Mental Health of Children Living in Foster Families in Rural Rwanda: The Role of HIV and the Family Environment.

PubMed

Nduwimana, Estella; Mukunzi, Sylvere; Ng, Lauren C; Kirk, Catherine M; Bizimana, Justin I; Betancourt, Theresa S

2017-06-01

Fostering children is common in sub-Saharan Africa, but few studies examine these children's mental health needs. This study investigated the impact of living in a foster family on the mental health of HIV-positive, HIV-affected and HIV-unaffected children (n = 681 aged 10-17) in rural Rwanda. Regression analyses assessed the impact of living in a foster family on mental health, parenting, and daily hardships; multiple mediation analyses assessed whether family factors mediated the association between foster status and mental health. HIV-positive children were eight times more likely to live in foster families than HIV-unaffected children. Being HIV-affected was predictive of depression and irritability symptoms after controlling for family factors. Controlling for HIV-status, foster children had more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and irritability than non-fostered children. Positive parenting fully mediated the association between foster status and mental health. Mental health and parenting interventions for foster children and HIV-affected children may improve child outcomes.

Accuracy of Knowledge of Child Development in Mothers of Children Receiving Early Intervention Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zand, Debra H.; Pierce, Katherine J.; Bultas, Margaret W.; McMillin, Stephen Edward; Gott, Rolanda Maxim; Wilmott, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Parents' involvement in early intervention (EI) services fosters positive developmental trajectories in young children. Although EI research on parenting skills has been abundant, fewer data are available on parents' knowledge of normative child development. Sixty-seven mothers of children participating in a Midwestern city's EI program completed…

Mental Health of Children Living in Foster Families in Rural Rwanda: The Role of HIV and the Family Environment

PubMed Central

Nduwimana, Estella; Mukunzi, Sylvere; Ng, Lauren C.; Kirk, Catherine M.; Bizimana, Justin I.; Betancourt, Theresa S.

2016-01-01

Fostering children is common in sub-Saharan Africa, but few studies examine these children’s mental health needs. This study investigated the impact of living in a foster family on the mental health of HIV-positive, HIV-affected and HIV-unaffected children (n = 681 aged 10–17) in rural Rwanda. Regression analyses assessed the impact of living in a foster family on mental health, parenting, and daily hardships; multiple mediation analyses assessed whether family factors mediated the association between foster status and mental health. HIV-positive children were eight times more likely to live in foster families than HIV-unaffected children. Being HIV-affected was predictive of depression and irritability symptoms after controlling for family factors. Controlling for HIV-status, foster children had more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and irritability than non-fostered children. Positive parenting fully mediated the association between foster status and mental health. Mental health and parenting interventions for foster children and HIV-affected children may improve child outcomes. PMID:27578000

A South African study on caregiver perceptions of a parent-infant intervention implemented to foster secure attachment.

PubMed

Aspoas, Belinda; Amod, Zaytoon

2014-01-01

Community-based interventions that support the parent-infant dyad present an ideal opportunity to help foster secure attachment relationships. This study set out to investigate a parent-infant intervention that was implemented in a peri-urban township in South Africa. The aim of the research was to understand caregivers' experience of this intervention and shed light on why some caregivers make optimal use of this intervention whereas others do not. Data for this study were collected by holding a focus group with 11 caregivers, who were selected using purposive sampling. The discussion that took place in the group was video-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic content analysis of this data indicates that caregivers are very receptive to the intervention, which they see in the role of "grandmother." Yet, their socially and economically weak position hinders them from making full use of the intervention. Ideally, they want professionals to reach out to them. This research highlights how important it is for early parent-infant interventions to move beyond the consulting room and to meet caregivers on their terms. © 2014 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Development and piloting of a treatment foster care program for older youth with psychiatric problems.

PubMed

McMillen, J Curtis; Narendorf, Sarah Carter; Robinson, Debra; Havlicek, Judy; Fedoravicius, Nicole; Bertram, Julie; McNelly, David

2015-01-01

Older youth in out-of-home care often live in restrictive settings and face psychiatric issues without sufficient family support. This paper reports on the development and piloting of a manualized treatment foster care program designed to step down older youth with high psychiatric needs from residential programs to treatment foster care homes. A team of researchers and agency partners set out to develop a treatment foster care model for older youth based on Multi-dimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC). After matching youth by mental health condition and determining for whom randomization would be allowed, 14 youth were randomized to treatment as usual or a treatment foster home intervention. Stakeholders were interviewed qualitatively at multiple time points. Quantitative measures assessed mental health symptoms, days in locked facilities, employment and educational outcomes. Development efforts led to substantial variations from the MTFC model and a new model, Treatment Foster Care for Older Youth was piloted. Feasibility monitoring suggested that it was difficult, but possible to recruit and randomize youth from and out of residential homes and that foster parents could be recruited to serve them. Qualitative data pointed to some qualified clinical successes. Stakeholders viewed two team roles - that of psychiatric nurse and skills coaches - very highly. However, results also suggested that foster parents and some staff did not tolerate the intervention well and struggled to address the emotion dysregulation issues of the young people they served. Quantitative data demonstrated that the intervention was not keeping youth out of locked facilities. The intervention needed further refinement prior to a broader trial. Intervention development work continued until components were developed to help address emotion regulation problems among fostered youth. Psychiatric nurses and skills coaches who work with youth in community settings hold promise as important supports for older youth with psychiatric needs.

Sleep Disruption in Young Foster Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tininenko, Jennifer R.; Fisher, Philip A.; Bruce, Jacqueline; Pears, Katherine C.

2010-01-01

In the current study, sleep actigraphy and parent-report measures were used to investigate differences in sleeping behavior among four groups of 3- to 7-year-olds (N = 79): children in regular foster care (n = 15); children receiving a therapeutic intervention in foster care (n = 17); low income community children (n = 18); and upper middle income…

Qualitative exporation of relationships with important non-parental adults in the lives of youth in foster care

PubMed Central

Ahrens, Kym R.; DuBois, David Lane; Garrison, Michelle; Spencer, Renee; Richardson, Laura P.; Lozano, Paula

2012-01-01

Foster youth are at risk of poor adult outcomes. Research on the role of mentoring relationships for this population suggests the value of strategies that increase their access to adult sources of support, both while in foster care and as they reach adulthood. We conducted semi-structured, individual qualitative interviews with 23 former foster youth ages 18-25 regarding their relationships with supportive non-parental adults. We sought to identify factors that influence the formation, quality, and duration of these relationships and to develop testable hypotheses for intervention strategies. Findings suggest several themes related to relationship formation with non-parental adults, including barriers (e.g., youth's fears of being hurt) and facilitators (e.g., patience from the adult). Distinct themes were also identified relating to the ongoing development and longevity of these relationships. Youth also described multiple types of support and positive contributions to their development. Proposed intervention strategies include systematic incorporation of important non-parental adults into transition planning, enhanced training and matching procedures within formal mentoring programs, assistance for youth to strengthen their interpersonal awareness and skills, and the targeting of specific periods of need when linking youth to sources of adult support. Recommended research includes the development, pilot-testing, and evaluation of proposed strategies. PMID:22661797

Practitioner Review: Children in foster care – vulnerabilities and evidence-based interventions that promote resilience processes

PubMed Central

Leve, Leslie D.; Harold, Gordon T.; Chamberlain, Patricia; Landsverk, John A.; Fisher, Philip A.; Vostanis, Panos

2012-01-01

Background An increasing number of children are placed in foster care g(i.e., a kin or nonkin family home other than the biological parent) due to experiences of physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological abuse, and/or neglect. Children in foster care are at increased risk for a host of negative outcomes encompassing emotional, behavioral, neurobiological, and social realms. Methods Areas of risk and vulnerability among foster children are described, including emotional and behavioral deficits, impaired neurobiological development, and social relationship deficits. Evidence suggesting the significance of family placement changes and prenatal exposure to substances as contributing mechanisms is presented. Based on a systematic search of the PsycINFO database (to March 2012), eight efficacious evidence-based interventions for foster families are summarized. Findings Although the development of evidence-based interventions that improve outcomes for foster children has lagged behind the delivery of interventions in other service sectors (e.g., mental health and educational sectors), several interventions across childhood and adolescence offer promise. Service system constraints offer both challenges and opportunities for more routine implementation of evidence-based interventions. Conclusions Given the increased likelihood of poor outcomes for foster children, increased efforts to understand the pathways to vulnerability and to implement interventions shown to be effective in remediating risks and improving outcomes for this population are indicated. Evaluation of efficacious interventions in countries outside of the USA is also needed. PMID:22882015

Implementation of Parent Child Interaction Therapy Within Foster Care: An Attempt to Translate an Evidence-Based Program Within a Local Child Welfare Agency

PubMed Central

Topitzes, James; Mersky, Joshua P.; McNeil, Cheryl B.

2014-01-01

This paper describes an innovative adaptation of an evidence-based intervention – Parent Child Interaction Therapy or PCIT – to foster parent training services. The authors faced multiple problems that commonly plague translational child welfare research as they developed, implemented and tested their model. The paper discusses how the authors addressed these problems when: 1) specifying the child welfare context in which the intervention model was implemented and tested, choosing an intervention model that responded to child welfare service needs, and tailoring the model for a child welfare context; 2) securing external funding and initiating sustainability plans for model uptake; and 3) forging a university-community partnership to overcome logistical and ethical obstacles. Concluding with a summary of promising preliminary study results, a description of future plans to replicate and spread the model, and a distillation of project lessons, the paper suggests that child welfare translational research with PCIT is very promising. PMID:25729340

Mental health and foster carer training

PubMed Central

Minnis, H; Pelosi, A; Knapp, M; Dunn, J

2001-01-01

AIMS—To evaluate the impact of training foster carers on children's emotional and behavioural functioning.
METHODS—In a randomised controlled trial in 17 Scottish local council areas, with immediate and nine month follow up, 182 children and their foster families were randomly allocated to either standard services alone or standard services plus extra training for foster carers on communication and attachment. Main outcome measures were child psychopathology, attachment disorder, self esteem, and cost of foster care.
RESULTS—Over 60% of children had measurable psychopathology at baseline. The training was perceived as beneficial by participants. Scores for parent reported psychopathology and attachment disorders decreased by around 5%, self esteem increased by 2%, and costs by 22% in the intervention group. Results were non-significant.
CONCLUSIONS—Despite being well received by foster carers, the training was not sufficient to make a useful impact on the high level of psychopathology. This group may warrant more intensive interventions.

 PMID:11259226

Empathy and narcissism in a sample of child abuse perpetrators and a comparison sample of foster parents.

PubMed

Wiehe, Vernon R

2003-05-01

The purpose of this research was to study the personality variables of empathy and narcissism in a sample of child abuse perpetrators and a comparison sample of foster parents, conceptualized as nonabusive parents, in order to gain further understanding of perpetrators and to provide clues for intervention. The sample consisted of two groups: physically and emotionally abusive parents (n=52) and foster parents (n=101). Participants responded to three instruments: the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), an instrument measuring individual differences in empathy, and two instruments measuring narcissism: the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and the Hypersensitivity Narcissism Scale (HSNS). Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups on three of the four subscales of the IRI: perspective-taking, empathic concern, and personal distress. Based on the definition of these subscales, the abusive parents as compared to the foster parents were not able to take the perspective of another or see things from another's viewpoint, showed less warmth, compassion and concern for others, and experienced difficulty in tense interpersonal situations. Statistically significant differences were found for the two groups on three of the six subscales of the NPI: authority, exhibitionism, and superiority, and on the HSNS. The abusive parents demonstrated less self-confidence, a greater lack of impulse control and were more narcissistic than their foster parent counterparts. The results suggest that it is how the perpetrators experience aversive behavior in their children that may provoke them to physically and emotionally abuse their children. Their self-centeredness in addition to their deficiencies in empathy may cause them to experience their children's misbehavior as an affront to their authority. Implications for treatment are made from this conceptualization of parental abuse.

[A communication intervention in autism spectrum disorder by means of the programme 'More than Words'. A case study].

PubMed

Baixauli-Fortea, I; Gascon-Herranz, N; de Carlos-Isla, M; Colomer-Diago, C

2018-03-01

The 'More than Words' programme aims to enable parents to take advantage of day-to-day situations as communication learning settings, through the use of instruction in responsive-type interaction strategies. To describe the effects of this programme on the communication skills of a child with autism spectrum disorder and on the language the parents use to address him. A three-phase design (pre-intervention, intervention and post-intervention) was employed, in which the responsive interactions of the parents and the child's communicative acts were measured. The intervention can modify the parents' communicative style, especially when the family receives guidance from a speech therapist. Nevertheless, the responsive nature of the parents' communication tends to diminish when the intervention finishes. Conversely, the child's communicative acts increase, with a medium-sized effect of the treatment. The 'More than Words' programme can be a good starting point for parents to become familiar with strategies that foster communication with their children who have autism spectrum disorder.

Developing self-regulation in a dysregulating world: Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up for a toddler in foster care.

PubMed

Imrisek, Steven D; Castaño, Katerina; Bernard, Kristin

2018-05-16

Toddlers in foster care have typically experienced histories of maltreatment and disruptions in relationships with primary caregivers. As a result, they are at increased risk for developing disorganized attachment and showing emotional, behavioral, and physiological dysregulation. Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up for Toddlers in Foster Care (ABC-T) was developed to address the needs of these vulnerable children by supporting foster parents in responding with nurturance to children's distress, following children's lead, and helping children calm when they are becoming overwhelmed or dysregulated. We describe the theoretical underpinnings, evidence base, and clinical approach of ABC-T. Using a case example of Luna and her foster mother Ms. Rosio, we present the typical course of ABC-T, demonstrating core aspects of the model including ongoing observation of parent-child interactions and "in the moment" commenting. Additionally, we consider several challenges to delivering attachment-based interventions in the context of foster care. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A realist synthesis of social connectivity interventions during transition to parenthood: The value of relationships.

PubMed

Bennett, Claudine T; Buchan, Judy L; Letourneau, Nicole; Shanker, Stuart G; Fenwick, Anne; Smith-Chant, Brenda; Gilmer, Cyndi

2017-04-01

Social connections are important during the transition to parenthood. A wide body of literature suggests that these connections enhance health and contribute to wellbeing. In the case of parents and families, social connections can influence child development. Nurses and public health agencies are in a unique position to advocate for resources and approaches to enhance social connectivity for parents during this important life transition. The aim of this review was to identify the universal social connectivity interventions that work, and the conditions that foster social connections for parents and enhance child development. The review was undertaken as part of a larger research project to inform the question: What are the population-level interventions that public health can implement to promote social, emotional and cognitive development from the prenatal period to the end of the first year of life? Social connectivity is one of three domains that were explored in the full study. Realist synthesis. Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, SocAbs, PsychINFO, grey literature. A literature search was conducted using relevant key words and MeSH headings. Nearly 2000 papers were reviewed by title and sorted based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extraction aided quality appraisal and analysis and informed the development of an explanatory mechanism. Twenty-seven papers were included in the synthesis, with findings described in four theme areas: (a) connections in the community, (b) internet connections, (c) prenatal connections, and (d) connections for fathers. The literature available to answer the research question is scant and of varying quality. Community development, family-systems intervention practices, principles of father inclusive practice and group prenatal care models have been demonstrated to foster social connectivity for parents. Online social networking provides valuable informational support. Changing social structures and technology have influenced the way in which new parents access support. Social connections fostered in the parenting environment have the potential to enhance wellbeing for parents and thus contribute to children's positive development. Nurses are in a position to advocate for the use of evidence-informed approaches when planning programs and services for parents. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extended Foster Care for Transition-Age Youth: An Opportunity for Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting Support.

