suicidal ideation compared with Métis men (14.9% vs. 11.5%, respectively). Métis women and men had some common associated risk and protective factors such as major depressive episode, history of self-injury, perceived Aboriginal-specific community issues, divorced status, high mobility, self-rated thriving health, high self-esteem and positive coping ability. However, in Métis women alone, heavy frequent drinking, history of foster care experience and lower levels of social support were significant associated risk factors of suicidal ideation. Furthermore, a significant interaction was observed between social support and major depressive episode. Among Métis men, history of ever smoking was the sole unique associated risk factor.Conclusion. The higher prevalence of suicidal ideation among Métis women compared with Métis men and the observed gender differences in associations with some associated risk and protective factors suggest the need for gender-responsive programming to address suicidal ideation.

P-320 - Trauma and sings of psychopathology in children in foster and institutional care

Current studies show that individuals who were in foster or institutional care experience higher rates of physical and psychiatric morbidity than the general population. Children in foster care have a higher probability of having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and deficits in executive functioning, anxiety as well other developmental problems. These children experience higher degrees of incarceration, poverty, homelessness, and suicide. Recent studies show alarming occurrence of trauma and high stress load in children in institutional but as well as foster care. We have conducted an extensive study (n = 360) monitoring occurrence of trauma in history of children in foster care (n = 120), in institutional care (n = 120) and in functional biological families (n = 120). We have also evaluated levels of social emotional development and occurrence of child psychopathology. The results of the presented study showed that children in institutional and foster care show substantially higher occurrence of trauma in their history, higher incidence of reactive psychopathology (i.e. depression) and their level of social emotional development is substantially lower comparing to children from functional biological families (p The study proposes that children in foster and institutional care require substantiv psychosocial support and attention. Supported by the Research Grant GK MPSV-01-202.

The Role of Cultural Dissimilarity Factors on Child Adjustment Following Foster Placement.

Understanding the cultural factors associated with children's experiences in foster care is important because they may contribute to child psychological adjustment to foster placement. Despite considerable public policy debate of the role of ethnicity on foster placement decisions, there are virtually no empirical studies about the contribution of cultural dissimilarity factors on child psychological adjustment such as internalizing and externalizing problems shortly after children enter non-kinship placement. Using a sample of N =106 ethnic minority children (clustered in 62 families), we hypothesized that the number (ranging from 0 to 5) and types (i.e., ethnic status, country of birth, and spoken language) of cultural dissimilarity factors between biological and foster families contribute to child internalizing symptoms (CDI depression and LSD loneliness) and externalizing problems (ECBI conduct) after considering family and agency clustering and adjusting for confound variables (child age, gender, and severity of child maltreatment). Results showed that a higher number of dissimilar types and certain types contributed to lower scores in child psychological adjustment. Dissimilar ethnic status between caregivers contributes to CDI depression and LSD loneliness symptoms while dissimilar spoken language between caregivers contributed to ECBI conduct problems in the foster home. These results inform the public policy debate of transethnic placements for children involved in the foster care system.

Legislative Advocacy for and by Youth Transitioning From Foster Care: A Practice/Education Collaboration

Children and youth in foster care experience loss, trauma, and sometimes multiple placements while in foster care. These experiences can contribute to the development of antisocial or delinquent behaviors, thus impacting personal relationships, problem-solving, and coping abilities, and increasing the risk of becoming involved in the juvenile or adult criminal system. Involvement in the criminal justice system, and a subsequent criminal record, can produce additional problems for these youth. This article focuses on one of these problems, juvenile records not being sealed, which negatively impacts youths' abilities to attain adequate housing and employment as they transition from foster care to independence. The advocacy efforts of one graduate student and several community agencies, outcomes, and plans for continuing advocacy are discussed.

Young children in foster care and the development of favorable outcomes

Young foster children have invariably faced a variety of risks that are strongly linked to long-term deficits in functioning across multiple developmental domains. Despite these risks, however, some children demonstrate more favorable outcomes and exhibit adaptation and the development of assets. In the present study, the relationship of early childhood factors (e.g., maltreatment history, placement history, parenting practices, environmental stress, developmental status, and attachment behavior) to the development of favorable outcomes in middle childhood was examined in a sample of foster children who had been in foster care in preschool ( N = 35). Favorable outcomes were defined as demonstrations of emotion regulation and school adjustment during middle childhood. Developmental status (particularly attention and executive functioning) and a lack of environmental stress during early childhood foster care experiences had a significant positive relationship with the development of emotion regulation and school adjustment in middle childhood.

