Pub Date : 2019-12-01DOI: 10.1177/2516103219892636
M. Dejong, S. Wilkinson
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is a new diagnosis which has been developed for the forthcoming International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision criteria. This is in recognition of the impact of repeated, interpersonal trauma and an emerging evidence base supporting a distinction between PTSD and CPTSD, with its disturbances in self-organization in addition to the core features of reexperiencing, avoidance, and hypervigilance. The new diagnosis is discussed in the context of assessing children who have experienced maltreatment, many of whom will have affect dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and negative thoughts about themselves. However, not all maltreated children will have the core features of PTSD, and they may be affected in various other ways, which are discussed in the experience of a specialist clinic taking referrals for children who have been abused or neglected. The assessments recognize that maltreated children are typically exposed to multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. Traumatic symptoms are seen an adaptation to chronic threat, and close attention is also paid to systemic factors such as family relationships. Young children with PTSD will require developmentally sensitive assessment. Maltreated children are at high risk of mental health and neurodevelopmental problems but may present with symptoms in various domains which cumulatively are very impairing without always meeting diagnostic thresholds. Children may frequently be referred with possible autistic traits or symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, which need to be assessed in the light of their traumatic backgrounds. Assessing the role attachment in the development of children who have been abused or neglected is also considered.
{"title":"Assessment of mental health problems in children following early maltreatment: What will the new diagnosis of complex PTSD add?","authors":"M. Dejong, S. Wilkinson","doi":"10.1177/2516103219892636","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219892636","url":null,"abstract":"Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is a new diagnosis which has been developed for the forthcoming International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision criteria. This is in recognition of the impact of repeated, interpersonal trauma and an emerging evidence base supporting a distinction between PTSD and CPTSD, with its disturbances in self-organization in addition to the core features of reexperiencing, avoidance, and hypervigilance. The new diagnosis is discussed in the context of assessing children who have experienced maltreatment, many of whom will have affect dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and negative thoughts about themselves. However, not all maltreated children will have the core features of PTSD, and they may be affected in various other ways, which are discussed in the experience of a specialist clinic taking referrals for children who have been abused or neglected. The assessments recognize that maltreated children are typically exposed to multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. Traumatic symptoms are seen an adaptation to chronic threat, and close attention is also paid to systemic factors such as family relationships. Young children with PTSD will require developmentally sensitive assessment. Maltreated children are at high risk of mental health and neurodevelopmental problems but may present with symptoms in various domains which cumulatively are very impairing without always meeting diagnostic thresholds. Children may frequently be referred with possible autistic traits or symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, which need to be assessed in the light of their traumatic backgrounds. Assessing the role attachment in the development of children who have been abused or neglected is also considered.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"360 - 373"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219892636","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48750592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-11-18DOI: 10.1177/2516103219887974
Whitney D. de Haan, Sheila R. van Berkel, Sabine van der Asdonk, C. Finkenauer, C. Forder, Marinus H. van IJzendoorn, C. Schuengel, Lenneke R. A. Alink
Decisions regarding out-of-home placement of children are complicated and of high impact for children and parents. Previous studies show low agreement between professionals on these decisions, and research regarding the influence of characteristics of decision-makers on the content of the decisions taken remains inconclusive. This study explored the relation between general and psychological characteristics of 144 professionals (child welfare professionals, children’s court judges, and master students) using vignettes and questionnaires. Professionals’ mind-set regarding the ability of parents to achieve change (parent-specific mind-set) and their attitude toward the harmfulness of out-of-home placements were related to their decision-making. General decision-maker factors (the professional’s background and work experience), the mind-set toward the ability of people in general to change (dispositional mind-set), and professionals’ attitude toward the effectiveness of out-of-home placements were not related to their decisions. This field of practice needs to reflect on the role of implicit beliefs in making placement decisions about children.