PubMed

Putnam-Hornstein, Emily; Hammond, Ivy; Eastman, Andrea Lane; McCroskey, Jacquelyn; Webster, Daniel

2016-04-01

This analysis examined California county birth rate variations among girls in foster care. The objective was to generate data to assess potential intervention points tied to federal legislation extending foster care beyond age 18 years. Child protection records for all adolescent girls in foster care at age 17 years between 2003 and 2007 (N = 20,222) were linked to vital birth records through 2011. The cumulative percentage of girls who had given birth by age 21 years was calculated by county and race/ethnicity. One in three (35.2%) adolescent girls in foster care had given birth at least once before age 21 years. Although significant birth rate variations emerged, even at the low end of the county range, more than one in four girls had given birth by age 21 years. Child welfare systems are now charged with coordinating transitional services for foster youth beyond age 18 years. Extended foster care provides new opportunities for pregnancy prevention work and targeted parenting support. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fussy Baby Network® New Orleans and Gulf Coast: Using the FAN to Support Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heller, Sherryl Scott; Breuer, Anna

2015-01-01

This article describes the components of the FAN model used in the Fussy Baby Network® intervention. Careful attunement and matching to the parents' experience help stressed parents feel understood and not alone and foster a sense of coherence during this difficult time. It is this attention to the parent's experience that allows flexibility in…

The Effects of a Nutrition Media Literacy Intervention on Parents' and Youths' Communication about Food.

PubMed

Austin, Erica Weintraub; Austin, Bruce W; French, Brian F; Cohen, Marilyn A

2018-01-01

Interventions addressing links between media exposure and obesity risk for school-age youth have not explicitly addressed the role of family communication about media. Youths' influence attempts on parents to purchase advertised foods can create conflict and negatively affect parental food choices. This study tested whether a family-based media literacy curriculum improves parents' media management skills and decreases youths' susceptibility to appealing but unrealistic food marketing. A matched-group pretest/posttest field experiment of parent-youth dyads with control group (N = 100 dyads, youth M = 11 years of age) tested the six-session curriculum. Hypotheses were analyzed using a Bayesian structural equation model. The curriculum increased parents' active negative mediation to foster youths' critical thinking about food marketing, b* = 0.35, 95% CCI [0.17, 0.50], increased parent Efficacy for making healthy dietary changes for their families, b* = 0.59, 95% CCI [0.41, 0.75], and fostered family discussion about nutrition labels (total effect = 0.22). Additionally, cumulative influences of Perceived Desirability and Wishful Identification on youths' requests for marketed foods were reduced (total effect = 0.04). Media literacy education can empower parents and improve youths' critical thinking to reduce effects of food marketing on families and improve use of media to obtain nutrition information.

Refining an intervention for students with emotional disturbance using qualitative parent and teacher data

PubMed Central

Nese, Rhonda N.T.; Palinkas, Lawrence A.; Ruppert, Traci

2017-01-01

Intensive supports are needed for students with emotional disturbance during high-risk transitions. Such interventions are most likely to be successful if they address stakeholder perspectives during the development process. This paper discusses qualitative findings from an iterative intervention development project designed to incorporate parent and teacher feedback early in the development process with applications relevant to the adoption of new programs. Using maximum variation purposive sampling, we solicited feedback from five foster/kinship parents, four biological parents and seven teachers to evaluate the feasibility and utility of the Students With Involved Families and Teachers (SWIFT) intervention in home and school settings. SWIFT provides youth and parent skills coaching in the home and school informed by weekly student behavioral progress monitoring. Participants completed semi-structured interviews that were transcribed and coded via an independent co-coding strategy. The findings provide support for school-based interventions involving family participation and lessons to ensure intervention success. PMID:28966422

Enhancing parent-child interaction with a prenatal couple intervention.

PubMed

Bryan, A A

2000-01-01

To determine the effect of a prenatal couple group intervention on parent-child interaction postbirth. Quasiexperimental study. A nonrandomized convenience sample of treatment group (TG) couples (n = 35) who attended an additional prenatal three-class series was compared to a control group (CG) from childbirth education classes on measures of videotaped parent-child interaction using the NCATS tool. The intervention class series was based on individual and couple changes in meaning/identity, roles, and relationship/interaction during the transition to parenthood. It addressed mother/father roles, infant communication abilities, and patterns of the first 3 months of life in a mutually enjoyable, possibility-focused way. T-tests and ANCOVA on NCATS scores between groups showed higher TG scores for mothers in sensitivity to cues, for fathers in social-emotional growth fostering, and for couple mean scores in social-emotional growth fostering, couple mean response to child distress, caregiver total, and caregiver-child total. Higher contingency scores were also found in the TG group. Fewer TG mothers and fathers fell below NCATS lower cutoff scores. Interventions that enhance mutual parent-child interaction through increased sensitivity to cues and responsiveness to infant needs or signals are important avenues for facilitating secure attachment, father and mother involvement, optimal development, and prevention of child abuse and neglect. The positive approach to this intervention invites couples to see themselves as developing with their infants over time, and to view their infants in new ways that will help develop satisfying, self-reinforcing patterns of interaction.

Foster Parents Speak: Preferred Characteristics of Foster Children and Experiences in the Role of Foster Parent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenwald, Mitchell; Bronstein, Laura

2008-01-01

Foster parents play a pivotal role in the child welfare system. A study that employed focus groups with foster parents was conducted at a private foster care agency with the initial purpose of understanding the characteristics of foster children that foster parents both preferred and not preferred. In the qualitative research tradition, their…

Reflection of Foster Parents on Caring for Foster and Adopted Children and Their Suggestions to Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowak-Fabrykowski, Krystyna; Helinski, Monica; Buchstein, Fred

2009-01-01

In this research project we investigated the process of adoption of foster children by foster parents and the foster parents' ideas of how to help foster children going through the process of adoption or those who have been adopted. We sent questionnaires to 200 foster parents living in the Cleveland area, but just 23 foster parents replied.…

Development and testing of a multimedia internet-based system for fidelity and monitoring of multidimensional treatment foster care.

PubMed

Feil, Edward G; Sprengelmeyer, Peter G; Davis, Betsy; Chamberlain, Patricia

2012-10-16

The fields of mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice are jointly faced with the challenge of reducing the prevalence of antisocial behavior among adolescents. In the last 20 years, conduct disorders have moved from being considered intractable difficulties to having complex but available solutions. The treatments for even long-standing offending behavior among adolescents are now well documented and supported by a growing and compelling body of evidence. These empirically validated interventions are being widely disseminated, but the replication of the results from clinical trials in community settings has yet to be documented. The treatments, which produced impressive effects in a research context, are difficult to replicate without intensive monitoring of fidelity by the developers. Such monitoring is a barrier toward adoption; as the distance between the adopter and developer increases, so does cost. At the same time, states, communities, and agencies are under increasing pressure to implement those intervention services that have been shown to be most effective. The use of the Internet offers a potential solution in that existing reporting and data collection by clinicians can be subject to remote supervision. Such a system would have the potential to provide dissemination teams with more direct access to higher-quality data and would make adopters more likely to be able to implement services at the highest possible conformity to research protocols. To create and test such an innovative system for use with the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) program, which is an in-home treatment (alternative to a residential- or group-home setting) for antisocial youths. This research could advance the knowledge base about developing innovative infrastructures in community settings to disseminate empirically validated treatments. The fidelity system was used and reviewed by parent and professional users: 20 foster parent users of the Parent Daily Report function, 9 professional MTFC program supervisors, and 4 MTFC consultants. All participants rated the system's ease of use, quality of the website, and observational videos recorded at agency meetings. In addition, foster parents entered data on child behavior. All professionals and foster parents rated the system as very easy to use. We found particularly high levels of use by parents. Professionals rated the computer-collected videos of clinical meetings as being of high quality and easily codeable. The project developed a user-friendly and secure Web-based system using state-of-the-art computer-based protocols for recording questionnaire and observational data generated by community-based MTFC staff and foster parents, with positive satisfaction and utilization results.

Preliminary Development of the Parent Involvement in Early Learning Scale for Low-Income Families Enrolled in a Child-Development-Focused Home Visiting Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manz, Patricia H.; Gernhart, Amanda L.; Bracaliello, Catherine B.; Pressimone, Vanessa J.; Eisenberg, Rachel A.

2014-01-01

Salient early intervention approaches for children below the age of 3 years, such as home visiting, seek to strengthen the pivotal role that parents play in fostering their young children's early learning. Yet, measures that identify and monitor the ways in which low-income parents support toddlers' learning experiences are lacking. Without parent…

Impact of the parenting style of foster parents on the behaviour problems of foster children.

PubMed

Fuentes, M J; Salas, M D; Bernedo, I M; García-Martín, M A

2015-09-01

Few studies have analysed the effects of the parenting style used by foster carers on children's behaviour problems. This study examines the role played by the quality of the emotional relationship with foster carers and the kind of discipline they use as regard internalizing and externalizing problems among foster children. Participants were 104 foster children (56 boys and 48 girls) and their respective foster families. The Child Behaviour Checklist, the Affect and Communication Scale, and the Rules and Demands Scale were completed by foster parents. A series of linear regression analyses were performed using the stepwise method. The main findings were as follows: an authoritarian parenting style explained the internalizing problems presented by foster children (11% of the variance); criticism/rejection, authoritarian parenting and permissive parenting explained externalizing problems (37% of the variance); and criticism/rejection and authoritarian parenting explained total problems (29% of the variance). These results indicate that criticism/rejection on the part of foster parents, as well as the use of inappropriate parenting styles (authoritarian and permissive), has an important effect in relation to the behaviour problems of foster children. This highlights the key role that foster carers play in terms of tackling the behaviour problems that foster children present. The findings also suggest that preparation for fostering should focus especially on ways of helping foster parents both to acquire positive parenting strategies and to avoid authoritarian and permissive parenting. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fostering a Social Child with Autism: A Moment-by-Moment Sequential Analysis of an Early Social Engagement Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon, Ty W.

2014-01-01

Young children with autism often experience limited social motivation and responsiveness that restricts establishment of crucial social momentum. These characteristics can lead to decreased opportunities for parental engagement and the social learning associated with these moments. Early social interventions that capitalize on pre-existing…

. . . On foster care International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses.

PubMed

Galehouse, Pam; Herrick, Charlotte; Raphel, Sally

2010-02-01

Mental health problems are particularly widespread for foster children. There are approximately 700,000 youth in foster care and nonfamily settings in the United States. The mean entry age is 3 years. The average stay is 2 years. Experts estimate that between 30% and 85% of youngsters in out-of-home care have significant emotional disturbances. Foster care children represent 5% of Medicaid enrollees but use approximately 40% of Medicaid funds. A substantial number of these children have psychological problems so serious that they require residential placement. Adolescents living with foster parents or in group homes have about four times the rate of serious psychiatric disorders than those living with their own families (2009a). Despite this level of need, less than one-third of children in the child protective system are receiving mental health services (2009a). Child psychiatric nurse advocates from the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses Division of the International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses compiled this position statement for adoption by the Board of Directors as the Association's formal statement on the plight of children and adolescents in foster care. Areas that need to be addressed include (a) lack of consistent and comprehensive service planning; (b) communications across agencies and with the youth, their foster parents, and key stakeholders; (c) use of evidence-based interventions to prevent and reduce the incidence of disability; (d) education of child welfare case workers about mental and emotional therapeutic management; and (e) education of foster parents and youth about mental health issues and appropriate treatments.

Evaluating child welfare policies with decision-analytic simulation models.

PubMed

Goldhaber-Fiebert, Jeremy D; Bailey, Stephanie L; Hurlburt, Michael S; Zhang, Jinjin; Snowden, Lonnie R; Wulczyn, Fred; Landsverk, John; Horwitz, Sarah M

2012-11-01

The objective was to demonstrate decision-analytic modeling in support of Child Welfare policymakers considering implementing evidence-based interventions. Outcomes included permanency (e.g., adoptions) and stability (e.g., foster placement changes). Analyses of a randomized trial of KEEP-a foster parenting intervention-and NSCAW-1 estimated placement change rates and KEEP's effects. A microsimulation model generalized these findings to other Child Welfare systems. The model projected that KEEP could increase permanency and stability, identifying strategies targeting higher-risk children and geographical regions that achieve benefits efficiently. Decision-analytic models enable planners to gauge the value of potential implementations.

Foster children's attachment behavior and representation: Influence of children's pre-placement experiences and foster caregiver's sensitivity.

PubMed

Bovenschen, Ina; Lang, Katrin; Zimmermann, Janin; Förthner, Judith; Nowacki, Katja; Roland, Inga; Spangler, Gottfried

2016-01-01

Although the majority of foster children have been exposed to early adversity in their biological families and have experienced one or more disruptions of attachment relationships, most studies surprisingly found foster children to be as securely attached as children in low-risk samples. However, attention has been paid almost exclusively to attachment formation in young children up to two years of age, and the majority of studies solely investigated attachment behavior whereas few is known about foster children's representations about attachment relationships. To extend findings on attachment in foster children and its predictors, our study examined both attachment behavior and representations in foster children aged between 3 and 8 years. Diverse potential predictors including child variables, birth parents' variables, pre-placement experiences, and foster caregiver's behavior were included in the analyses. Results revealed that foster children showed both lower attachment security and higher disorganization scores than children in low-risk samples. Attachment behavior and representation were found to be widely independent from each other. Different factors contributed to attachment behavior and representation: whereas foster children's attachment behavior was mainly influenced by foster parents' behavior, pre-placement experiences did predict hyperactivation and disorganization on the representational level. The results indicate that, when intervening with foster families, it seems crucial to focus not exclusively on the promotion of secure attachment behavior but also to develop interventions enhancing secure and organized attachment representations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parent-mediated reading interventions with children up to four years old: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sloat, Elizabeth A; Letourneau, Nicole L; Joschko, Justin R; Schryer, Erin A; Colpitts, Jennifer E

2015-03-01

Research demonstrates that literacy and academic achievement are predicated on the emergent literacy knowledge and skills children acquire from birth up to 4 years of age. Parents are children's first and most important language and literacy teachers, yet not all parents have the capacity to establish an adequate early literacy foundation. Efforts to address this situation have resulted in numerous programs aimed at fostering emergent literacy development. This systematic review evaluates evidence on the effectiveness of parent-mediated interventions that increase the time parents spend reading with young children up to 4 years old. Four studies met inclusion criteria, reporting outcomes for 664 children. Three provided data for meta-analysis of effects on reading duration. The standardized mean difference in reading duration was 1.61 (95% CI, 1.03, 2.19 fixed-effect), favoring intervention over control. Results indicate that interventions aimed at increasing the amount of time parents spend reading interactively with their children yield positive results. Findings also demonstrate that pediatric primary care providers are well positioned to deliver reading promotion programs to parents and preschoolers.

