Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal最新文献

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a promising anti-poverty strategy in the United States (Hoynes & Patel, 2018). It has protective effects against adverse childhood experiences including child maltreatment (Berger et al., 2017; Biehl & Hill, 2018; Klevens et al., 2017; Rostad et al., 2020), intimate partner violence (Spencer et al., 2020), and parental mental health problems (Boyd-Swan et al., 2016; Evans & Garthwaite, 2014). Despite these positive impacts, approximately one in five families eligible for EITC does not receive it (Internal Revenue Service, 2019). The EITC Access Project involves intensive, one-on-one home visiting (delivered in conjunction with Parents As Teachers) that includes financial empowerment and education surrounding EITC across nine counties in the State of Michigan. Using paired t-tests, this study examines the outcomes of the EITC Access Project including knowledge of, application for, receipt of, and barriers to applying the EITC, and finds initial evidence that it may increase knowledge and uptake of EITC while decreasing neglect.

Risks for child maltreatment have been found to be elevated in rural (cf. urban) areas. While previous research indicates that neighborhood processes can protect against child maltreatment, how such processes may uniquely operate in rural settings remains unclear. The vast majority of research on informal social control processes has focused on urban areas with very few studies examining how such processes in rural areas may uniquely influence responses to child maltreatment. To address knowledge gaps in this area, the present qualitative study examined the perceptions of parents living in a rural Midwestern county. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 caregivers from Livingston County, Michigan, U.S. Regarding informal social control, participants were asked a series of questions regarding how they would intervene in an instance of suspected child maltreatment in their community. Thematic analysis revealed several strengths and barriers to perceiving and intervening in child maltreatment in rural settings, including close social ties, a culture of silence, maltreatment severity, and ecological challenges. These findings highlight potential reasons for which informal social control processes may differ in rural settings. Social workers may bolster child maltreatment prevention efforts in rural areas by acknowledging unique barriers and potential strengths to leverage in such communities. The current study adds to the body of work to understand rural child maltreatment, by exploring the responses to maltreatment within rural contexts; an area that has not yet been examined.

Young mothers in foster care and their children face educational, financial, and social challenges. Maternity group homes (MGHs) offer one intervention to mitigate poor outcomes. Yet, information about the experiences of mothers transitioning from MGHs is limited. Using Kool’s Theory of Adolescent Identity Development, this study examines mothers’ transitions out of MGHs and the role of formal and informal support in helping meet their family’s needs. Mothers with experience living in an MGH (n = 25) participated in telephone interviews describing their experiences in MGHs and transitions to independence. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to understand mothers’ use of formal and informal supports after MGH exit. Analysis revealed that although mothers perceived “doing it alone,” they relied on informal and formal supports. This paradox makes sense in the context of mothers’ lives. Complicated, unpredictable, and friction-laden relationships with family, friends, and acquaintances constitute mothers’ informal supports. Although mothers felt they could count on family, they described periods of homelessness, family violence, and hopelessness. Similarly, formal relationships with child welfare professionals varied and often dissipated without warning. Mothers held mixed views on government assistance although these resources consistently provided critical means for survival. Implications: Consistent with Kool’s theory, study findings suggest mothers lacked supportive relationships and critical resources that shaped identity development. Implications for assisting mothers transitioning include supporting mothers through public assistance benefits before and after MGH exit; universal basic income as they gain independence, and guidance in establishing healthy relationships.

10% of children worldwide live in households without a biological parent, and 5.4 million children live in residential care institutions. This study describes a participatory, child-informed process of developing a multidimensional measure of child subjective well-being tailored towards the priorities of children who have lived in residential care. Eight focus groups were held with n = 49 adolescents reunified with family after living in residential care in Kenya and Guatemala and six focus groups were held with n = 29 young adults who had lived in residential care during childhood. After analysis of the focus groups, and using the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Wellbeing Tool as a foundation, the resulting tool contained 43 survey questions. Member checking, translation, and cognitive interviewing were conducted. The survey was administered to N = 180 young people in Kenya and Guatemala who were reunified with family after living in residential care or at risk of entering residential care. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the measure had three salient factors with good convergent validity and internal consistency: care and safety (12 items), basic needs (13 items), and leisure and freedom (7 items). This study contributes a new, psychometrically validated survey measure that can be used to assess the well-being of children connected to residential care, as well as a replicable model for creating contextualized quantitative measures via child participation that can inform policymaking on children’s care in low- and middle-income countries.

This study aimed to explore the impacts of family and peer support on hope of Syrian refugee adolescents. The study also examined the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in this relationship. The participants consisted of 378 (164 females, 214 males) Syrian refugee high school students. The data were collected through the Dispositional Hope Scale, the Multidimensional Social Support Scale, the Academic Self-efficacy Scale, and a demographic information form. A structural equation modeling and a mediation analysis based on bootstrapping technique were performed. Findings showed that family support had a significant direct effect on hope of Syrian refugee adolescents. In addition, family support indirectly affected hope of Syrian refugee adolescents via academic self-efficacy. Increase in family support led to an increase in academic self-efficacy, and high academic self-efficacy contributed to higher hope. On the other hand, the direct effect of peer support on hope and academic self-efficacy of Syrian refugee adolescents were not significant. This study pointed out that family support is more critical than peer support to improve academic self-efficacy beliefs and hope in refugee adolescents. Social workers may benefit from these findings in their practices with refugee adolescents who feel hopeless because they play critical roles in facilitating the adaptation process, improving the well-being, and addressing social or educational problems of refugees.