{"title":"Out-of-home placement decisions: How individual characteristics of professionals are reflected in deciding about child protection cases","authors":"Whitney D. de Haan, Sheila R. van Berkel, Sabine van der Asdonk, C. Finkenauer, C. Forder, Marinus H. van IJzendoorn, C. Schuengel, Lenneke R. A. Alink","doi":"10.1177/2516103219887974","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219887974","url":null,"abstract":"Decisions regarding out-of-home placement of children are complicated and of high impact for children and parents. Previous studies show low agreement between professionals on these decisions, and research regarding the influence of characteristics of decision-makers on the content of the decisions taken remains inconclusive. This study explored the relation between general and psychological characteristics of 144 professionals (child welfare professionals, children’s court judges, and master students) using vignettes and questionnaires. Professionals’ mind-set regarding the ability of parents to achieve change (parent-specific mind-set) and their attitude toward the harmfulness of out-of-home placements were related to their decision-making. General decision-maker factors (the professional’s background and work experience), the mind-set toward the ability of people in general to change (dispositional mind-set), and professionals’ attitude toward the effectiveness of out-of-home placements were not related to their decisions. This field of practice needs to reflect on the role of implicit beliefs in making placement decisions about children.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"312 - 326"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219887974","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41512476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-10-30DOI: 10.1177/2516103219881652
J. Bick, Rebecca Lipschutz, T. Lind, Lindsay Zajac, M. Dozier
Young children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk for disruptive behavior problems. In high-risk environments, children’s difficulties regulating negative emotions and behavior may be an important precursor to later disruptive behavior problems. This longitudinal study examined associations between early home risk factors and trajectories of disruptive behavior in young children in Child Protective Services–involved families. Standardized observations of disruptive behavior, home environment quality, and parenting risk were measured when children (N = 142) were 36 and 48 months old. Results of multiple indicator latent change models showed that early childhood anger dysregulation decreased over the early preschool period. Early home and parenting risk factors (increased harsh parenting, reduced organization of the home, and decreased parental involvement and responsiveness) were associated with higher baseline values of anger dysregulation at 36 months, but not with change in anger dysregulation over the preschool period. These findings hold important implications for early prevention and intervention for externalizing problems among children in the child welfare system.
{"title":"Associations between early home environment and trajectories of disruptive behavior among preschoolers reared in CPS-referred families","authors":"J. Bick, Rebecca Lipschutz, T. Lind, Lindsay Zajac, M. Dozier","doi":"10.1177/2516103219881652","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219881652","url":null,"abstract":"Young children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk for disruptive behavior problems. In high-risk environments, children’s difficulties regulating negative emotions and behavior may be an important precursor to later disruptive behavior problems. This longitudinal study examined associations between early home risk factors and trajectories of disruptive behavior in young children in Child Protective Services–involved families. Standardized observations of disruptive behavior, home environment quality, and parenting risk were measured when children (N = 142) were 36 and 48 months old. Results of multiple indicator latent change models showed that early childhood anger dysregulation decreased over the early preschool period. Early home and parenting risk factors (increased harsh parenting, reduced organization of the home, and decreased parental involvement and responsiveness) were associated with higher baseline values of anger dysregulation at 36 months, but not with change in anger dysregulation over the preschool period. These findings hold important implications for early prevention and intervention for externalizing problems among children in the child welfare system.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"297 - 311"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219881652","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45722344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-09-01DOI: 10.1177/2516103219873011
Adeline Wyman Battalen, A. Goldberg, D. Brodzinsky, R. McRoy, S. Hawkins
The aim of our study was to examine the associations between heterosexual and sexual minority adoptive parents’ adoption-related help-seeking and their service satisfaction with pediatricians and mental health providers. We examined associations with (a) satisfaction with pediatricians and (b) understanding of adoption by a mental health provider among adoptive parents who sought advice for adoption-related issues using data drawn from the Modern Adoptive Families study (N = 1,419). Logistic regressions were used to examine associations with service-seeking and satisfaction with professionals’ adoption advice. About half of the sample adopted a child with either special needs at placement (55%) and/or preplacement adversity (74%), which were significantly associated with seeking adoption-related advice. Consulting pediatricians about adoption was common (78%), and 83% of those parents reported being satisfied with adoption-related advice provided by their pediatrician. About half (51%) of the parents sought mental health services, but only 41% of those parents reported having access to an adoption-competent mental health provider and 50% of those parents felt their mental health provider understood adoption. Parent sexual orientation, higher income, older child age, and having a child with special needs were positively associated with satisfaction with adoption-related advice provided by the pediatrician and having a mental health provider who understood adoption. Adopting a child with special needs at placement and an older child were positive associations of seeking adoption-related help, while parent demographics, including higher household income, were positively associated with satisfaction. Results suggest an inclusive family-centered approach to care is important.