Building positive self-image in adolescents in foster care: the use of role models in an interactive group approach.

PubMed

Yancey, A K

1998-01-01

In a previous article (Yancey, 1992), the literature on identity development in individuals from socially devalued racial and ethnic groups was summarized. It was postulated that the social maladaptation of adolescents in residential group foster care is reflective of identity disturbances created by the negative images of African-Americans and Latinos perpetuated by the dominant society and unfiltered by optimal parental racial/ethnic socialization. The present article describes the development of a pilot preventive mental health intervention, the PRIDE (Personal and Racial/ethnic Identity Development and Enhancement) program, designed to provide components of parenting that are necessary for promoting positive self-image in ethnically marginalized adolescents and that are typically lacking in the group foster care milieu. PRIDE utilizes successful, ethnically relevant role models in interactive group sessions to create a significant cognitive and emotional experience for teens. While the utility of role modeling for at-risk youth is widely accepted, there is little research on the packaging, delivery, and influence of this intervention modality. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a "hybrid" role-modeling approach (intermediate in intensity of exposure and cost between one-to-one mentoring and career-day programs). Implications for further research on this type of intervention are discussed.

Incremental Net Benefit of Early Intervention for Preschool-Aged Children with Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Foster Care.

PubMed

Lynch, Frances L; Dickerson, John F; Saldana, Lisa; Fisher, Phillip A

2014-01-01

Of 1 million cases of child maltreatment identified every year in the United States, one-fifth result in foster care. Many of these children suffer from significant emotional and behavioral conditions. Decision-makers must allocate highly constrained budgets to serve these children. Recent evidence suggests that Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers can reduce negative outcomes for these children, but the relative benefits and costs of the program have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess net benefit, over 24 months, of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers compared to regular foster care. Data were from a randomized controlled trial of 117 young children entering a new foster placement. A subsample exhibited placement instability (n = 52). Intervention services including parent training, lasted 9-12 months. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers significantly increased permanent placements for the placement instability sample. Average total cost for the new intervention sample was significantly less than for regular foster care (full sample: $27,204 vs. $30,090; P = .004; placement instability sample: $29,595 vs. $36,061; P = .045). Incremental average net benefit was positive at all levels of willingness to pay of zero or greater, indicating that the value of benefits exceeded costs. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers has significant benefit for preschool children in foster care with emotional and behavioral disorders compared to regular foster care services. At even modest levels of willingness to pay, benefits exceed costs indicating a strong likeliness that this program is an efficient choice for improving outcomes for young children with emotional and behavioral disorders in foster care.

Incremental Net Benefit of Early Intervention for Preschool-Aged Children with Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Foster Care

PubMed Central

Lynch, Frances L.; Dickerson, John F.; Saldana, Lisa; Fisher, Phillip A.

2017-01-01

Of 1 million cases of child maltreatment identified every year in the United States, one-fifth result in foster care. Many of these children suffer from significant emotional and behavioral conditions. Decision-makers must allocate highly constrained budgets to serve these children. Recent evidence suggests that Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers can reduce negative outcomes for these children, but the relative benefits and costs of the program have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess net benefit, over 24 months, of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers compared to regular foster care. Data were from a randomized controlled trial of 117 young children entering a new foster placement. A subsample exhibited placement instability (n = 52). Intervention services including parent training, lasted 9–12 months. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers significantly increased permanent placements for the placement instability sample. Average total cost for the new intervention sample was significantly less than for regular foster care (full sample: $27,204 vs. $30,090; P = .004; placement instability sample: $29,595 vs. $36,061; P = .045). Incremental average net benefit was positive at all levels of willingness to pay of zero or greater, indicating that the value of benefits exceeded costs. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers has significant benefit for preschool children in foster care with emotional and behavioral disorders compared to regular foster care services. At even modest levels of willingness to pay, benefits exceed costs indicating a strong likeliness that this program is an efficient choice for improving outcomes for young children with emotional and behavioral disorders in foster care. PMID:29097828

Foster Parents' Rights to Share in Decision-Making for the Foster Child: Some Issues That Foster Parents Should Be Aware Of.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardin, Mark; Tazzara, Patricia

This brief paper is intended, not to provide legal advice, but to alert foster parents to some of the key legal issues affecting their role in decision-making for the foster child. Contents discuss foster parents' access to adequate information concerning their foster children and their right to pursue grievances, resist agency decisions to remove…

Development and Testing of a Multimedia Internet-Based System for Fidelity and Monitoring of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care

PubMed Central

Sprengelmeyer, Peter G; Davis, Betsy; Chamberlain, Patricia

2012-01-01

Background The fields of mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice are jointly faced with the challenge of reducing the prevalence of antisocial behavior among adolescents. In the last 20 years, conduct disorders have moved from being considered intractable difficulties to having complex but available solutions. The treatments for even long-standing offending behavior among adolescents are now well documented and supported by a growing and compelling body of evidence. These empirically validated interventions are being widely disseminated, but the replication of the results from clinical trials in community settings has yet to be documented. The treatments, which produced impressive effects in a research context, are difficult to replicate without intensive monitoring of fidelity by the developers. Such monitoring is a barrier toward adoption; as the distance between the adopter and developer increases, so does cost. At the same time, states, communities, and agencies are under increasing pressure to implement those intervention services that have been shown to be most effective. The use of the Internet offers a potential solution in that existing reporting and data collection by clinicians can be subject to remote supervision. Such a system would have the potential to provide dissemination teams with more direct access to higher-quality data and would make adopters more likely to be able to implement services at the highest possible conformity to research protocols. Objective To create and test such an innovative system for use with the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) program, which is an in-home treatment (alternative to a residential- or group-home setting) for antisocial youths. This research could advance the knowledge base about developing innovative infrastructures in community settings to disseminate empirically validated treatments. Methods The fidelity system was used and reviewed by parent and professional users: 20 foster parent users of the Parent Daily Report function, 9 professional MTFC program supervisors, and 4 MTFC consultants. All participants rated the system’s ease of use, quality of the website, and observational videos recorded at agency meetings. In addition, foster parents entered data on child behavior. Results All professionals and foster parents rated the system as very easy to use. We found particularly high levels of use by parents. Professionals rated the computer-collected videos of clinical meetings as being of high quality and easily codeable. Conclusions The project developed a user-friendly and secure Web-based system using state-of-the-art computer-based protocols for recording questionnaire and observational data generated by community-based MTFC staff and foster parents, with positive satisfaction and utilization results. PMID:23073495

We Care for Kids: A Handbook for Foster Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Dept. of Children and Family Services, Springfield.

This handbook outlines essential information for foster parents under these basic headings: (1) legal rights and responsibilities of children, parents and foster parents; (2) recruitment, licensing, training, and evaluation of foster homes; (3) placement and removal of foster children; (4) payments and expenses; (5) medical care; (6)…

The Legal Aspects of Foster Care. Instructor's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Findling, Joseph

One of a series of manuals for the Foster Parent Training Project, this workbook has been developed at Eastern Michigan University to assist instructors in presenting to foster parent trainees information concerning foster parents involvement with courts, legal proceedings, and public and private agencies. In eight sessions foster parents are…

Religion and the Foster Home. Fostering Families. A Specialized Training Program Designed for Foster Care Workers & Foster Care Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Mona Struhsaker; Horejsi, Charles R.

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module examines religious practices in foster homes. The module's learning objectives address: (1) the religious background of a foster child's birth family; (2) the rights of a foster child's birth parents concerning the…

Good Relations between Foster Parents and Birth Parents: A Swedish Study of Practices Promoting Successful Cooperation in Everyday Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedin, Lena

2015-01-01

The importance for foster children's well-being of good relations between foster parents and birth parents is a common topic of research. This article aims to contribute to an understanding of how co-parenting by foster parents and birth parents works in everyday life, from both parties' perspectives, whether or not they knew each other…

Preventive intervention for anxious preschoolers and their parents: strengthening early emotional development.

PubMed

Fox, Jeremy K; Masia Warner, Carrie; Lerner, Amy B; Ludwig, Kristy; Ryan, Julie L; Colognori, Daniela; Lucas, Christopher P; Brotman, Laurie Miller

2012-08-01

The high prevalence and early onset of anxiety disorders have inspired innovative prevention efforts targeting young at-risk children. With parent-child prevention models showing success for older children and adolescents, the goal of this study was to evaluate a parent-child indicated preventive intervention for preschoolers with mild to moderate anxiety symptoms. Sixteen children (ages 3-5) and at least one of their parents participated in Strengthening Early Emotional Development (SEED), a new 10-week intervention with concurrent groups for parents and children. Outcome measures included clinician-rated and parent-rated assessments of anxiety symptoms, as well as measures of emotion knowledge, parent anxiety, and parental attitudes about children's anxiety. Participation in SEED was associated with reduced child anxiety symptoms and improved emotion understanding skills. Parents reported decreases in their own anxiety, along with attitudes reflecting enhanced confidence in their children's ability to cope with anxiety. Reductions in child and parent anxiety were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Findings suggest that a parent-child cognitive-behavioral preventive intervention may hold promise for young children with mild to moderate anxiety. Improvements in parent anxiety and parental attitudes may support the utility of intervening with parents. Fostering increased willingness to encourage their children to engage in new and anxiety-provoking situations may help promote continued mastery of new skills and successful coping with anxiety.

Implementation and Evaluation of Linked Parenting Models in a Large Urban Child Welfare System

PubMed Central

Feldman, Sara Wolf; Wulczyn, Fred; Saldana, Lisa; Forgatch, Marion

2015-01-01

During the past decade, there have been increased efforts to implement evidence-based practices into child welfare systems to improve outcomes for children in foster care and their families. In this paper, the implementation and evaluation of a policy-driven large system-initiated reform is described. Over 250 caseworkers and supervisors were trained and supported to implement two evidence-based parent focused interventions in five private agencies serving over 2,000 children and families. At the request of child welfare system leaders, a third intervention was developed and implemented to train the social work workforce to use evidence-based principles in everyday interactions with caregivers (including foster, relative, adoptive, and biological parents). In this paper, we describe the policy context and the targeted outcomes of the reform. We discuss the theory of the interventions and the logistics of how they were linked to create consistency and synergy. Training and ongoing consultation strategies used are described as are some of the barriers and opportunities that arose during the implementation. The strategy for creating a path to sustainability is also discussed. The reform effort was evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods; the evaluation design, research questions and preliminary results are provided. PMID:26602831

Implementation and evaluation of linked parenting models in a large urban child welfare system.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Patricia; Feldman, Sara Wolf; Wulczyn, Fred; Saldana, Lisa; Forgatch, Marion

2016-03-01

During the past decade, there have been increased efforts to implement evidence-based practices into child welfare systems to improve outcomes for children in foster care and their families. In this paper, the implementation and evaluation of a policy-driven large system-initiated reform is described. Over 250 caseworkers and supervisors were trained and supported to implement two evidence-based parent focused interventions in five private agencies serving over 2,000 children and families. At the request of child welfare system leaders, a third intervention was developed and implemented to train the social work workforce to use evidence-based principles in everyday interactions with caregivers (including foster, relative, adoptive, and biological parents). In this paper, we describe the policy context and the targeted outcomes of the reform. We discuss the theory of the interventions and the logistics of how they were linked to create consistency and synergy. Training and ongoing consultation strategies used are described as are some of the barriers and opportunities that arose during the implementation. The strategy for creating a path to sustainability is also discussed. The reform effort was evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods; the evaluation design, research questions and preliminary results are provided. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychological Parenting: The Foster Care Process. Fostering Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Mona Struhsaker; And Others

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module's learning objectives address: (1) the position of the foster child as an outsider in the foster family; (2) foster parenting experiences with children from birth to 18 years of age; and (3) the process of…

Coercive Restraint Therapies: A Dangerous Alternative Mental Health Intervention

PubMed Central

Mercer, Jean

2005-01-01

Abstract and Introduction Abstract Physicians caring for adopted or foster children should be aware of the use of coercive restraint therapy (CRT) practices by parents and mental health practitioners. CRT is defined as a mental health intervention involving physical restraint and is used in adoptive or foster families with the intention of increasing emotional attachment to parents. Coercive restraint therapy parenting (CRTP) is a set of child care practices adjuvant to CRT. CRT and CRTP have been associated with child deaths and poor growth. Examination of the CRT literature shows a conflict with accepted practice, an unusual theoretic basis, and an absence of empirical support. Nevertheless, CRT appears to be increasing in popularity. This article discusses possible reasons for the increase, and offers suggestions for professional responses to the CRT problem. Introduction The term coercive restraint therapy (CRT) describes a category of alternative mental health interventions that are generally directed at adopted or foster children, that are claimed to cause alterations in emotional attachment, and that employ physically intrusive techniques. Other names for such treatments are attachment therapy, corrective attachment therapy, dyadic synchronous bonding, holding therapy, rage reduction therapy, and Z-therapy. CRT may be carried out by practitioners trained in extracurricular workshops, or such practitioners may instruct parents who perform all or part of the treatment. CRT practices involve the use of restraint as a tool of treatment rather than simply as a safety device. While restraining the child, CRT practitioners may also exert physical pressure in the form of tickling or intense prodding of the torso, grab the child's face, and command the child to kick the legs rhythmically. Some CRT practitioners lie prone with their body weight on the child, a practice they call compression therapy. Most practitioners restrain the child in a supine position, but some place the child in prone when using restraint for calming purposes.[1,2] Although it is less common than it once was, CRT practitioners may employ a rebirthing technique, in which the child is wrapped in fabric and required to emerge in a simulacrum of birth. CRT practices are generally accompanied by adjuvant child care practices that may be carried out by a therapeutic foster parent or by the child's adoptive or foster parent. These practices, which we may call coercive restraint therapy parenting (CRTP), stress the adult's absolute authority.[3] For example, a child receiving CRTP is not to be told when or if he/she will see his/her parents again. The child may not have access to food without the parent's involvement and may not use the bathroom without permission. Food may be withheld, or an unpalatable and inadequate diet may be provided. A child who asks for a hug or kiss may not have one, but the child is required to respond to the adult's offers of affection and to participate in developmentally inappropriate rocking and bottle-feeding. CRT is employed primarily in the treatment of adopted and foster children whose parents believe that they are lacking in affection, emotional engagement, and obedience – a group of factors that CRT advocates consider to show attachment. CRT practices may also be applied preemptively to asymptomatic adopted children, on the principle that these children are concealing their pathology, which will emerge later in serious forms, such as lying and cruelty. Practitioners of CRT and CRTP use the conventional diagnosis of reactive attachment disorder, although they claim to be able to detect a more serious disturbance, which they term attachment disorder. Attachment disorder is diagnosed by a questionnaire instrument, the Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire (RADQ), which obtains parent answers about issues, such as the frequency with which the child makes eye contact.[4] PMID:16369232

Parental Book Reading and Social-Emotional Outcomes for Head Start Children in Foster Care.

