Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Kinship foster care among African American youth: interaction effects at multiple contextual levels
- Authors:
- RUFA Anne K., FOWLER Patrick J.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Service Research, 42(1), 2016, pp.26-40.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study investigated the effects of kinship foster care on mental health outcomes among African American youth. Longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of children and adolescents involved in the child welfare system provided multilevel data on African American youth (n = 225) placed into foster care. Current caregivers reported on youth internalising and externalising symptoms immediately following placement into out-of-home care, as well as 18 months later. Path analysis tested a theoretical model that compared placements with kin to other formal out-of-home arrangements in context of setting characteristics, including aspects of caregiver and neighbourhood disorder. Results suggested significant increases in internalising symptoms over time for youth with more baseline mental health problems, as well as those placed in more distressed neighbourhoods. Increased externalising symptoms occurred among youth with greater baseline behaviour problems, those placed in more problematic neighbourhoods, and youth who experienced a placement change between assessments. Additionally, a combination of placement characteristics predicted increases in externalising problems; youth placed in kinship foster care with older caregivers in poorer health exhibited greater increases in externalising problems. Findings highlighted important contextual considerations for out-of-home placement among African American youth. (Edited publisher abstract)
Social functioning and mental health among children who have been living in kinship and non-kinship foster care: results from an 8-year follow-up with a Norwegian sample
- Authors:
- VIS Svein Arild, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Family Social Work, 21(4), 2016, pp.557-567.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Studies have shown relatively high rates of emotional and behavioural problems among children living in out-of-home care. This study reports the prevalence of social problems at an 8-year follow-up for a group of children/young adults. Predictors for prevalence and change in emotional and behavioural problems at the follow-up are examined. A prospective cohort design with 233 children who had been living in foster care was used. Forty-eight per cent (n = 111) of those interviewed at baseline were located and interviewed at follow-up. Mean age was 17.4 (standard deviation = 2.9) years. Mental health symptomatology was measured with Child Behaviour Checklist and Adult Self-Report. Linear and generalized mixed model analyses were used. Changes in internalizing and externalizing problems from baseline to follow-up was associated with gender. Boys showed more problems at a young age, whereas girls developed more problems later. Predictors for social problems at follow-up were mental health at baseline, kinship care and care placement away from the local community. (Publisher abstract)
Mental health interventions for children in foster care: a systematic review
- Authors:
- HAMBRICK Erin P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 70, 2016, pp.65-77.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Children in foster care have high rates of adverse childhood experiences and are at risk for mental health problems. These problems can be difficult to ameliorate, creating a need for rigorous intervention research. Previous research suggests that intervening with children in foster care can be challenging for several reasons, including the severity and complexity of their mental health problems, and challenges engaging this often transitory population in mental health services. The goal of this article was to systematically review the intervention research that has been conducted with children in foster care, and to identify future research directions. This review was conducted on mental health interventions for children, ages 0 to 12, in foster care, using ERIC, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses Database, Social Services Abstracts, and Social Work Abstracts. It was restricted to interventions that are at least “possibly efficacious” (i.e., supported by evidence from at least one randomised controlled trial). Studies were evaluated for risk of bias. Ten interventions were identified, with diverse outcomes, including mental health and physiological. Six interventions were developed for children in foster care. Interventions not developed for children in foster care were typically adapted to the foster context. Most interventions have yet to be rigorously evaluated in community-based settings with children in foster care. Little research has been conducted on child and family engagement within these interventions, and there is a need for more research on moderators of intervention outcomes and subgroups that benefit most from these interventions. In addition, there is no consensus regarding how to adapt interventions to this population. Future research should focus on developing and testing more interventions with this population, rigorously evaluating their effectiveness in community-based settings, determining necessary adaptations, and identifying which interventions work best for whom
Development and implementation of a child welfare workforce strategy to build a trauma-informed system of support for foster care
- Authors:
- KERNS Suzanne E.U., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Maltreatment, 21(2), 2016, pp.135-146.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Effective strategies that increase the extent to which child welfare professionals engage in trauma-informed case planning are needed. This study evaluated two approaches to increase trauma symptom identification and use of screening results to inform case planning. The first study evaluated the impact of training on trauma-informed screening tools for 44 child welfare professionals who screen all children upon placement into foster care. The second study evaluated a two-stage approach to training child welfare workers on case planning for children’s mental health. Participants included (a) 71 newly hired child welfare professionals who received a 3-hr training and (b) 55 child welfare professionals who participated in a full-day training. Results from the first study indicate that training effectively increased knowledge and skills in administering screening tools, though there was variability in comfort with screening. In the second study, participants self-reported significant gains in their competency in identifying mental health needs (including traumatic stress) and linking children with evidence-based services. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the viability of this approach to increase the extent to which child welfare professionals are trauma informed, aware of symptoms, and able to link children and youth with effective services designed to meet their specific needs. (Publisher abstract)
Borderline personality disorder typical symptoms among Brazilian adolescents in a foster care institution
- Authors:
- SCHAFER Julia L., DORNELLES Vinícius G., HORTA Rogerio L.