Understanding Social Support’s Role in the Relationship Between Maltreatment and Depression in Youth With Foster Care Experience

This study investigated whether more complex maltreatment experiences predicted higher levels of depressive symptomatology for young adults and examined the role of social support during late adolescence in that association. Specifically, the study tested whether social support had a direct effect on depression and whether it mediated and/or moderated the relationship between self-reported maltreatment and depression in a sample of 513 youth exiting the child welfare system. Indices of maltreatment types (neglect and physical, sexual, psychological abuse) experienced during two periods (precare and during-care) were used in conjunction with a measure of perceived social support (reflecting support availability and social network sufficiency) in negative binomial regression models predicting depressive symptoms. Both precare and during-care maltreatment were associated with depressive symptoms as a young adult. Social support had a direct effect on depressive symptoms as well as moderation and partial mediation effects on the relationship between maltreatment and depression. Social support's buffering effect was stronger for those experiencing fewer types of maltreatment. This buffering effect appears to diminish as maltreatment histories become more complex.

Understanding Identity Development and Spirituality in African American Female Adolescents through Their Foster Care Experience

A qualitative research study was conducted to understand the meaning and experience of foster care and identity development for African American females who had been in foster care during adolescence. The study was designed to maximize the common epistemological traditions of social work and the African American experience, and integrate knowledge from the arenas of practice wisdom, the discipline of social work, and the knowledge of adult African American women who have experienced the phenomenon. An unexpected finding of the research was that many of the women, unsolicited, expressed a belief in the importance of spirituality to their understanding and acceptance of what had happened to them during and after the foster care experience. The phenomenon is examined through three themes including a stated belief in God, the frequent use of the language of spirituality, and evidence of participation in religious activity.

P01-335-Stress and trauma in children in foster and institutional care

Current studies show that individuals who were in foster or institutional care experience higher rates of physical and psychiatric morbidity than the general population. Children in foster care have a higher probability of having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and deficits in executive functioning, anxiety as well other developmental problems. These children experience higher degrees of incarceration, poverty, homelessness, and suicide.Recent studies show alarming occurrence of trauma and high stress load in children in institutional but as well as foster care.We have conducted an extensive study (n = 360) monitoring occurrence of trauma in history of children in foster care (n = 120), in institutional care (n = 120) and in functional biological families (n = 120). We have also evaluated levels of social emotional development and occurrence of child psychopathology.The results of the presented study showed that children in institutional and foster care show substantially higher occurrence of trauma in their history, higher incidence of reactive psychopathology (i.e. depression) and their level of social emotional development is substantially lower comparing to children from functional biological families (p < 0.01).The study proposes that children in foster and institutional care require substantial psychosocial support and attention.SUPPORTED BY THE RESEARCH GRANT GK MPSV-01-202.

School-Based Mental Health Services: Funding Options and Issues

Approximately 18% to 22% of youngsters experience mental health problems and, of those, 5% to 8% have diagnosable mental disorders or serious emotional disturbance. Children in foster care experience even higher levels of mental health problems. Unfortunately, only 7% to 16% of those children actually receive mental health services—typically provided by schools. Consequently, school-based mental health services have moved in new directions in recent years, including increased training for teachers, infusion of more mental health practitioners, and renewed commitment to the wraparound approach. However, all of these require time and money. An often neglected area is the availability of federal funding intended to provide children and adolescents with access to mental health services in schools. The purpose of this article is to describe federal legislative mandates and initiatives that have funding mechanisms to provide mental health services to children in schools. The challenges schools face in implementing these services are also addressed.

Adoption satisfaction of Black adopted children

The purpose of this study was to learn of Black adopted children's adoption adjustment by investigating their beliefs about adoption, spirituality, family support, and their attributions in relation to their beliefs about adoption satisfaction. In addition, their characteristics and birth family and foster care experiences were examined. Fifty-six children who were adopted at older ages (3 years to 11 years) from the public foster care system participated. Children who believed they were more spiritual and those who believed they had more family support reported being more satisfied with their adoptions. Suggestions are to provide children with opportunities to support their spirituality and involvement with mentors from the time they enter foster care to post-adoption.

Siblings in Foster Care: An Overview of Research, Policy, and Practice

Sibling relationships in the foster care experience have historically taken a back seat to other issues, such as the child–caregiver relationship. Estimates of the number of United States foster children who come from a sibling group range from 65% to 85%. An estimated more than 50% of those children are separated from at least one sibling. The purpose of this article is to review the limited empirical data on siblings in foster care, as well as to provide an overview of the policies and practices that have been influential in the lives of siblings served by the child welfare system.