PubMed

Lee, Kyunghee; Lee, Jung-Sook

2016-01-01

This study examines the associations between parental book reading and social-emotional outcomes for Head Start children in foster care. Despite no main Head Start impact on parental book reading, subgroup effects were found. Foster parents in Head Start provided more book reading for children with disabilities but less for children with low preacademic scores. Head Start enhanced social-emotional outcomes for children in foster care. The positive impacts of Head Start on children's social-emotional outcomes were greater when parents read books frequently. Head Start should include more foster families and provided parenting skills to enhance social-emotional outcomes for children in foster care.

Health risk behavior of youth in foster care.

PubMed

Gramkowski, Bridget; Kools, Susan; Paul, Steven; Boyer, Cherrie B; Monasterio, Erica; Robbins, Nancy

2009-05-01

Many adolescent health problems are predominantly caused by risk behavior. Foster adolescents have disproportionately poor health; therefore, identification of risk behavior is critical. Data from a larger study were analyzed to investigate the health risk behavior of 56 youth in foster care using the Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition. Data indicated that youth in foster care had some increased risk behavior when compared with a normative adolescent population. Younger adolescents and those in relative placement had less risky behavior. Risk behavior was increased for youth in foster care when they were in group homes, had experienced a parental death, or had a history of physical or emotional abuse or attempted suicide. These results point to areas of strength and vulnerability for youth in foster care and suggest areas for clinicians and caregivers of these adolescents to focus interventions towards harm reduction and enhancement of resiliency.

Preventive Intervention for Anxious Preschoolers and Their Parents: Strengthening Early Emotional Development

PubMed Central

Fox, Jeremy K.; Lerner, Amy B.; Ludwig, Kristy; Ryan, Julie L.; Colognori, Daniela; Lucas, Christopher P.; Brotman, Laurie Miller

2013-01-01

The high prevalence and early onset of anxiety disorders have inspired innovative prevention efforts targeting young at-risk children. With parent–child prevention models showing success for older children and adolescents, the goal of this study was to evaluate a parent–child indicated preventive intervention for preschoolers with mild to moderate anxiety symptoms. Sixteen children (ages 3–5) and at least one of their parents participated in Strengthening Early Emotional Development (SEED), a new 10-week intervention with concurrent groups for parents and children. Outcome measures included clinician-rated and parent-rated assessments of anxiety symptoms, as well as measures of emotion knowledge, parent anxiety, and parental attitudes about children’s anxiety. Participation in SEED was associated with reduced child anxiety symptoms and improved emotion understanding skills. Parents reported decreases in their own anxiety, along with attitudes reflecting enhanced confidence in their children’s ability to cope with anxiety. Reductions in child and parent anxiety were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Findings suggest that a parent–child cognitive-behavioral preventive intervention may hold promise for young children with mild to moderate anxiety. Improvements in parent anxiety and parental attitudes may support the utility of intervening with parents. Fostering increased willingness to encourage their children to engage in new and anxiety-provoking situations may help promote continued mastery of new skills and successful coping with anxiety. PMID:22331442

Fostering the Teenager. Instructor's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loppnow, Donald M.

One of a series of manuals for the Foster Parent Training Project, this workbook has been developed at Eastern Michigan University to assist instructors in presenting to foster parent trainees information concerning problems of living with adolescent foster children. In 10 sessions foster parents are encouraged to (1) increase their understanding…

[Mental health of preschool foster care children: How do foster families influence the way children cope with trauma?].

PubMed

Vasileva, Mira; Petermann, Franz

2017-08-15

Parents and other significant persons have an important role when preschool children develop or cope with psychological symptoms following traumatic experiences. The underlying mechanisms of the interaction between traumatic experiences and influences of the foster family are still unclear. This study investigates foster parents’ stress levels and parenting styles as moderators or mediators in the context of traumatic experiences. Foster parents of 286 children between three and seven years participated in an online or paper-and-pencil survey. The results suggest a connection between the traumatic experiences of foster children and the stress levels as well as the parenting styles of their foster parents. While verbosity and laxness as parenting styles moderated the impact of traumatic experiences on externalising symptoms, stress levels mediated the impact of traumatic experiences on children’s internalising and externalising symptoms. The results underscore the necessity of standardized preparation of and support for foster parents in order to avoid deterioration of psychological symptoms following traumatic Events.

Enhancing “usual practice” Treatment Foster Care: Findings from a randomized trial on improving youth outcomes

PubMed Central

Farmer, Elizabeth M.Z.; Burns, Barbara J.; Wagner, H. Ryan; Murray, Maureen; Southerland, Dannia G.

2009-01-01

Objectives This article reports the initial findings from a randomized trial to enhance Treatment Foster Care (TFC) in “usual care” agencies. The intervention, Together Facing the Challenge, was built upon a combination of practice-based elements from a prior descriptive study of TFC and selected elements from Chamberlain’s evidence-based model (MTFC) to fill conspicuous gaps in usual practice. The study was designed to examine whether additional training and consultation to staff and treatment parents improved outcomes for youth. Methods The study was conducted with 247 youth in TFC and their treatment parents from 14 TFC agencies in a southeastern state. Half of the agencies were randomized to the intervention condition and received study-provided training and consultation. Control agencies continued to provide training and treatment as usual. Data for the current analyses come from interviews with treatment parents at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Results Youth in the intervention group showed significant improvement (compared to the youth in the control group) on the three focal domains – symptoms, behaviors, and strengths. Effects were larger for behaviors and symptoms than for strengths. Conclusions This study employs a “hybrid” model to improve practice. It builds upon current practices in existing agencies and infuses additional training and consultation to overcome observed deficits. Such an approach has tremendous potential for moving beyond a singular focus on disseminating evidence-based interventions to a broader view of improving practice in a wide range of agencies. PMID:20513677

Foster Parents Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Dakota State Board of Social Service, Bismarck.

A wide range of information pertaining to foster care and the role of foster parents is presented in this handbook. The nature of and the need for foster care are discussed briefly. Specific information is presented on the relationship of foster children to their parents, the court, their custodian and their guardian, and the process of becoming a…

Evaluation and Sustainability of the Healthy Learners Asthma Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Splett, Patricia L.; Erickson, Cecelia D.; Belseth, Stephanie B.; Jensen, Charlotte

2006-01-01

The Healthy Learners Asthma Initiative (HLAI) involved collaboration between Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), local health care providers/payors, parents, and other partners. The intervention included development of enhanced asthma care in school health offices and clinic performance improvement projects to foster adoption of National Institutes…

A Way of Caring: The Parents' Guide to Foster Family Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutter, Barbara A.

This booklet presents guidelines for parents of children placed in foster care on how to continue or strengthen their relationship with their children while the children are living in foster homes. Chapters are included on the following topics: (1) things parents should know about foster care; (2) preparing the child for foster care; (3) the first…

Measuring Foster Parent Potential: Casey Foster Parent Inventory-Applicant Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orme, John G.; Cuddeback, Gary S.; Buehler, Cheryl; Cox, Mary Ellen; Le Prohn, Nicole S.

2007-01-01

Objective: The Casey Foster Applicant Inventory-Applicant Version (CFAI-A) is a new standardized self-report measure designed to assess the potential to foster parent successfully. The CFAI-A is described, and results concerning its psychometric properties are presented. Method: Data from a sample of 304 foster mothers from 35 states are analyzed.…

Toward an Effective Parenting Partnership for Children in Child Welfare Agencies and Foster Parent Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacLean, Ian N.

This practicum was designed to improve the level and quality of involvement of foster parents and social workers in the development of timely and compliant foster care plans at a child care agency in Ontario. The writer developed: (1) an agency policy that defined the unique relationship between foster parents and the child welfare agency and…

Perspectives of Foster Parents on Interactions and Involvement with K-12 Public Schools in a County in Southern California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein-Steele, Eric Charles

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to (a) understand foster parents' perceptions of their parental roles and their involvement in their foster children's academic work; (b) understand their perceptions of their experiences in interacting with their foster children's public school; and (c) provide suggestions to enhance the parent-school collaboration…

Quality of social interaction in foster dyads at child age 2 and 3 years.

PubMed

Jacobsen, Heidi; Vang, Kristin Alvestad; Lindahl, Karoline Mentzoni; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Smith, Lars; Moe, Vibeke

2018-06-30

The main aim of this study was to investigate the quality of social interaction between 60 foster parents and their foster children compared to a group of 55 non-foster families at 2 (T1) and again at 3 (T2) years of age. Video observations were used to investigate child-parent interaction at both time-points. "This is My Baby" interview was administered to investigate foster parents' commitment at T1. The main results revealed significant group differences at T1 on all child-parent social interaction measures, although not at T2. Further, a significant group by time interaction was identified for parental sensitivity, revealing a positive development over time in the foster group. Finally, a significant positive relation was found between commitment at T1 and parental sensitivity. The results convey an optimistic view of the possibilities for foster dyads to develop positive patterns of social interaction over time.

[The Relationship Between Attachment Representations of Foster Parents and Foster Children and the Role of the Child's Sex].

PubMed

Nowacki, Katja; Kliewer-Neumann, Josephine; Bovenschen, Ina; Lang, Katrin; Zimmermann, Janin; Spangler, Gottfried

2015-01-01

Children who have been placed in foster care after having experienced difficult family situations need to experience secure relationships. The development of a secure attachment model is regarded as a key protective factor for a healthy development. The present study examines predictors of attachment representations in a sample of 37 foster children aged three to eight years. Children's attachment representations were assessed using the Attachment Story Completion Task, and foster parents' attachment representations with the Adult Attachment Interview. Female foster children scored higher in secure attachment representations than males. Attachment representations of male foster children were positively influenced by a secure attachment representation of their primary foster parent and slightly by the duration of placement in the foster family as well as their age of placement but differently than expected. These results suggest that male foster children may be more vulnerable in their development of attachment representations and that foster parents' state of mind regarding attachment as well as the duration of the placement seem to have an impact on the development of attachment patterns in their foster children. This should be considered in the choice and counseling of foster parents.

Formative Evaluation: A Case Study of the Illinois Birth-to-Three IV-E Waiver.

PubMed

Rolock, Nancy; Snyder, Susan M; Tate, Cynthia

2015-01-01

Few interventions addressing early childhood trauma have adequate evidence. The Illinois Birth-to-Three Waiver is a 5-year federal project to reduce trauma and increase permanency for young children. In this article the authors describe the explorative and formative phases, including: (a) developing a well-built research question; (b) working with purveyors of evidence-supported interventions (ESIs); (c) adapting ESIs to a large public child welfare system; (d) developing fidelity measures, assessment data and outcomes; and (e) managing the challenges of implementing a randomized controlled trial. Public and private agency staff work in conjunction with university partners to merge implementation science, program evaluation, and intervention research. The project's theory of change stipulates that working with the triad of birth parent(s), foster parent(s), and focal child is critical to achieving project outcomes. The authors articulate the importance of working closely with an interdisciplinary team to achieve these outcomes, and the challenges associated with the early stages of implementation.

Role Perceptions of Foster Care in African American Kinship and Nonkinship Foster Parents: A Quantitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warde, Bryan

2008-01-01

This article reports on a study that examined a cohort of African American kinship (n = 57) and nonkinship (n = 53) foster parents' perceptions of their role responsibilities as a foster care provider. The Foster Parent Role Perception (FPRP) scale was used to measure perceived role responsibility. Results indicated that both the kinship and…

Effects of a brief Early Start Denver model (ESDM)-based parent intervention on toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Rogers, Sally J; Estes, Annette; Lord, Catherine; Vismara, Laurie; Winter, Jamie; Fitzpatrick, Annette; Guo, Mengye; Dawson, Geraldine

2012-10-01

This study was carried out to examine the efficacy of a 12-week, low-intensity (1-hour/wk of therapist contact), parent-delivered intervention for toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) aged 14 to 24 months and their families. A randomized controlled trial involving 98 children and families was carried out in three different sites investigating the efficacy of a parent delivery of the Early Start Denver model (P-ESDM), which fosters parental use of a child-centered responsive interaction style that embeds many teaching opportunities into play, compared to community treatment as usual. Assessments were completed at baseline and 12 weeks later, immediately after the end of parent coaching sessions. There was no effect of group assignment on parent-child interaction characteristics or on any child outcomes. Both groups of parents improved interaction skills, and both groups of children demonstrated progress. Parents receiving P-ESDM demonstrated significantly stronger working alliances with their therapists than did the community group. Children in the community group received significantly more intervention hours than those in the P-ESDM group. For the group as a whole, both younger child age at the start of intervention and a greater number of intervention hours were positively related to the degree of improvement in children's behavior for most variables. Parent-implemented intervention studies for early ASD thus far have not demonstrated the large effects seen in intensive-treatment studies. Evidence that both younger age and more intervention hours positively affect developmental rates has implications for clinical practice, service delivery, and public policy. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cultural Worldviews of Foster Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jason D.; George, Natalie; St. Arnault, David; Sintzel, Jennifer

2011-01-01

A random sample of Canadian foster parents were asked about the importance of culture in fostering. In response to the question "What values, beliefs and traditions were you raised with and feel are important?," a total of 74 different responses were received. These responses were grouped together by foster parents and the groupings…

Permanency and the Foster Care System.

PubMed

Lockwood, Katie K; Friedman, Susan; Christian, Cindy W

2015-10-01

Each year over 20,000 youth age out of the child welfare system without reaching a permanent placement in a family. Certain children, such as those spending extended time in foster care, with a diagnosed disability, or adolescents, are at the highest risk for aging out. As young adults, this population is at and increased risk of incarceration; food, housing, and income insecurity; unemployment; educational deficits; receipt of public assistance; and mental health disorders. We reviewed the literature on foster care legislation, permanency, outcomes, and interventions. The outcomes of children who age out of the child welfare system are poor. Interventions to increase permanency include training programs for youth and foster parents, age extension for foster care and insurance coverage, an adoption tax credit, and specialized services and programs that support youth preparing for their transition to adulthood. Future ideas include expanding mentoring, educational support, mental health services, and post-permanency services to foster stability in foster care placements and encourage permanency planning. Children in the child welfare system are at a high risk for physical, mental, and emotional health problems that can lead to placement instability and create barriers to achieving permanency. Failure to reach the permanency of a family leads to poor outcomes, which have negative effects on the individual and society. Supporting youth in foster care throughout transitions may mediate the negative outcomes that have historically followed placement in out-of-home care. Copyright © 2015 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Fostering parents' emotion regulation through a sibling-focused experimental intervention.