{"title":"Heterosexual and sexual minority adoptive parents’ help-seeking and service satisfaction of pediatricians and mental health providers","authors":"Adeline Wyman Battalen, A. Goldberg, D. Brodzinsky, R. McRoy, S. Hawkins","doi":"10.1177/2516103219873011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219873011","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of our study was to examine the associations between heterosexual and sexual minority adoptive parents’ adoption-related help-seeking and their service satisfaction with pediatricians and mental health providers. We examined associations with (a) satisfaction with pediatricians and (b) understanding of adoption by a mental health provider among adoptive parents who sought advice for adoption-related issues using data drawn from the Modern Adoptive Families study (N = 1,419). Logistic regressions were used to examine associations with service-seeking and satisfaction with professionals’ adoption advice. About half of the sample adopted a child with either special needs at placement (55%) and/or preplacement adversity (74%), which were significantly associated with seeking adoption-related advice. Consulting pediatricians about adoption was common (78%), and 83% of those parents reported being satisfied with adoption-related advice provided by their pediatrician. About half (51%) of the parents sought mental health services, but only 41% of those parents reported having access to an adoption-competent mental health provider and 50% of those parents felt their mental health provider understood adoption. Parent sexual orientation, higher income, older child age, and having a child with special needs were positively associated with satisfaction with adoption-related advice provided by the pediatrician and having a mental health provider who understood adoption. Adopting a child with special needs at placement and an older child were positive associations of seeking adoption-related help, while parent demographics, including higher household income, were positively associated with satisfaction. Results suggest an inclusive family-centered approach to care is important.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"233 - 250"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219873011","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41374943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-09-01DOI: 10.1177/2516103219867958
G. Chng, W. Yip, L. Pek, M. Ting, C. Chu
Children and young persons (CYPs) in out-of-home care often demonstrate a variety of needs resultant from their early adverse experiences and complex family backgrounds. In Singapore, the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment tool is used to capture the individual’s needs and strengths for case planning. This study had two aims: first, it sought to test whether CYPs who entered residential care with higher level-of-care (LoC) scores on the CANS tool, indicative of higher needs or more intensive services required, were more likely to experience a critical incident. Second, it aimed to test the various needs separately with the occurrence of critical incidents to delineate the impact of each individual need on critical incident. Using a sample of 488 CYPs aged between 5 years and 17 years who were residing in 13 voluntary children’s homes in Singapore, the study found that 46.3% of the sample had experienced a critical incident. The results showed that CYPs with higher LoC scores were more likely to have a critical incident, although this comparison was only significant between the lowest and highest LoC scores. Child-related issues such as the presence of self-harm and risk of suicide, behavioral problems, emotional problems, sexual behavior, delinquency, and poor caregiver bond at entry to residential care were also observed to be significantly associated with the occurrence of critical incidents. The findings and implications are discussed accordingly.