Educational and Employment Achievements of American Indian/Alaska Native Alumni of Foster Care

Little is known about the outcomes of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) alumni of foster care. As part of the Casey National Alumni Study, case record reviews documenting youth experiences before and during care were conducted for all youth served by Casey Family Programs between 1966 and 1998. Interviews assessing education, employment, and financial outcomes were conducted for 1,068 alumni, of whom 243 (23%) identified themselves as AI/AN. Few differences were observed between AI/AN and White alumni in demographics, risk factors, and foster care experiences. White alumni, however, had more positive outcomes on most education and employment outcomes. Focused research is needed to develop culturally appropriate practices and better understand the needs and outcomes of AI/AN youth in care and alumni of care.

One adult who is crazy about you: Can natural mentoring relationships increase assets among young adults with and without foster care experience?

One adult who is crazy about you: Can natural mentoring relationships increase assets among young adults with and without foster care experience?

One adult who is crazy about you: Can natural mentoring relationships increase assets among young adults with and without foster care experience?

During emerging adulthood, most youth receive family support to help them weather the difficulties associated with transitioning to independence. When foster youth emancipate, they confront the challenges associated with emerging adulthood, and are at risk of having to transition without family support. Many are in danger of failing to meet minimal levels of self-sufficiency. A caring adult who offers social support is normative for adolescent development and protective for youth across many risk conditions. Natural mentoring can cultivate such relationships. This study examines the association between natural mentor relationship characteristics, and material hardship and asset-related outcomes during the emerging adulthood period in both a normative sample of young adults and young adults identified as former foster youth. This study also considers the potential mediating effect of future expectations. Data from Wave 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health that pertain to 15,197 respondents are used. Path models with categorical dependent variables were estimated using a maximum likelihood method with standard errors that are robust to non-normality and non-independence of observations. “Like a parent”, “role model”, and “guidance/advice” were significantly associated with assets among both groups. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on natural mentoring and former foster youth, and highlights the value of increasing our understanding of natural mentor roles for intervention development. The focus on asset-related outcomes is a novel approach to investigate the benefits of natural mentoring to the healthy development of youth. This paper is the first to consider the association between natural mentoring and asset building among both former and nonformer foster youth.

The Experiment of Foster Care

We sought to provide a new framework for understanding the training and ongoing support of foster parents. The experiences of authorized foster parents were viewed in the context of an experiment, whereby foster parents entered an out-of-home care placement with preconceived ideas and expectations of what the provision of care would be like. We have investigated the experience of foster care from the perspective of the foster parent who tests expectations of providing care as one might conduct any experiment. Focus group discussion yielded five global domains of foster care experience: birth family, motivation, agency influences, relationship impacts, and attachment. Foster carers commonly described these domains as central to the overall experience of providing foster care. Furthermore, specific experiences within each domain were seen to either encourage or discourage the further provision of foster care. Individual interviews regarding the practical experiences related to these domains uncovered struggles of foster parents who sought to understand their role identity as a “foster parent”, and their self identity as a “mother”. We discuss implications arising from the experience of these domains of care and their related struggles.

The effects of kinship care on adult mental health outcomes of alumni of foster care

Kinship foster care is emerging into the dominant preferred placement type for out-of-home care, exceeding traditional foster care and group care. The push towards kinship foster care has brought up questions as to whether kinship foster care can better provide for the short- and long-term emotional needs of children in care. This study examined the effects of kinship foster care on adult mental health outcomes of former foster children. Data were drawn from the Casey National Alumni Study and included case record data on 1582 alumni and interviews of 1068 alumni. The adjusted response rate was 73%. Logistic regression was used to compare several patterns of placements in kinship care and their impact on mental health functioning in the year prior to interview. Results indicated that long-term kinship care alone does not result in more positive adult mental health as measured by ten specific mental health outcomes when demographics, risk factors, and foster care experiences were controlled. However, a variety of other in-care factors were identified that were associated to positive mental health functioning.

Ethnic group comparisons in mental health outcomes of adult alumni of foster care

Racial similarities and differences in mental health outcomes of African American and White adults placed in foster care as children were examined. Existing general population studies present mixed findings as to whether racial differences in mental health exist, therefore, the current study sought to test the null hypothesis of no racial group differences in this sample of young adult alumni of foster care who were all placed as children with a private foster care agency. Specifically, logistic regression analyses were used to compare mental health outcomes among African American and White alumni. Race/ethnicity was significant only for the diagnosis of 12-month Modified Social Phobia. When controlling for demographic background, risk factors, and foster care experiences, race/ethnicity ceased to be a significant factor.

Disproportionality in education and employment outcomes of adult foster care alumni

Racial similarities and disparities in the education and employment of 134 African American and 574 White adults placed in foster care as children were examined. Logistic regression was used to compare differences among these young adult alumni who were served by a voluntary foster care agency in 23 U.S. communities. When controlling for demographic background, risk factors, and foster care experiences, race/ethnicity was a significant factor only in the increased odds of White alumni having income at or above poverty level, three times poverty level, and home/apartment ownership compared to African Americans.