PubMed

Ravindran, Niyantri; Engle, Jennifer M; McElwain, Nancy L; Kramer, Laurie

2015-06-01

In this study, we assessed whether an intervention designed to improve children's sibling relationships, the More Fun with Sisters and Brothers program (MFWSB), may also help parents manage their emotions more effectively. Families with at least 2 children between the ages of 4 and 8 years were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 50) or wait-list control (n = 34) group. Parents completed pre- and posttest questionnaires on sibling warmth and agonism, their emotion regulation during sibling conflict, and their global emotion regulation styles. Program participation had a direct effect on 3 of the 4 emotion regulation outcomes for mothers. Mothers in the intervention versus control group reported lower levels of dysregulation and suppression and higher levels of reappraisal at posttest, controlling for pretest regulation scores. Additionally, path models examining posttest responses showed that participation in MFWSB led to lower levels of maternal and paternal negative reactivity in the sibling context via lower levels of sibling agonism, controlling for pretest levels of negative reactivity. Alternate path models, with parents' emotion regulation as mechanisms linking MFWSB and sibling relationship quality, were tested but not supported. Results highlight the value of a sibling-focused intervention for promoting parents' abilities to regulate their emotions. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluation of a school-based intervention programme for South African children of divorce.

PubMed

Botha, Cornelius J; Wild, Lauren G

2013-01-01

Parental divorce affects approximately 30 000 South African children annually. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Children of Divorce Intervention Programme (CODIP) at two South African schools. CODIP is a preventively oriented group programme which was developed to foster resilience by helping children cope more effectively with possible academic, behavioural, and emotional problems brought about by their parents' divorce. Twenty-five 10- to 14-year-old boys from two primary schools were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups and 1 delayed intervention control group. The experimental groups attended 12 one-hour weekly sessions; the control group received no intervention until after the study was completed. Children's understanding of divorce related events and social, emotional and behavioural adjustment was assessed one week before the intervention and three months thereafter using a battery of self-rated, teacher-rated and parent-rated questionnaires. One-way ANOVAs indicated no statistically significant decline in children's self-reported problematic beliefs about divorce or total difficulties. However, teachers' and parents' ratings indicated that compared to the control group, the combined experimental groups showed significant improvement in their general behavioural, emotional and social adjustment after programme participation. The results suggest that South African children who experience parental divorce may benefit from participation in CODIP.

Underserved parents, underserved youth: Considering foster parent willingness to foster substance-using adolescents

PubMed Central

Meyers, Kathleen; Kaynak, Övgü; Clements, Irene; Bresani, Elena; White, Tammy

2014-01-01

Adolescents involved with foster care are five times more likely to receive a drug dependence diagnosis when compared to adolescents in the general population. Prior research has shown that substance use is often hidden from providers, negating any chance for treatment and almost guaranteeing poor post-foster care outcomes. There are virtually no studies that examine the willingness (and its determinants) to foster youth with substance abuse problems. The current study conducted a nationally-distributed survey of 752 currently licensed foster care parents that assessed willingness to foster youth overall and by type of drug used, and possible correlates of this decision (e.g., home factors, system factors, and individual foster parent factors such as ratings of perceived difficulty in fostering this population). Overall, willingness to foster a youth involved with alcohol and other drugs (AOD) was contingent upon the types of drugs used. The odds that a parent would foster an AOD-involved youth were significantly increased by being licensed as a treatment foster home, having fostered an AOD-involved youth in the past, having AOD-specific training and past agency-support when needed, and self-efficacy with respect to positive impact. Surprisingly, when religion played a large part in the decision to foster any child, the odds of willingness to foster an AOD-involved youth dropped significantly. These results suggest that a large proportion of AOD-involved youth who find themselves in the foster care system will not have foster families willing to parent them, thereby forcing placement into a variety of congregate care facilities (e.g., residential treatment facilities, group homes). Specific ways in which the system can address these issues to improve placement and permanency efforts is provided. PMID:25878368

The Family-centered Action Model of Intervention Layout and Implementation (FAMILI): the example of childhood obesity.

PubMed

Davison, Kirsten K; Lawson, Hal A; Coatsworth, J Douglas

2012-07-01

Parents play a fundamental role in shaping children's development, including their dietary and physical activity behaviors. Yet family-centered interventions are rarely used in obesity prevention research. Less than half of childhood obesity prevention programs include parents, and those that do include parents or a family component seldom focus on sustainable change at the level of the family. The general absence of a family-centered approach may be explained by persistent challenges in engaging parents and families and the absence of an intervention framework explicitly designed to foster family-centered programs. The Family-centered Action Model of Intervention Layout and Implementation, or FAMILI, was developed to address these needs. FAMILI draws on theories of family development to frame research and intervention design, uses a mixed-methods approach to conduct ecologically valid research, and positions family members as active participants in the development, implementation, and evaluation of family-centered obesity prevention programs. FAMILI is intended to facilitate the development of culturally responsive and sustainable prevention programs with the potential to improve outcomes. Although childhood obesity was used to illustrate the application of FAMILI, this model can be used to address a range of child health problems.

Integrating a family-focused approach into child obesity prevention: Rationale and design for the My Parenting SOS study randomized control trial

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background More than 20% of US children ages 2-5 yrs are classified as overweight or obese. Parents greatly influence the behaviors their children adopt, including those which impact weight (e.g., diet and physical activity). Unfortunately, parents often fail to recognize the risk for excess weight gain in young children, and may not be motivated to modify behavior. Research is needed to explore intervention strategies that engage families with young children and motivate parents to adopt behaviors that will foster healthy weight development. Methods This study tests the efficacy of the 35-week My Parenting SOS intervention. The intervention consists of 12 sessions: initial sessions focus on general parenting skills (stress management, effective parenting styles, child behavior management, coparenting, and time management) and later sessions apply these skills to promote healthier eating and physical activity habits. The primary outcome is change in child percent body fat. Secondary measures assess parent and child dietary intake (three 24-hr recalls) and physical activity (accelerometry), general parenting style and practices, nutrition- and activity-related parenting practices, and parent motivation to adopt healthier practices. Discussion Testing of these new approaches contributes to our understanding of how general and weight-specific parenting practices influence child weight, and whether or not they can be changed to promote healthy weight trajectories. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00998348 PMID:21639940

Integrating a family-focused approach into child obesity prevention: rationale and design for the My Parenting SOS study randomized control trial.

PubMed

Ward, Dianne S; Vaughn, Amber E; Bangdiwala, Kant I; Campbell, Marci; Jones, Deborah J; Panter, Abigail T; Stevens, June

2011-06-05

More than 20% of US children ages 2-5 yrs are classified as overweight or obese. Parents greatly influence the behaviors their children adopt, including those which impact weight (e.g., diet and physical activity). Unfortunately, parents often fail to recognize the risk for excess weight gain in young children, and may not be motivated to modify behavior. Research is needed to explore intervention strategies that engage families with young children and motivate parents to adopt behaviors that will foster healthy weight development. This study tests the efficacy of the 35-week My Parenting SOS intervention. The intervention consists of 12 sessions: initial sessions focus on general parenting skills (stress management, effective parenting styles, child behavior management, coparenting, and time management) and later sessions apply these skills to promote healthier eating and physical activity habits. The primary outcome is change in child percent body fat. Secondary measures assess parent and child dietary intake (three 24-hr recalls) and physical activity (accelerometry), general parenting style and practices, nutrition- and activity-related parenting practices, and parent motivation to adopt healthier practices. Testing of these new approaches contributes to our understanding of how general and weight-specific parenting practices influence child weight, and whether or not they can be changed to promote healthy weight trajectories. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00998348.

The Strong African American Families program: longitudinal pathways to sexual risk reduction.

PubMed

Murry, Velma McBride; Berkel, Cady; Brody, Gene H; Gerrard, Meg; Gibbons, Meg; Gibbons, Frederick X

2007-10-01

To identify the mechanisms by which intervention-induced increases in adaptive parenting were associated with a reduction in sexual risk behavior among rural African American adolescents across a 29-month period. African American families (N = 284) with 11-year-old children in nine rural Georgian counties participated in the 7-week Strong African American Families (SAAF) project. Counties were randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions. The program was evaluated via pretest, posttest, and long-term follow-up interview data collected in the families' homes. The current paper tests a hypothetical model of program efficacy, positing that intervention-induced changes in parenting behaviors would enhance in youth self-pride, which in turn would forecast changes in sexual behaviors measured 29 months after pretest. Compared with controls, parents who participated in SAAF reported increased adaptive universal and racially specific parenting. Furthermore, intervention-induced changes in these parenting behaviors were associated indirectly with sexual risk behavior through adolescent self-pride, peer orientation, and sexual intent. Culturally competent programs, developed through empirical and theoretical research within affected communities, can foster adaptive universal and racially specific parenting, which can have a long-term effect on adolescent sexual risk behavior. Effective strategies for designing and implementing culturally competent programs are discussed.

Peculiarities of Relationships between Foster Parents and Their Foster Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslamazova, Liliya Arturovna; Yurina, Alla Anatolievna; Khakunova, Fatimet Pshimafovna; Kochenkova, Lyubov Pavlovna

2016-01-01

This article covers on peculiarities of relationships between foster parents and foster children with disabilities. The research was done in Republic of Adygheya (the Russian Federation). The article presents the results of the empirical research, which reveals lack of emotional attachment and acceptation in the system of parent-child…

Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Preschool Children in Foster Care: The Influence of Placement and Foster Family Environment.

PubMed

Vasileva, Mira; Petermann, Franz

2017-10-01

Children in foster care often experience traumatic events which increase their risk for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Until now, no research has investigated the developmentally sensitive PTSS criteria for preschoolers among children in foster care. The current study estimated the prevalence of potentially traumatic experiences and clinical PTSS in German foster care children aged 3 to 7 years. The foster parents of 324 children completed questionnaires about children's PTSS, foster parental stress, parenting, and family functioning. Linear regression models tested trauma-related variables, placement history, and foster family characteristics as predictors of PTSS. Approximately 45.4% of the foster children had experienced at least one traumatic event and 15.4% had clinical PTSS. Physical abuse, β = .34, p < .001; hospitalization, β = -.17, p = .026; witnessing someone being hurt, β = -.15, p = .047; and parental stress, β = .43, p < .001, were significantly associated with PTSS. Results demonstrate the impact the foster family has on children who are coping with trauma, and suggest the necessity of trauma-sensitive trainings for foster parents, with stress management as an important component. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

The unintended consequences of sex education: an ethnography of a development intervention in Latin America.

PubMed

Nelson, Erica; Edmonds, Alexander; Ballesteros, Marco; Encalada Soto, Diana; Rodriguez, Octavio

2014-01-01

This paper is an ethnography of a four-year, multi-disciplinary adolescent sexual and reproductive health intervention in Bolivia, Nicaragua and Ecuador. An important goal of the intervention--and of the larger global field of adolescent sexual and reproductive health--is to create more open parent-to-teen communication. This paper analyzes the project's efforts to foster such communication and how social actors variously interpreted, responded to, and repurposed the intervention's language and practices. While the intervention emphasized the goal of 'open communication,' its participants more often used the term 'confianza' (trust). This norm was defined in ways that might--or might not--include revealing information about sexual activity. Questioning public health assumptions about parent-teen communication on sex, in and of itself, is key to healthy sexual behavior, the paper explores a pragmatics of communication on sex that includes silence, implied expectations, gendered conflicts, and temporally delayed knowledge.

[A comparative study on psychological and behavioral development in children aged 1 to 3 years fostered by grandparents and by parents].

PubMed

Wang, Ping; Song, Pu; Chen, Cai-Ping; Liang, Juan; Jian, Fang-Fang; Zhang, Jin-Bao

2009-12-01

To investigate the differences of psychological and behavioral development between children aged 1 to 3 years fostered by grandparents and those by parents. Psychological and behavioral development of 443 children aged 1 to 3 years fostered by their grandparents and of aged-matched 443 children fostered by their parents were assessed with DST, an intellectual developmental screening test developed by Pediatric Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai. The abilities of social adaptation and intelligence development in children fostered by their grandparents were obviously retarded as compared with those in children fostered by their parents. There are shortcomings in psychological and behavioral development in children aged 1 to 3 years fostered by grandparents.

Planning a mentorship initiative for foster parents: Does gender matter?

PubMed

Jay Miller, J; Benner, Kalea; Thrasher, Shawndaya; Pope, Natalie; Dumas, Tamikia; Damron, Larry J; Segress, Melissa; Niu, Chunling

2017-10-01

Despite the use of mentoring programs in fields such as business, career training, and youth development, little is known about how mentoring can be used to train and support new foster parents. This paper describes how Concept Mapping was used with current foster parents to develop a conceptual framework suitable to plan a foster parent mentor program. A secondary aim of this study was to explore priority differences in the conceptualization by self-reported gender (foster mothers vs. foster fathers). Participant data was collected via three qualitative brainstorming sessions, and analyzed using non-metric multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. Findings indicate that foster parents participating in this study conceptualized effective mentor programs via a seven cluster solution. Study results also showed no significant differences in cluster ratings by gender. Implications for practice and program planning are identified, as well as areas for future research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foster and Adoptive Parent Perspectives on Needs and Services: a Mixed Methods Study.

PubMed

Barnett, Erin R; Jankowski, Mary K; Butcher, Rebecca L; Meister, Catherine; Parton, Rebecca R; Drake, Robert E

2018-01-01

Caring for children with complex needs severely stresses foster and adoptive parents, but few studies have examined their perspectives on needs and services. To examine parental views, the authors analyzed four focus groups (n = 27 participants) and one state-wide survey (n = 512 respondents, 42% of 1206 contacted) of foster and adoptive parents in one state. Results highlighted inadequate communication between providers and families, cultural and legal barriers, needs for parent training and preparation, the importance of several types of parent supports, and needs for specialized mental health treatment for the children. Surveyed parents identified children's behavior problems as their top challenge, and over half rated the availability of mental health providers who treat attachment and family as insufficient. The findings suggest specific areas in which state leaders could enhance training and supports for child welfare staff and foster and adoptive parents and improve mental health services for children in foster and adoptive care.