{"title":"Examining the relationship between the needs of children and young persons living in residential care and critical incidents using the Singapore CANS assessment tool","authors":"G. Chng, W. Yip, L. Pek, M. Ting, C. Chu","doi":"10.1177/2516103219867958","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219867958","url":null,"abstract":"Children and young persons (CYPs) in out-of-home care often demonstrate a variety of needs resultant from their early adverse experiences and complex family backgrounds. In Singapore, the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment tool is used to capture the individual’s needs and strengths for case planning. This study had two aims: first, it sought to test whether CYPs who entered residential care with higher level-of-care (LoC) scores on the CANS tool, indicative of higher needs or more intensive services required, were more likely to experience a critical incident. Second, it aimed to test the various needs separately with the occurrence of critical incidents to delineate the impact of each individual need on critical incident. Using a sample of 488 CYPs aged between 5 years and 17 years who were residing in 13 voluntary children’s homes in Singapore, the study found that 46.3% of the sample had experienced a critical incident. The results showed that CYPs with higher LoC scores were more likely to have a critical incident, although this comparison was only significant between the lowest and highest LoC scores. Child-related issues such as the presence of self-harm and risk of suicide, behavioral problems, emotional problems, sexual behavior, delinquency, and poor caregiver bond at entry to residential care were also observed to be significantly associated with the occurrence of critical incidents. The findings and implications are discussed accordingly.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"217 - 232"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219867958","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47762404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-09-01DOI: 10.1177/2516103219874810
M. Tarren‐Sweeney, Anouk Goemans
The present review sought to address the following questions: What evidence is there that long-term, family-based out-of-home care (OOHC) has a general, population-wide effect on children’s mental health such that it is generally reparative or generally harmful? Does entry into long-term OOHC affect children’s mental health, as evidenced by prospective changes over the first years in care? And, is the reparative potential of long-term, family-based OOHC moderated by children’s age at entry into care? Fourteen studies were identified for review. We found no consistent evidence that family-based OOHC exerts a general, population-wide effect on the mental health of children in care; or that entry into care has an initial effect on children’s mental health; or that children’s age at entry into care moderates their subsequent mental health trajectories. Instead, several longitudinal studies have found that sizable proportions of children in care manifest meaningful improvement in their mental health over both short- and long-term time frames and that similarly sizable proportions experience meaningful deterioration in their mental health. Rather than asking whether long-term, family-based care is generally reparative or harmful for the development of previously maltreated children, future investigations should instead focus on identifying the systemic and interpersonal characteristics of care that promote and sustain children’s psychological development throughout childhood—and those characteristics that are developmentally harmful (i.e., for which children is the experience of care beneficial, and for which children is it not?). The review concludes with recommendations for the design of improved cohort studies that can address these questions.
{"title":"A narrative review of stability and change in the mental health of children who grow up in family-based out-of-home care","authors":"M. Tarren‐Sweeney, Anouk Goemans","doi":"10.1177/2516103219874810","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219874810","url":null,"abstract":"The present review sought to address the following questions: What evidence is there that long-term, family-based out-of-home care (OOHC) has a general, population-wide effect on children’s mental health such that it is generally reparative or generally harmful? Does entry into long-term OOHC affect children’s mental health, as evidenced by prospective changes over the first years in care? And, is the reparative potential of long-term, family-based OOHC moderated by children’s age at entry into care? Fourteen studies were identified for review. We found no consistent evidence that family-based OOHC exerts a general, population-wide effect on the mental health of children in care; or that entry into care has an initial effect on children’s mental health; or that children’s age at entry into care moderates their subsequent mental health trajectories. Instead, several longitudinal studies have found that sizable proportions of children in care manifest meaningful improvement in their mental health over both short- and long-term time frames and that similarly sizable proportions experience meaningful deterioration in their mental health. Rather than asking whether long-term, family-based care is generally reparative or harmful for the development of previously maltreated children, future investigations should instead focus on identifying the systemic and interpersonal characteristics of care that promote and sustain children’s psychological development throughout childhood—and those characteristics that are developmentally harmful (i.e., for which children is the experience of care beneficial, and for which children is it not?). The review concludes with recommendations for the design of improved cohort studies that can address these questions.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"273 - 294"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219874810","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44162042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-02DOI: 10.1177/2516103219866198