- Journal article citation:
- Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 11(1), 2016, pp.13-23.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms usually emerge during adolescence. Because it is a highly dysfunctional disorder, this study aimed to identify the presence of BPD typical symptoms in Brazilian adolescents in a foster care institution. This research was conducted with 44 adolescents ranging from 12 to 17 years old from a foster care institution in south of Brazil. The adolescents answered the instrument Borderline Symptoms List-23 to assess BPD symptomatology, and the psychologist of the institution answered a questionnaire about the adolescents regarding sex, age, education, the process of entering the institution and mental health history. The sample was divided in two groups: one composed of adolescents with problematic levels of symptoms, showing an intense presentation of BPD symptoms, and the other made of adolescents with non-problematic levels of symptoms, showing a slight presentation of BPD symptoms. Comparisons between sex and the instrument total scores showed that girls had significant higher means than boys (p < 0.05). Through regression analysis, the adolescents presenting problematic levels of symptoms were those who entered the foster care institution at 12 years old or older (p < 0.05), and were in high school (p < 0.05). The results of this study indicate the presence of different levels of BPD symptoms in Brazilian adolescents in the foster care institution suggesting the importance of the development of interventions aiming mental health promotion. (Publisher abstract)
Does poor school performance cause later psychosocial problems among children in foster care? evidence from national longitudinal registry data
- Authors:
- FORSMAN Hilma, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 57, 2016, pp.61-71.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Research has shown that children in foster care are a high-risk group for adverse economic, social and health related outcomes in young adulthood. Children's poor school performance has been identified as a major risk factor for these poor later life outcomes. Aiming to support the design of effective intervention strategies, this study examines the hypothesised causal effect of foster children's poor school performance on subsequent psychosocial problems, here conceptualised as economic hardship, illicit drug use, and mental health problems, in young adulthood. Using the potential outcomes approach, longitudinal register data on more than 7500 Swedish foster children born 1973–1978 were analysed by means of doubly robust treatment-effect estimators. The results show that poor school performance has a negative impact on later psychosocial problems net of observed background attributes and potential selection on unobservables, suggesting that the estimated effects allow for causal interpretations. Promotion of school performance may thus be a viable intervention path for policymakers and practitioners interested in improving foster children's overall life chances. (Edited publisher abstract)
An exploratory study of mental health interventions with infants and young children in foster care
- Authors:
- RUFF Saralyn C., AGUILAR Rosana M., CLAUSEN June Madsen
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Social Work, 19(3), 2016, pp.184-198.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Child maltreatment negatively affects the well-being and development of youth in the United States. Infants and young children are disproportionately affected in number and severity by abuse and neglect, yielding short- and long-term developmental challenges requiring the identification of research-informed, trauma-focused early interventions. This exploratory study examines 23 children who started mental health treatment at, or before, age 5. All children were removed from home for reasons of suspected abuse and neglect, placed into foster care, and provided long-term, relationship-based psychotherapy for an average of 3.35 years through A Home Within, a national nonprofit focused on the emotional health of foster children. Findings indicate substantial reductions in therapist-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, dissociative symptoms, self-injurious behavior, sleep problems, enuresis, school problems, conduct problems, sexualised behaviour, and aggression. These preliminary results support the benefits of early intervention, focused on relationships, with maltreated infants, toddlers, and pre-school children and call for additional research on interventions designed for, and utilised with, foster children. (Edited publisher abstract)