Mothers' experiences of a Touch and Talk nursing intervention to optimise pain management in the PICU: a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Rennick, Janet E; Lambert, Sylvie; Childerhose, Janet; Campbell-Yeo, Marsha; Filion, Françoise; Johnston, C Celeste

2011-06-01

Parents consistently express a desire to support their child and retain a care-giving role in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Qualitative data gathered as part of a PICU intervention study were analysed to explore mothers' experiences using a Touch and Talk intervention to comfort their children during invasive procedures. To describe how mothers experienced involvement in their children's care through a Touch and Talk intervention and whether they would participate in a similar intervention again. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND SETTING: A qualitative descriptive design was used and semi-structured interviews conducted with 65 mothers in three Canadian PICUs. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. The overarching theme centred on the importance of comforting the critically ill child. This included being there for the child (the importance of parental presence); making a difference in the child's pain experience; and feeling comfortable and confident about participating in care. All but two mothers would participate in the intervention again and all would recommend it to others. Giving parents the choice of being involved in their child's care using touch and distraction techniques during painful procedures can provide an invaluable opportunity to foster parenting and support the child during a difficult PICU experience. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cortisol production patterns in young children living with birth parents vs children placed in foster care following involvement of Child Protective Services.

PubMed

Bernard, Kristin; Butzin-Dozier, Zachary; Rittenhouse, Joseph; Dozier, Mary

2010-05-01

To examine differences in waking to bedtime cortisol production between children who remained with birth parents vs children placed in foster care following involvement of Child Protective Services (CPS). Between-subject comparison of cortisol patterns among 2 groups of children. Children referred from the child welfare system. Three hundred thirty-nine children aged 2.9 to 31.4 months who were living with birth parents (n = 155) or placed in foster care (n = 184) following CPS involvement as well as 96 unmatched children from low-risk environments. Main Exposures Involvement by CPS and foster care. Main Outcome Measure Salivary cortisol samples obtained at waking and bedtime for children on 2 days. Child Protective Services-involved children who continued to live with birth parents and CPS-involved children placed in foster care differed in cortisol production, with children living with their birth parents showing flatter slopes in waking to bedtime values. Continuing to live with birth parents following involvement of CPS is associated with greater perturbation to the diurnal pattern of cortisol production than living with foster parents. Foster care may have a regulating influence on children's cortisol among children who have experienced maltreatment.

Treatment Foster Care Pre-Service Trainings: Changes in Parenting Attitudes and Fostering Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strickler, Amy; Trunzo, Annette C.; Kaelin, Michael S.

2018-01-01

Background: Pre-service training of treatment parents is a requirement for all foster care models to ensure safety and well-being of children in care. Researchers theorize treatment parents benefit more from enhanced pre-service trainings; however, no rigorous studies exist indicating the effectiveness of these trainings for treatment parents.…

Attachment states of mind among internationally adoptive and foster parents.

PubMed

Raby, K Lee; Yarger, Heather A; Lind, Teresa; Fraley, R Chris; Leerkes, Esther; Dozier, Mary

2017-05-01

The first aim of the current study was to examine the latent structure of attachment states of mind as assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) among three groups of parents of children at risk for insecure attachments: parents who adopted internationally (N = 147), foster parents (N = 300), and parents living in poverty and involved with Child Protective Services (CPS; N = 284). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the state of mind rating scales loaded on two factors reflecting adults' preoccupied and dismissing states of mind. Taxometric analyses indicated the variation in adults' preoccupied states of mind was more consistent with a dimensional than a categorical model, whereas results for dismissing states of mind were indeterminate. The second aim was to examine the degree to which the attachment states of mind of internationally adoptive and foster parents differ from those of poverty/CPS-referred parents and low-risk parents. After controlling for parental age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, (a) internationally adoptive parents had lower scores on the dismissing dimension than the sample of community parents described by Haltigan, Leerkes, Supple, and Calkins (2014); (b) foster parents did not differ from community parents on either the dismissing or the preoccupied AAI dimension; and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents had lower scores on the preoccupied dimension than poverty/CPS-referred parents. Analyses using the traditional AAI categories provided convergent evidence that (a) internationally adoptive parents were more likely to be classified as having an autonomous state of mind than low-risk North American mothers based on Bakermans-Kranenburg and van IJzendoorn's (2009) meta-analytic estimates, (b) the rates of autonomous states of mind did not differ between foster and low-risk parents, and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents were less likely to be classified as having a preoccupied state of mind than poverty/CPS-referred parents.

Attachment states of mind among internationally adoptive and foster parents

PubMed Central

RABY, K. LEE; YARGER, HEATHER A.; LIND, TERESA; FRALEY, R. CHRIS; LEERKES, ESTHER; DOZIER, MARY

2017-01-01

The first aim of the current study was to examine the latent structure of attachment states of mind as assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) among three groups of parents of children at risk for insecure attachments: parents who adopted internationally (N = 147), foster parents (N = 300), and parents living in poverty and involved with Child Protective Services (CPS; N = 284). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the state of mind rating scales loaded on two factors reflecting adults’ preoccupied and dismissing states of mind. Taxometric analyses indicated the variation in adults’ preoccupied states of mind was more consistent with a dimensional than a categorical model, whereas results for dismissing states of mind were indeterminate. The second aim was to examine the degree to which the attachment states of mind of internationally adoptive and foster parents differ from those of poverty/CPS-referred parents and low-risk parents. After controlling for parental age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, (a) internationally adoptive parents had lower scores on the dismissing dimension than the sample of community parents described by Haltigan, Leerkes, Supple, and Calkins (2014); (b) foster parents did not differ from community parents on either the dismissing or the preoccupied AAI dimension; and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents had lower scores on the preoccupied dimension than poverty/CPS-referred parents. Analyses using the traditional AAI categories provided convergent evidence that (a) internationally adoptive parents were more likely to be classified as having an autonomous state of mind than low-risk North American mothers based on Bakermans-Kranenburg and van IJzendoorn’s (2009) meta-analytic estimates, (b) the rates of autonomous states of mind did not differ between foster and low-risk parents, and (c) both internationally adoptive and foster parents were less likely to be classified as having a preoccupied state of mind than poverty/CPS-referred parents. PMID:28401831

Foster Parents' Involvement in Authoritative Parenting and Interest in Future Parenting Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Keith A.; Kraemer, Linda K.; Bernard, Amy L.; Vidourek, Rebecca A.

2007-01-01

We surveyed 191 Southwest Ohio foster parents regarding their involvement in authoritative parenting and interest for additional parenting education. Our results showed that most respondents reported using an authoritative parenting style and were interested in receiving future training. Involvement in authoritative parenting differed…

Toward Creating Synergy Among Policy, Procedures, and Implementation of Evidence-Based Models in Child Welfare Systems: Two Case Examples.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Patricia

2017-03-01

Over the past four to five decades, multiple randomized controlled trials have verified that preventive interventions targeting key parenting skills can have far-reaching effects on improving a diverse array of child outcomes. Further, these studies have shown that parenting skills can be taught, and they are malleable. Given these advances, prevention scientists are in a position to make solid empirically based recommendations to public child service systems on using parent-mediated interventions to optimize positive outcomes for the children and families that they serve. Child welfare systems serve some of this country's most vulnerable children and families, yet they have been slow (compared to juvenile justice and mental health systems) to adopt empirically based interventions. This paper describes two child-welfare-initiated, policy-based case studies that have sought to scale-up research-based parenting skills into the routine services that caseworkers deliver to the families that they serve. In both case studies, the child welfare system leaders worked with evaluators and model developers to tailor policy, administrative, and fiscal system practices to institutionalize and sustain evidence-based practices into usual foster care services. Descriptions of the implementations, intervention models, and preliminary results are described.

The Available Time Scale: Measuring Foster Parents' Available Time to Foster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherry, Donna J.; Orme, John G.; Rhodes, Kathryn W.

2009-01-01

This article presents a new measure of available time specific to fostering, the Available Time Scale (ATS). It was tested with a national sample of 304 foster mothers and is designed to measure the amount of time foster parents are able to devote to fostering activities. The ATS has excellent reliability, and good support exists for its validity.…

Medical Foster Care: An Alternative to Long-Term Hospitalization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Patricia H.; Whitworth, J. M.

1986-01-01

Describes a program model, Medical Foster Care, which uses registered nurses as foster parents who work closely with biological parents of abused and neglected children with acute health problems. The program reunites families, improves parenting skills, and saves money in long-term hospitalization. (Author/BB)

Safe Babies Court Teams™: Collaborative Journeys of Healing and Hope

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Lucy; Beike, Sarah; Norris, Judy; Parker, Kimberly; Williams, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is an evidence-based mental health intervention for infants and toddlers as well as their adult caregivers. Families with young children in foster care benefit most when it is offered along with an array of other supportive measures (e.g., housing, medical attention). As a core component of the Safe Babies Court…

Practical Tools for Foster Parents. Foster Care Solutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temple-Plotz, Lana, Ed.; Stricklett, Ted P., Ed.; Baker, Christena B., Ed.; Sterba, Michael N., Ed.

Based on the Girls and Boys Town's "Common Sense Parenting" approach, this book presents an approach to foster parenting focusing on building relationships with children, teaching them skills, and empowering them by teaching self-discipline and self-control. Research-based solutions are provided for common concerns, including building a…

Effects of nurse-led child- and parent-focused violence intervention on mentally ill adult patients and victimized parents: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sun, Gwo-Ching; Hsu, Mei-Chi

2016-08-01

Child-to-parent violence is an often hidden serious problem for parental caregivers of mentally ill adult children who experience violence toward them. To date, the comprehensive dyadic parent-adult child intervention to manage child-to-parent violence is scarce. To evaluate the effect of Child- and Parent-focused Violence Program, an adjunctive intervention involved with both violent adult children with mental illness and their victimized biological parent (parent-adult child dyads) on violence management. Open-label randomized controlled trial. A psychiatric ward in a teaching hospital and two mental hospitals in Southern Taiwan. Sixty-nine patients aged ≥20 years, with thought or mood disorders, having violent behavior in the past 6 months toward their biological parent of either gender were recruited. The violent patients' victimized biological parents who had a major and ongoing role in provision of care to these patients, living together with and being assaulted by their violent children were also recruited. The parent-adult child dyads were selected. The intervention was carried out from 2011 to 2013. The parent-adult child dyads were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (36 dyads), which received Child- and Parent-focused Violence Intervention Program, or to the control group (33 dyads), which received only routine psychiatric care. The intervention included two individualized sessions for each patient and parent, separately, and 2 conjoint sessions for each parental-child dyad for a total of 6 sessions. Each session lasted for at least 60-min. Data collection was conducted at 3 different time frames: pre-treatment, post-treatment, and treatment follow-up (one month after the completion of the intervention). Occurrence of violence prior to intervention was comparable between two groups: 88.9% (n=32) parents in the experimental group versus 93.9% (n=31) in the control group experienced verbal attack, and 50% (n=18) versus 48.5% (n=16) received body attack and were injured. The intervention significantly reduced violence, improved impulsivity, changed patients' and parents' violence attributions, and fostering active coping processes in the experimental group as compared to the control group (p<0.05). No significant reductions were found in verbal aggression, cognitive and social reactions in the parent's reactions to assault, attentional subscale of impulsivity and wishful thinking (p>0.05). Child- and Parent-focused Violence Intervention Program is effective on child-to-parent violence management in parent-adult child dyads. Thus, the intervention can be helpful for patients who have just been diagnosed with mental illness and had an episode of violence toward their parents within a narrow time frame. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

'She was a foster mother who said she didn't give cuddles': The adverse early foster care experiences of children who later struggle with adoptive family life.

PubMed

Meakings, Sarah; Selwyn, Julie

2016-10-01

Foster care remains a valuable and safe intervention for many children unable to live with their birth family. When birth family reunification is not considered possible, a small proportion of children in foster care will go on to achieve permanency by way of adoption. This article reports on some unexpected findings to emerge from two national adoption studies of previously looked after children in England and Wales. Focussing on a subset of families who had experienced or were at risk of an adoption disruption, the findings revealed that not only did children carry elevated risks for disruption due to their older age at entry to care, multiple foster care placements and traumatic early histories, but once in care, many of the children whose placements had disrupted were considered by their adoptive parents to have had very poor, even harmful fostering experiences before being placed for adoption. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed, together with the implications for social work practice. © The Author(s) 2016.

Mothers' beliefs about knowledge, child development, and parenting strategies: expanding the goals of parenting programs.

PubMed

Bond, Lynne A; Burns, Catherine E

2006-11-01

This study examined the relationship between mothers' beliefs about knowledge (epistemology) and conceptions of child development and parent-child communication strategies. One hundred twenty mothers of preschool-aged children completed the Ways of Knowing measure and Parent Communication Strategies Interview; a subset of 38 also completed the Concepts of Development Questionnaire. Analyses revealed that mothers with more complex understanding of knowledge have less categorical and more multi-faceted conceptions of child development and are more likely to endorse parenting strategies that are less authoritarian and more cognitively challenging for children. EDITOR'S STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS: Prevention programs designed to promote constructive parenting should foster parents' epistemological development (which guide beliefs and practices) rather than dwell on individual parent behaviors. The authors continue to develop the promising practice of tailoring interventions on the basis of parents' personal belief systems (see also Burns & Bond, 2004).

Measurement of Behavioral and Emotional Outcomes of Youth in Foster Care: Investigation of the Roles of Age and Placement Type.

PubMed

Gabrielli, Joy; Jackson, Yo; Brown, Shaquanna

2015-09-01

The Behavioral Assessment System for Children-2 (BASC-2) is used to assess behavioral and emotional outcomes for youth. Research providing evidence for use of the BASC-2 parent-report form historically has included biological parents reporting on their children (Reynolds and Kamphaus 2004). For youth residing in out-of-home placements through enrollment in foster care, caregivers reporting on their functioning may include foster parents or residential staff. Given the significant adverse mental health outcomes for youth in foster care and the need to adequately assess adjustment in foster care, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the measurement properties of caregivers' report on the parent report form (PRS) of the BASC-2 in foster care youth. Using 479 respondents, a measurement model was fit to the data demonstrating adequate fit across Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Adaptive Skills. Further, a comparison of measurement properties across child and adolescent groups and groups of youth residing in residential facilities versus foster homes was conducted. Factorial invariance and latent means also were assessed. The BASC-2 PRS was found to be an adequate assessment of psychological outcomes for youth in foster care when completed by foster parents or residential facility staff.