E. Romano, J. Moorman, Véronique Bonneville, Carl Newton, R. Flynn
Adolescent males comprise a significant number of youth in out-of-home care, yet our understanding of their past adverse experiences and current functioning remains relatively limited. The current study relied on data from the Assessment and Action Record—second Canadian version for a representative sample of 508 12- to 17-year-olds in out-of-home care across the province of Ontario (Canada). Findings indicated high rates of maltreatment (especially emotional abuse) as the primary reason for child welfare entry, with an elevated occurrence of multiple exposure to different types of maltreatment (71.6% of youth). Once in care, male youth appeared vulnerable to continuing adverse experiences, with 23.8% experiencing maltreatment (emotional abuse and neglect) and non-maltreatment adversity primarily in the form of school changes and suspensions. Results on current functioning suggested some relative strengths (e.g., developmental assets) but also challenges in the areas of substance use, mental health, caregiver relationship, and academic performance. Past emotional abuse and neglect, as well as greater maltreatment exposure, significantly predicted greater substance use, while greater past-year individual adversities (e.g., school changes and suspensions) predicted poorer academic performance. Findings point to the importance of child welfare’s continued monitoring of adolescent males’ safety and well-being across home and school settings, as well as the reliance on trauma-informed practices to address the multiple needs of male youth in out-of-home care. Our findings also highlight the importance of using data in child welfare practice to regularly assess the well-being of youth in out-of-home care for purposes of service planning and delivery.
{"title":"Adolescent males in out-of- home care: Past adversity and current functioning","authors":"E. Romano, J. Moorman, Véronique Bonneville, Carl Newton, R. Flynn","doi":"10.1177/2516103219866198","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219866198","url":null,"abstract":"Adolescent males comprise a significant number of youth in out-of-home care, yet our understanding of their past adverse experiences and current functioning remains relatively limited. The current study relied on data from the Assessment and Action Record—second Canadian version for a representative sample of 508 12- to 17-year-olds in out-of-home care across the province of Ontario (Canada). Findings indicated high rates of maltreatment (especially emotional abuse) as the primary reason for child welfare entry, with an elevated occurrence of multiple exposure to different types of maltreatment (71.6% of youth). Once in care, male youth appeared vulnerable to continuing adverse experiences, with 23.8% experiencing maltreatment (emotional abuse and neglect) and non-maltreatment adversity primarily in the form of school changes and suspensions. Results on current functioning suggested some relative strengths (e.g., developmental assets) but also challenges in the areas of substance use, mental health, caregiver relationship, and academic performance. Past emotional abuse and neglect, as well as greater maltreatment exposure, significantly predicted greater substance use, while greater past-year individual adversities (e.g., school changes and suspensions) predicted poorer academic performance. Findings point to the importance of child welfare’s continued monitoring of adolescent males’ safety and well-being across home and school settings, as well as the reliance on trauma-informed practices to address the multiple needs of male youth in out-of-home care. Our findings also highlight the importance of using data in child welfare practice to regularly assess the well-being of youth in out-of-home care for purposes of service planning and delivery.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"199 - 216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219866198","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42978799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-05-06DOI: 10.1177/2516103219845374
M. Kungl, S. Gabler, I. Bovenschen, Katrin Lang, Janin Zimmermann, G. Spangler
There is evidence that within the first year in the foster home, children are capable of forming secure attachment comparable to normative samples. However, less is known about the nature of these newly formed relationships and it has been claimed that they may serve different developmental functions as those to primary caregivers formed in the first year of life. The current study aimed to address this void by applying a behavioral system approach. The sample consisted of 46 children (aged 3–6), 16 of which were currently placed in foster care. Attachment security and dependency were assessed during a home visit using the Attachment Q-Sort. Furthermore, activation of several attachment-related behavioral systems was assessed during a stranger approach in a standardized laboratory setting. Compared to the control group, foster children showed equal levels of attachment security but highly increased dependency scores. Also, during the stranger approach, they showed increased attachment behaviors toward their foster mothers and, at the same time, increased looking behavior toward the stranger. The study points out the relevance of taking into account various attachment-related constructs when investigating formations to new attachment figures in out of home care. It further claims that increased dependency and proximity-seeking scores in foster children are characteristic of the newly formed relationship and a possible indicator of foster children’s adaption. Moreover, this behavior may even be highly beneficial to foster children’s socio-emotional development as it possibly serves important developmental functions.