Purpose

Research has demonstrated a link between out-of-home foster care and subsequent juvenile justice involvement. Understanding factors that may contribute to dual system involvement for young people who entered foster care is essential for disrupting this relationship.

Method

We used population-based linked administrative records to examine the prevalence of juvenile delinquency court petitions among individuals placed in out-of-home foster care in Los Angeles County from birth to age 18. By integrating records from child welfare and probation, this analysis of individuals born between 1998 and 2001 and who lived in the county’s out-of-home foster care system (N = 29,434) showed that 2,554 (8.7%) had encountered a juvenile delinquency court petition prior to turning 18.

Results

Regression results showed an increased rate of dual system involvement among young people in foster care who experienced unstable living conditions, periods of absence from care, commercial sexual exploitation, or group homes. Instability in living situations (staying in care for more than a year, with three or more homes or placements; RR = 1.31; CI = 1.16, 1.48) and history of group home care (RR = 1.43; CI = 1.25, 1.64) were significantly associated with a heightened rate of dual system involvement. As shown in the gender-stratified models, the magnitude of associations between dual system involvement and foster care experiences differed by gender.

Discussion

The current study aligns with prior studies showing a relationship between residential instability and group homes to subsequent delinquency court involvement. Findings set a baseline so future work can explore if policies aiming to reduce reliance on group care are associated with changes in the likelihood of dual system involvement.

Abstract

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is an established therapy known for its clinical utility for individuals with a current or history of suicidal behaviors, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), borderline personality disorder, and other disorders. Modification to serve adolescents and their families/caregivers (DBT-A) has similarly produced positive outcomes. This review explores the impact on treatment outcomes from time-modified DBT-A, which are still largely understudied. Utilizing PRISMA methodology, the review covers research from January 2000-July 2022, when the review was initially conducted, and examines 23 eligible studies. Findings review indicate that time modified DBT-A skills groups yield positive outcomes for adolescents when deemed clinically appropriate, alleviating common barriers youth face (e.g., time restraints, attention/engagement).

Abstract

Placement instability for children in foster care is high, with children experiencing nearly 4.5 placement moves per 1,000 days in care on average. While prior research has demonstrated a predictive relationship between mental health problems and placement instability, few studies have examined the associations of specific mental health diagnoses or utilization of mental health (MH) services. To this end, this study seeks to investigate associations between MH service utilization, mental health diagnosis, and placement instability (rate of placement moves) for foster children. We analyzed statewide integrated administrative data to examine MH service utilization and mental health diagnosis on placement instability among foster children. We used SAS 9.4 to conduct descriptive, bivariate, and multiple linear regression models to address the objectives of the study. The retrospective cohort was composed of 1,002 children in foster care. The multivariable linear regression reveals that receiving in-patient services, receiving out-patient services, being diagnosed with conduct disorder, being Black children, older children, and female children, being placed in intensive case management, being sexually abused, having a single household family structure at time of removal, and having a high number of intakes significantly increased the rate of placement moves. The findings of this study have significant implications for the provision of mental health services to foster children and the promotion of placement stability, highlighting the role of child welfare professionals in fostering protective factors and mitigating risk factors to promote placement stability. Implications for practice and policy improvement are discussed.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of major depressive disorder symptoms (MDDs) and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms (GADs) among female adolescents in Nepal. In a national cross-sectional population-based survey of female adolescents (N = 1379; 15–19 years) in Nepal, MDDs was assessed with the PHQ-9 and GADs with the GAD-7. Logistic and Poisson regression were used to estimate predictors of MDDs and GADs. The prevalence of MDDs was 7.8% (4.5% with a cut-off of ≥ 10 scores), and the prevalence of GADs was 13.4% (5.6% with a cut-off of ≥ 10 scores). In multivariable models, older age (17–19 years), higher education, greater wealth status, poor self-rated health status, genital sore or ulcer, currently pregnant, pregnancy loss, alcohol use, and early sexual debut were positively associated with MDDs and/or MDD scores. Older age, greater wealth status, living in the Terai region, poor self-rated health status, current alcohol use, pregnancy loss, big problem with getting permission for medical help were positively associated with GADs and/or GAD scores. About one in ten female adolescents report MDDs or GADs, and several associated factors were identified which can be targeted in mental health interventions in this population.

Children and young people with care-experience (e.g. foster, kinship and residential care) report poorer mental health and wellbeing than the general population. Despite an emerging evidence-base for intervention, it is not clear if current approaches create, exacerbate or mitigate outcome inequities between different types of participants. We conducted a systematic review of international interventions targeting mental health, subjective wellbeing and suicide-related outcomes amongst care-experienced children and young people aged up to 25 years old. The review included a narrative synthesis of intervention inequities, exploring if they were more or less effective for different participant groups. Eight interventions, with 14 study reports, presented relevant data. Overall, there was no clear evidence that intervention participation could lead to inequitable impacts, being more or less effective for different groups. However, there was some tentative indication that individuals with lower exposure to maltreatment, fewer care placements, and increased baseline mental health problems, might be more responsive to intervention than other participants. There was limited evidence for wellbeing and no data availability for suicide. Future intervention evaluation should focus on assessing if there is potential to create, sustain or exacerbate inequities, and how approaches may be designed to mitigate this risk.