Exploring Retrospective Place Attachment Toward Foster Homes

Place attachment is the cognitive-emotional bond individuals develop for physical locations. It can develop toward residential settings and is often associated with positive emotions and psychological and physical comfort. Literature in social work, and other social sciences, lack an exploration of the physical features that contribute to the development of place attachment toward residences for children in foster care. Using a retrospective mixed-methods design, this study examines the physical attributes of North American foster care environments that did—or did not—encourage place attachment in foster children between the ages of 7–12. Participants recalled a low level of place attachment toward their foster residences; place attachment and participants’ ease of recall of a foster residence were positively correlated. Perceived impact of the physical environment on sense of comfort in a foster home was neutral. Three open-ended items revealed themes concerned with "furniture,” “entertainment,” specific “structural features,” and “outdoor attributes” contributed to the development of place attachment toward past residences, while “inadequate space,” “aesthetics and ambience,” and “lack of cleanliness and organization” did not contribute to place attachment. “Outdoor attributes,” “adequate space,” and “entertainment” were noted as desirable in foster residences to facilitate the development of place attachment. This study may guide social workers and government administrators in understanding links between the physical attributes of foster homes and children’s psychoemotional responses. It adds to a small but growing number of studies at the intersection of social work and environmental psychology that may improve quality of life for children in foster care.