{"title":"Attachment, dependency, and attachment-related behaviors in foster children: A closer look at the nature of the foster child–caregiver relationship","authors":"M. Kungl, S. Gabler, I. Bovenschen, Katrin Lang, Janin Zimmermann, G. Spangler","doi":"10.1177/2516103219845374","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219845374","url":null,"abstract":"There is evidence that within the first year in the foster home, children are capable of forming secure attachment comparable to normative samples. However, less is known about the nature of these newly formed relationships and it has been claimed that they may serve different developmental functions as those to primary caregivers formed in the first year of life. The current study aimed to address this void by applying a behavioral system approach. The sample consisted of 46 children (aged 3–6), 16 of which were currently placed in foster care. Attachment security and dependency were assessed during a home visit using the Attachment Q-Sort. Furthermore, activation of several attachment-related behavioral systems was assessed during a stranger approach in a standardized laboratory setting. Compared to the control group, foster children showed equal levels of attachment security but highly increased dependency scores. Also, during the stranger approach, they showed increased attachment behaviors toward their foster mothers and, at the same time, increased looking behavior toward the stranger. The study points out the relevance of taking into account various attachment-related constructs when investigating formations to new attachment figures in out of home care. It further claims that increased dependency and proximity-seeking scores in foster children are characteristic of the newly formed relationship and a possible indicator of foster children’s adaption. Moreover, this behavior may even be highly beneficial to foster children’s socio-emotional development as it possibly serves important developmental functions.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"107 - 123"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219845374","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44620167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-03-28DOI: 10.1177/2516103219829756
M. Tarren‐Sweeney, Anouk Goemans, Anna Sophie Hahne, M. Gieve
Although children residing in statutory out-of-home care and those adopted from care are more likely than not to have mental health difficulties requiring clinical intervention or support, their difficulties often remain undetected. Children’s agencies have a duty of care to identify those child clients who require therapeutic and other support services, without regard to the availability of such services. The present article proposes a first-stage mental health screening procedure (calibrated for high sensitivity) for children and adolescents (ages 4–17) in alternative care, which children’s agencies can implement without clinical oversight using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Brief Assessment Checklists (BAC). The screening procedure was derived from analyses of BAC, SDQ, and “proxy SDQ” scores obtained in three national studies of children and adolescents residing in alternative care (Australia, the Netherlands, and England). The SDQ and BAC demonstrated moderate to high screening accuracy across a range of clinical case criteria—the SDQ being slightly better at predicting general mental health problems and the BAC slightly better at predicting attachment- and trauma-related problems. Accurate first-stage screening is achieved using either the SDQ or the BAC alone, with recommended cut points of 10 (i.e., positive screen is 10 or higher) for the SDQ and 7 for the BAC. Greater accuracy is gained from using the SDQ and BAC in parallel, with positive screens defined by an SDQ score of 11 or higher or a BAC score of 8 or higher. Agencies and post-adoption support services should refer positive screens for comprehensive mental health assessment by clinical services.