Measurement of Behavioral and Emotional Outcomes of Youth in Foster Care: Investigation of the Roles of Age and Placement Type

PubMed Central

Gabrielli, Joy; Jackson, Yo; Brown, Shaquanna

2014-01-01

The Behavioral Assessment System for Children–2 (BASC-2) is used to assess behavioral and emotional outcomes for youth. Research providing evidence for use of the BASC-2 parent-report form historically has included biological parents reporting on their children (Reynolds and Kamphaus 2004). For youth residing in out-of-home placements through enrollment in foster care, caregivers reporting on their functioning may include foster parents or residential staff. Given the significant adverse mental health outcomes for youth in foster care and the need to adequately assess adjustment in foster care, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the measurement properties of caregivers’ report on the parent report form (PRS) of the BASC-2 in foster care youth. Using 479 respondents, a measurement model was fit to the data demonstrating adequate fit across Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Adaptive Skills. Further, a comparison of measurement properties across child and adolescent groups and groups of youth residing in residential facilities versus foster homes was conducted. Factorial invariance and latent means also were assessed. The BASC-2 PRS was found to be an adequate assessment of psychological outcomes for youth in foster care when completed by foster parents or residential facility staff. PMID:26478653

Children's behavioral health needs and satisfaction and commitment of foster and adoptive parents: Do trauma-informed services make a difference?

PubMed

Barnett, Erin R; Cleary, Sarah E; Butcher, Rebecca L; Jankowski, Mary K

2018-05-03

Caring for children in foster or adoptive care with behavioral health needs can severely stress parents, contributing to adverse outcomes for children and families. Trauma-informed services from the child welfare and mental health sectors may help prevent poor outcomes by helping children and parents identify and understand trauma and its impact on children's behavioral health and receive effective treatment. To help understand the role of trauma-informed services for the child welfare population, we examined whether trauma-informed child welfare and mental health services moderated the relationship between children's behavioral health needs and parent satisfaction and commitment. The researchers analyzed data from a cross-sectional statewide survey of foster and adoptive parents (n = 512 respondents, 42% of 1,206 contacted) from one state. Foster (but not adoptive) parent ratings of trauma-informed mental health services significantly moderated the relationship between children's behavioral health needs and foster and adoptive parent satisfaction and commitment. As ratings of trauma-informed mental health services increased, the association between child behavioral health needs and parent satisfaction and commitment became nonsignificant, suggesting a buffering effect. Trauma-informed child welfare services did not moderate the relationship for foster or adoptive parents. Leaders and policymakers are urged to promote trauma-informed mental health services for children involved with child welfare to potentially buffer foster parents against lower parenting satisfaction and commitment. More research is needed to replicate and expand on these findings and to examine the effectiveness of trauma-informed services on other relevant child and family outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Adapting an evidence based parenting program for child welfare involved teens and their caregivers

PubMed Central

Barkan, Susan E.; Salazar, Amy M.; Estep, Kara; Mattos, Leah M.; Eichenlaub, Caroline; Haggerty, Kevin P.

2015-01-01

The scarcity of caregivers and the unique vulnerability of teens involved with the child welfare system necessitate effective strategies for ensuring that caregivers are prepared and supported in the important role they play with children and youth within the child welfare system. They are in a position, through the establishment of a strong, positive, supportive connection with the youth, to potentially minimize the impacts of recent trauma and interrupt a negative trajectory by preventing the youth’s initiation of high-risk behavior. In this paper we describe the process used to systematically adapt Staying Connected with Your Teen™, an evidence-based, prevention-focused parenting program found in other studies to reduce the initiation of teens‘ risky behaviors, for use with foster teens and their relative or foster caregivers. This work has been guided by the ADAPT-ITT framework developed by Wingood and DiClemente (2008) for adapting evidence-based interventions. Qualitative work conducted in Phase 1 of this study identified the need for the development of a trusted connection between foster youth and their caregivers, as well as tools for helping them access community resources, social services, and educational supports. This paper describes the process used to develop new and adapted program activities in response to the needs identified in Phase 1. We conducted a theater test with dyads of foster youth and their caregivers to get feedback on the new activities. Findings from the theater test are provided and next steps in the research are discussed which include examining program usability, fidelity, feasibility, and testing this new prevention program that has been tailored for child welfare involved youth and their caregivers. This intervention program has the potential to fill an important gap in the availability of preventive programming for caregivers of teens in foster care. PMID:26052172

City Kids in the Wilderness: A Pilot-Test of Outward Bound for Foster Care Group Home Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Robert L.; Attah, E. B.

2001-01-01

A study examined perceptions of a 7-day Outward Bound program among 23 urban youths, foster parents, and foster care workers from group homes in Atlanta (Georgia). Foster parents reported improved self-esteem and behavior among the teens, but foster care workers reported worse behavior. Negative program impressions lessened among male youths but…

Improving outcomes for babies and toddlers in child welfare: A model for infant mental health intervention and collaboration.

PubMed

Chinitz, Susan; Guzman, Hazel; Amstutz, Ellen; Kohchi, Joaniko; Alkon, Miriam

2017-08-01

Children under three comprise a sizable and growing proportion of foster care placements. Very young children who enter the child welfare system experience disruptions of critical attachments that are essential to this formative stage of brain development, as well as other traumatic events, leaving them at great risk for lifelong impairments. To reverse these concerning outcomes, babies who have been removed from their homes require intensive, relationship-based interventions that promote secure attachment to a primary caregiver and holistic attention the child's developmental needs. Child welfare decision-makers must be informed of infant brain development and knowledgeable about the particular needs and circumstances of each child. This article describes a model with these features that has been developed and tested in the Bronx, New York, one of the nation's poorest urban counties with high rates of foster care. The Project utilizes evidence-based Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) as its core intervention, and emphasizes collaboration and information sharing- driven by the CPP clinician- with judges, child welfare workers, attorneys and other social service and mental health providers, thereby encouraging developmentally and relationally informed case planning and permanency decisions. The model is evaluated using pre and post treatment psychosocial measures and program outcome data. Results indicate improvement in parenting interactions, positive child welfare outcomes (including increased rates of reunification, fewer returns to foster care), and improved safety and wellbeing. Results highlight the need for child welfare practices to be more closely aligned with the current science of infant brain development, and to incorporate a specialized approach to address the unique needs of infants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory-Diagnosed Sexually Transmitted Infections in Former Foster Youth Compared With Peers

PubMed Central

Ahrens, Kym R.; Richardson, Laura P.; Courtney, Mark E.; McCarty, Carolyn; Simoni, Jane; Katon, Wayne

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between having resided in foster care and risk for sexually transmitted infection (STI) during young adulthood. METHODS Multiple regression analyses were performed by using Waves I to III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1994–2002) to evaluate the association between foster care status and STI biomarkers and risk behaviors. Female (N = 7563) and male participants (N = 6759) were evaluated separately. Covariates in all models included baseline age, race, ethnicity, parental education level, parental income level, and average neighborhood household income level. RESULTS Female participants who had been in foster care were more likely to have Trichomonas (odds ratio [OR]: 3.23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45–7.23) but not gonorrhea or chlamydia and reported increased sexual risk behaviors compared with nonfostered peers. Male participants who had been in foster care were more likely to have both gonorrhea (OR: 14.28 [95% CI: 2.07–98.28]) and chlamydia (OR: 3.07 [95% CI: 1.36–6.96]) but not Trichomonas and did not report a higher risk for most sexual risk behaviors than nonfostered peers. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that individuals who have been in foster care are at increased risk for STIs during young adulthood. The pattern of exposure may differ between male and female individuals. If findings are confirmed, they suggest that health care providers who work with these youth should adjust their STI screening practices. Child welfare agencies should also consider targeted interventions to reduce STI risk in this population. PMID:20547646

Use of a brief standardized screening instrument in a primary care setting to enhance detection of social-emotional problems among youth in foster care.

PubMed

Jee, Sandra H; Halterman, Jill S; Szilagyi, Moira; Conn, Anne-Marie; Alpert-Gillis, Linda; Szilagyi, Peter G

2011-01-01

To determine whether systematic use of a validated social-emotional screening instrument in a primary care setting is feasible and improves detection of social-emotional problems among youth in foster care. Before-and-after study design, following a practice intervention to screen all youth in foster care for psychosocial problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a validated instrument with 5 subdomains. After implementation of systematic screening, youth aged 11 to 17 years and their foster parents completed the SDQ at routine health maintenance visits. We assessed feasibility of screening by measuring the completion rates of SDQ by youth and foster parents. We compared the detection of psychosocial problems during a 2-year period before systematic screening to the detection after implementation of systematic screening with the SDQ. We used chart reviews to assess detection at baseline and after implementing systematic screening. Altogether, 92% of 212 youth with routine visits that occurred after initiation of screening had a completed SDQ in the medical record, demonstrating high feasibility of systematic screening. Detection of a potential mental health problem was higher in the screening period than baseline period for the entire population (54% vs 27%, P < .001). More than one-fourth of youth had 2 or more significant social-emotional problem domains on the SDQ. Systematic screening for potential social-emotional problems among youth in foster care was feasible within a primary care setting and doubled the detection rate of potential psychosocial problems. Copyright © 2011 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FAMILIES' RESPONSE TO AIDS: NEW INSIGHTS INTO PARENTAL ROLES IN FOSTERING HIV/AIDS KNOWLEDGE.

PubMed

Dimbuene, Zacharie Tsala

2015-11-01

Worldwide, there is a consensus that parents must be involved in children's HIV/AIDS education. However, there is little evidence that speaks to this advocacy for improving adolescent health. This study developed and tested four hypotheses about (i) the relationship between parents' and adolescents' knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission routes and prevention strategies conditional upon (ii) parents' gender, (iii) communication about sexuality, and (iv) the parent-adolescent education gap. The sample consisted of 306 parent-adolescent dyads from the 2002 Cameroon Family and Health Survey. Adolescents were aged 12-19 years. Overall, fifteen items about HIV/AIDS transmission routes and prevention strategies were analysed. Descriptive results showed that parents fared better than adolescents regardless of the AIDS fact considered. An exception was the correct use of condoms (parents 57% vs adolescents 61%). The generation gap probably explains this result: parents are more conservative, reluctant and distant from condoms compared with adolescents, who are more receptive and open to discussing sex with peers. Multivariate ordered logistic regressions showed a significant positive effect of parents' HIV/AIDS knowledge on adolescents' HIV/AIDS knowledge, thus supporting the main hypothesis of direct parental influences. Parent-adolescent communication about sexuality showed positive and significant effects on adolescents' HIV/AIDS knowledge, suggesting an 'enhancing effect' when combined with the effect of parents' HIV/AIDS knowledge. Against the background that parents in sub-Saharan Africa do not teach their children about sexuality, the study demonstrated that families can play an important role in HIV/AIDS education. These findings have major implications for HIV/AIDS interventions involving adolescents, parents or both, in fostering accurate HIV/AIDS knowledge among adolescents, which could lead to protective sexual behaviours.

On treating adolescent girls: focus on strengths and resiliency in psychotherapy.

PubMed

Johnson, Norine G

2003-11-01

This strength-based psychotherapy with adolescent girls and their families is derived from feminist psychology, positive psychology, and strength-based interventions with teens. Research reviewed by the American Psychological Association's Presidential Task Force on Adolescent Girls formed the basis of specific interventions within this approach. Research findings that contributed are the effects on teen girls of positive parental relationships; utilizing strengths of their race, ethnicity, class, and gender; positive body images; being outspoken in relationships; problem-solving skills that foster independence; and family support for independence. The strength-based approach is illustrated by a case example of a 13-year-old European American girl with acting-out behaviors, depression, and subclinical attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The case illustrates how to empower adolescent girls within therapy, when and how to include parents, how to change the focus to strengths, and how to help the parents assess and build upon their daughters' strengths. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Maternal Characteristics and Child Problem Behaviors: A Comparison of Foster and Biological Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucey, Rose; Fox, Robert A.; Byrnes, Judith B.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to compare the parenting behavior, stress and support of foster mothers and biological mothers of young children. A sample of 60 mothers of young children (30 foster mothers, 30 biological mothers) completed measures of parenting behavior, parenting stress, child problem behaviors, and perceived social…

Drinking, Drugs & Youth: Use and Abuse. Fostering Families. A Specialized Training Program Designed for Foster Care Workers & Foster Care Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Mona Struhsaker; And Others

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module examines substance abuse by children aged 10 years and above. The module's learning objectives address: (1) family rules and coping mechanisms relevant to substance-abusing youth; (2) characteristics of adolescent…

Breaking Down Difficult Family Patterns. Fostering Families. A Specialized Training Program Designed for Foster Care Workers & Foster Care Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Mona Struhsaker; And Others

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module examines the functioning of families with addictive and dependent members. The module's learning objectives address: (1) indicators of addiction problems in families, and cycles of substance use and abuse; (2) roles…

Collateral benefits of the Family Check-Up on early childhood school readiness: indirect effects of parents' positive behavior support.

PubMed

Lunkenheimer, Erika S; Dishion, Thomas J; Shaw, Daniel S; Connell, Arin M; Gardner, Frances; Wilson, Melvin N; Skuban, Emily M

2008-11-01

The authors examined the longitudinal effects of the Family Check-Up (FCU) on parents' positive behavior support and children's school readiness competencies in early childhood. It was hypothesized that the FCU would promote language skills and inhibitory control in children at risk for behavior problems as an indirect outcome associated with targeted improvements in parents' positive behavior support. High-risk families in the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program participated in a multisite preventive intervention study (N = 731) with 3 yearly assessments beginning at child age 2 years. Positive behavior support was measured using 4 indicators derived from at-home observations of parent-child interaction during semistructured tasks. Longitudinal structural equation models revealed that parents in families randomly assigned to the FCU showed improvements in positive behavior support from child age 2 to 3, which in turn promoted children's inhibitory control and language development from age 3 to 4, accounting for child gender, ethnicity, and parental education. Findings suggest that a brief, ecological preventive intervention supporting positive parenting practices can indirectly foster key facets of school readiness in children at risk.

Perspectives of Foster Parents and Social Workers on Foster Placement Disruption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Brian J.; McQuillan, Karen

2014-01-01

The potential human and financial costs of foster placement disruption for the children, families, professionals and agencies involved are widely accepted. This service evaluation identified and described perspectives of foster parents and social workers regarding placement disruptions in order to identify the main issues of concern and to derive…

Fostering the Battered and Abused Child: Instructor's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFadden, Emily Jean

This manual, one of a series of manuals developed for the Foster Parent Training Project at Eastern Michigan University, was designed to assist instructors in presenting course content to foster parents on how to provide a corrective and healing environment for battered and abused foster children. The introductory section presents information for…

Predictors of treatment use among foster mothers in an attachment-based intervention program.

PubMed

Bick, Johanna; Dozier, Mary; Moore, Shannon

2012-01-01

The current study examined predictors of treatment use among 56 foster mothers who participated in an attachment-based intervention program for foster infants. Foster mothers' levels of treatment use were coded at early, middle, and late phases of the intervention program. Foster mothers' states of mind with regard to attachment predicted their understanding of the intervention session concepts. Specifically, autonomous foster mothers showed higher levels of understanding at the start of the intervention program, when compared with non-autonomous foster mothers. State of mind with regard to attachment also predicted foster mothers' levels of reflective functioning during the intervention sessions. Autonomous foster mothers showed higher levels of reflective functioning at early, middle, and late stages of the intervention program, when compared with non-autonomous foster mothers. The relevance of these findings for both treatment effectiveness and treatment delivery is discussed.