{"title":"Mental health screening for children in care using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Brief Assessment Checklists: Guidance from three national studies","authors":"M. Tarren‐Sweeney, Anouk Goemans, Anna Sophie Hahne, M. Gieve","doi":"10.1177/2516103219829756","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219829756","url":null,"abstract":"Although children residing in statutory out-of-home care and those adopted from care are more likely than not to have mental health difficulties requiring clinical intervention or support, their difficulties often remain undetected. Children’s agencies have a duty of care to identify those child clients who require therapeutic and other support services, without regard to the availability of such services. The present article proposes a first-stage mental health screening procedure (calibrated for high sensitivity) for children and adolescents (ages 4–17) in alternative care, which children’s agencies can implement without clinical oversight using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Brief Assessment Checklists (BAC). The screening procedure was derived from analyses of BAC, SDQ, and “proxy SDQ” scores obtained in three national studies of children and adolescents residing in alternative care (Australia, the Netherlands, and England). The SDQ and BAC demonstrated moderate to high screening accuracy across a range of clinical case criteria—the SDQ being slightly better at predicting general mental health problems and the BAC slightly better at predicting attachment- and trauma-related problems. Accurate first-stage screening is achieved using either the SDQ or the BAC alone, with recommended cut points of 10 (i.e., positive screen is 10 or higher) for the SDQ and 7 for the BAC. Greater accuracy is gained from using the SDQ and BAC in parallel, with positive screens defined by an SDQ score of 11 or higher or a BAC score of 8 or higher. Agencies and post-adoption support services should refer positive screens for comprehensive mental health assessment by clinical services.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"177 - 196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219829756","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47029504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-03-13DOI: 10.1177/2516103219829861
J. Staines, K. Golding, J. Selwyn
This article draws on an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Nurturing Attachments group work program provided by AdoptionPlus for adoptive families in England. Twenty-nine adoptive families participated in a longitudinal quantitative study, completing questionnaires and validated measures before and after group attendance. The Nurturing Attachments program, informed by Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, was developed to help foster and adoptive parents strengthen their relationships with the child and support children who had experienced developmental traumas. Most parents were caring for children who were late placed and who had complex and overlapping difficulties. Post-training, parents reported increased confidence in their own parenting and statistically significant positive changes in self-efficacy and in their capacity for reflective functioning. However, unexpectedly, adoptive parents identified more children as having greater emotional and peer difficulties and fewer with symptoms of conduct disorders. This article focuses on the relationship between perceptions of adopted children’s behavior and parental reflective functioning (PRF) and self-efficacy. It explores whether improved reflective functioning, particularly curiosity, led to a better understanding of their child’s behaviors and thus an increased recognition of emotional distress. Recommendations for supporting adoptive parents, including the importance of supporting PRF, within a wraparound package of support during childhood and adolescence are made.
{"title":"Nurturing attachments parenting program: The relationship between adopters’ parental reflective functioning and perception of their children’s difficulties","authors":"J. Staines, K. Golding, J. Selwyn","doi":"10.1177/2516103219829861","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219829861","url":null,"abstract":"This article draws on an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Nurturing Attachments group work program provided by AdoptionPlus for adoptive families in England. Twenty-nine adoptive families participated in a longitudinal quantitative study, completing questionnaires and validated measures before and after group attendance. The Nurturing Attachments program, informed by Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, was developed to help foster and adoptive parents strengthen their relationships with the child and support children who had experienced developmental traumas. Most parents were caring for children who were late placed and who had complex and overlapping difficulties. Post-training, parents reported increased confidence in their own parenting and statistically significant positive changes in self-efficacy and in their capacity for reflective functioning. However, unexpectedly, adoptive parents identified more children as having greater emotional and peer difficulties and fewer with symptoms of conduct disorders. This article focuses on the relationship between perceptions of adopted children’s behavior and parental reflective functioning (PRF) and self-efficacy. It explores whether improved reflective functioning, particularly curiosity, led to a better understanding of their child’s behaviors and thus an increased recognition of emotional distress. Recommendations for supporting adoptive parents, including the importance of supporting PRF, within a wraparound package of support during childhood and adolescence are made.","PeriodicalId":36239,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Child Welfare","volume":"1 1","pages":"143 - 158"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2516103219829861","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48460055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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