Sexual imprinting on continuous variation: do female zebra finches prefer or avoid unfamiliar sons of their foster parents?

PubMed

Schielzeth, H; Burger, C; Bolund, E; Forstmeier, W

2008-09-01

Sexual imprinting on discrete variation that serves the identification of species, morphs or sexes is well documented. By contrast, sexual imprinting on continuous variation leading to individual differences in mating preferences within a single species, morph and sex has been studied only once (in humans). We measured female preferences in a captive population of wild-type zebra finches. Individual cross-fostering ensured that all subjects grew up with unrelated foster parents and nest mates. Females from two cohorts (N = 113) were given a simultaneous choice between (two or four) unfamiliar males, one of which was a genetic son of their foster parents (SFP). We found no significant overall preference for the SFP (combined effect size d = 0.14 +/- 0.15). Additionally, we tested if foster parent traits could potentially explain between-female variation in preferences. However, neither the effectiveness of cooperation between the parents nor male contribution to parental care affected female preferences for the son of the foster father. We conclude that at least in zebra finches sexual imprinting is not a major source of between-individual variation in mating preferences.

An Exploration of How Foster Parents Educationally Assist Foster Children: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zarate, Grace

2013-01-01

Foster children are academically at risk as a result of abuse, neglect and family disruptions. Findings from previous studies have underscored the critical role played by foster parents in monitoring the academic progress of the children placed in the home. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to identify the skill…

Helping Foster Children in School: A Guide for Foster Parents, Social Workers and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeGarmo, John

2015-01-01

"Helping Foster Children in School" explores the challenges that foster children face in schools and offers positive and practical guidance tailored to help the parents, teachers and social workers supporting them. Children in care often perform poorly at school both in terms of their behavior and their academic performance, with many…

Addressing the Impact of Foster Care on Biological Children and their Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Younes, Maha N.; Harp, Michele

2007-01-01

This study explores from a dual perspective the impact of the fostering process on biological children in the home. Ten foster parents and their biological children were interviewed separately. The impact of foster care on the psychological, educational, and social well-being of biological children and their relationship with parents and siblings…

Measuring Parent Engagement in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alpert, Lily T.; Britner, Preston A.

2009-01-01

Today, child welfare agencies widely endorse a family-centered approach to foster care casework. This approach centers on a collaborative parent-caseworker relationship as a mechanism for maintaining parents' engagement in services and presumes that continued engagement will propel parents toward reunification. However, despite the importance of…

Issues of Shared Parenting of LGBTQ Children and Youth in Foster Care: Preparing Foster Parents for New Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig-Oldsen, Heather; Craig, J. Ann; Morton, Thomas

2006-01-01

Foster parents have increasingly assumed new and challenging roles during the past decade. Meeting the developmental, attachment, and grieving needs of children and youth in out of home care is challenging by itself, but can become even more difficult with the issues that arise when the child is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning…

Why do children resist or obey their foster parents? The inner logic of children's behavior during discipline.

PubMed

Singer, Elly; Doornenbal, Jeannette; Okma, Krista

2004-01-01

This article discusses a study of children's perspectives on disciplinary conflicts with their foster parents. Most children accept parental authority, but they also defend their personal autonomy and loyalties to peers. In this study, only birthchildren told real-life stories about fierce resistance to get their own way. Fierce resistance among foster children was motivated by inner conflicts and confusion. Obedience among foster children often derived from fear of punishment or a feeling of impotence. The authors discuss the theoretical and pedagogical implications of these findings.

45 CFR 2552.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... foster care; adjudicated youth; homeless youths; teen-age parents; and children in need of protective... station, the sponsor and the parent or persons legally responsible for the child served by the Foster... parent, such as a guardian, a child's natural grandparent, or a step-parent with whom the child lives...

45 CFR 2552.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... foster care; adjudicated youth; homeless youths; teen-age parents; and children in need of protective... station, the sponsor and the parent or persons legally responsible for the child served by the Foster... parent, such as a guardian, a child's natural grandparent, or a step-parent with whom the child lives...

45 CFR 2552.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... foster care; adjudicated youth; homeless youths; teen-age parents; and children in need of protective... station, the sponsor and the parent or persons legally responsible for the child served by the Foster... parent, such as a guardian, a child's natural grandparent, or a step-parent with whom the child lives...

45 CFR 2552.12 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... foster care; adjudicated youth; homeless youths; teen-age parents; and children in need of protective... station, the sponsor and the parent or persons legally responsible for the child served by the Foster... parent, such as a guardian, a child's natural grandparent, or a step-parent with whom the child lives...

Health and Mental Health Services for Children in Foster Care: The Central Role of Foster Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasztor, Eileen Mayers; Hollinger, David Swanson; Inkelas, Moira; Halfon, Neal

2006-01-01

It is well documented that children enter foster care with special health and mental health needs and, while in care, those conditions are often exacerbated. However, less attention has been given to foster parents who have the most contact with these children. Results are presented from a national study on the developmental, health and mental…

Feasibility of School-Based ADHD Interventions: A Mixed-Methods Study of Perceptions of Adolescents and Adults

PubMed Central

Bussing, Regina; Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka; Gagnon, Joseph Calvin; Mason, Dana M.; Ellison, Anne; Noguchi, Kenji; Garvan, Cynthia W.; Albarracin, Dolores

2016-01-01

Objective Little is known about perceptions surrounding academic interventions for ADHD that determine intervention feasibility. Method As part of a longitudinal mixed-methods research project, representative school district samples of 148 adolescents (54.8%), 161 parents (59.4%), 122 teachers (50.0%), 46 health care providers (53.5%), and 92 school health professionals (65.7%) completed a cross-sectional survey. They also answered open-ended questions addressing undesirable intervention effects, which were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Results Adolescents expressed significantly lower receptivity toward academic interventions than adult respondents. Stigma emerged as a significant threat to ADHD intervention feasibility, as did perceptions that individualized interventions foster inequality. Conclusion Findings suggest that adolescents’ viewpoints must be included in intervention development to enhance feasibility and avoid interventions acceptable to adults, but resisted by adolescents. PMID:24448222

The internal structure of foster-parent completed SDQ for school-aged children

PubMed Central

Lehmann, Stine; Bøe, Tormod; Breivik, Kyrre

2017-01-01

Mental health problems are common in foster-children, and tools to measure the mental health of these children are needed. One candidate instrument is the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a measure of child psychological adjustment that is increasingly being employed by Child Protection services. The aim of the current study was to examine the structural validity of the foster parent completed SDQ in a sample of 237 school aged foster children. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an excellent fit of the foster parent completed SDQ data to a five-factor model (CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.05, 90% CI [0.04, 0.06]), thus confirming the structural validity of the five-factor model for the parent-version of the SDQ in Norwegian foster children. Measurement invariance analyses indicated that boys had lower thresholds for fighting with or bullying other children than girls. Girls were on their side more likely to be rated as less popular than boys with a similar level of peer problems. PMID:28665965

The internal structure of foster-parent completed SDQ for school-aged children.

PubMed

Lehmann, Stine; Bøe, Tormod; Breivik, Kyrre

2017-01-01

Mental health problems are common in foster-children, and tools to measure the mental health of these children are needed. One candidate instrument is the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a measure of child psychological adjustment that is increasingly being employed by Child Protection services. The aim of the current study was to examine the structural validity of the foster parent completed SDQ in a sample of 237 school aged foster children. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an excellent fit of the foster parent completed SDQ data to a five-factor model (CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.05, 90% CI [0.04, 0.06]), thus confirming the structural validity of the five-factor model for the parent-version of the SDQ in Norwegian foster children. Measurement invariance analyses indicated that boys had lower thresholds for fighting with or bullying other children than girls. Girls were on their side more likely to be rated as less popular than boys with a similar level of peer problems.

Validating office-based screening for psychosocial strengths and difficulties among youths in foster care.

PubMed

Jee, Sandra H; Szilagyi, Moira; Conn, Anne-Marie; Nilsen, Wendy; Toth, Sheree; Baldwin, Constance D; Szilagyi, Peter G

2011-05-01

To assess the effectiveness of social-emotional screening in the primary care setting for youths in foster care. The setting was a primary care practice for all youth in home-based foster care in 1 county. Subjects were youths, aged 11 to 17 years, and their foster parents; both completed a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at well-child visits. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is a previously validated 25-item tool that has 5 domains: emotional symptoms; conduct problems; hyperactivity/inattention; peer problems; and prosocial behaviors and an overall total difficulties score. We first compared youth versus parent Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores and then assessed the accuracy of these Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores by comparing them in a subsample of youths (n = 50) with results of home-based structured clinical interviews using the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes. Of 138 subjects with both youth and parent reports, 78% had prosocial behaviors (strengths), and 70% had 1 or more social-emotional problems. Parents reported significantly more conduct problems (38% vs 16%; P < .0001) and total difficulties (30% vs 16%; P = .002) than did youth. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire had better agreement with the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes (n = 50) for any Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-identified problem for combined youth and foster-parent reports (93%), compared with youth report alone (54%) or parent report alone (71%). Although most youths in foster care have social-emotional problems, most have strengths as well. Youth and foster-parent perspectives on these problems differ. Systematic social-emotional screening in primary care that includes both youth and parent reports can identify youths who may benefit from services.

Engaging foster parents in treatment: a randomized trial of supplementing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy with evidence-based engagement strategies.

PubMed

Dorsey, Shannon; Pullmann, Michael D; Berliner, Lucy; Koschmann, Elizabeth; McKay, Mary; Deblinger, Esther

2014-09-01

The goal of this study was to examine the impact of supplementing Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen et al., 2006) with evidence-based engagement strategies on foster parent and foster youth engagement in treatment, given challenges engaging foster parents in treatment. A randomized controlled trial of TF-CBT standard delivery compared to TF-CBT plus evidence-based engagement strategies was conducted with 47 children and adolescents in foster care and one of their foster parents. Attendance, engagement, and clinical outcomes were assessed 1 month into treatment, end of treatment, and 3 months post-treatment. Youth and foster parents who received TF-CBT plus evidence-based engagement strategies were more likely to be retained in treatment through four sessions and were less likely to drop out of treatment prematurely. The engagement strategies did not appear to have an effect on the number of canceled or no-show sessions or on treatment satisfaction. Clinical outcomes did not differ by study condition, but exploratory analyses suggest that youth had significant improvements with treatment. Strategies that specifically target engagement may hold promise for increasing access to evidence-based treatments and for increasing likelihood of treatment completion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engaging Foster Parents in Treatment: A Randomized Trial of Supplementing Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Evidence-based Engagement Strategies

PubMed Central

Pullmann, Michael D.; Berliner, Lucy; Koschmann, Elizabeth; McKay, Mary; Deblinger, Esther

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine the impact of supplementing Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen, Mannarino, & Deblinger, 2006) with evidence-based engagement strategies on foster parent and foster youth engagement in treatment, given challenges engaging foster parents in treatment. A randomized controlled trial of TF-CBT standard delivery compared to TF-CBT plus evidence-based engagement strategies was conducted with 47 children and adolescents in foster care and one of their foster parents. Attendence, engagement, and clinical outcomes were assessed 1 month into treatment, end of treatment, and 3 months post-treatment. Youth and foster parents who received TF-CBT plus evidence-based engagement strategies were more likely to be retained in treatment through four sessions and were less likely to drop out of treatment prematurely. The engagement strategies did not appear to have an effect on the number of cancelled or no-show sessions or on treatment satisfaction. Clinical outcomes did not differ by study condition, but exploratory analyses suggest that youth had significant improvements with treatment. Strategies that specifically target engagement may hold promise for increasing access to evidence-based practices and for increasing likelihood of treatment completion. PMID:24791605

[Caregiver Stress in Foster and Adoptive Parents of Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders].

PubMed

Sarimski, Klaus

2014-01-01

Caregiver Stress in Foster and Adoptive Parents of Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Foster and adoptive parents of 71 children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) report on developmental and behavioral characteristics, family stress, coping resources and their satisfaction with support. The data reveal an elevated rate of social and emotional problems in the children. In spite positive individual and social resources, the foster and adoptive parents feel a high level of caregiver stress. 30 % of them rate the support they receive from pediatric, therapeutic or educational services as lower than expected. Specifically, they miss early information on the diagnosis, professional knowledge and support for the special challenges of education and managing behavioral problems in their collaboration with social support agencies.

Enhancing Child Development: The Beginning Years. Fostering Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Mona Struhsaker; And Others

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module's learning objectives address: (1) factors that interact to affect child development; (2) developmental milestones for infants and young children; (3) parenting processes appropriate to the childhood years; (4)…

Types and Nature of Parental Support for Overweight Students to Cope With Weight-Related Teasing.

PubMed

Zhao, Qi; Li, Weidong; Rukavina, Paul B

2017-10-01

Parental support can protect adolescents from various forms of bullying. There is a lack of in-depth information about what social support parents provide to overweight adolescents when they are teased at school. In this study, we took an initial step to address this gap in the literature by describing the types and nature of support that parents provided to their overweight child when they were teased. A conversational style semistructured interview/prompts and probes were conducted with 28 volunteering parents. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the data. Data trustworthiness was established through a variety of strategies. Six themes emerged from the data: (1) having conversations, being encouraging, and "being supportive"; (2) using religion to teach self-acceptance and comfort their child; (3) offering advice on how to cope with the teasing; (4) fostering their child's self-esteem; (5) teaching reality and acceptance of criticism in early life; and (6) seeking support from other parents or professionals. Parents offered multiple supports for their child when they were teased. This information can facilitate the development of effective family-based interventions on coping with teasing among overweight students. Future research is also needed to examine the effectiveness of the recommended interventions. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Social Communication Difficulties and Autism in Previously Institutionalized Children

PubMed Central

Levin, April R.; Fox, Nathan A.; Zeanah, Charles H.; Nelson, Charles A.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine the risk of difficulties with social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors as well as the rate of autism in children institutionalized in early infancy and to assess the impact of a foster care intervention on ameliorating this risk. Method Children abandoned at birth and raised in institutions in Bucharest, Romania were randomly assigned to a care-as-usual group (institutional care, CAUG), or placed in family-centered foster care (FCG) as part of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP). At approximately 10 years of age, the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) was administered to caregivers of children in both groups, as well as to parents of a typically developing community sample (Never Institutionalized group, NIG) residing in Bucharest, Romania. Children scoring ≥ 12 on the SCQ underwent clinical evaluation for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Results Caregivers of children with a history of institutionalization reported that these children had significantly more deviant behavior than never institutionalized children on all subdomains of the SCQ (all p<0.001). Children in the FCG had significantly lower scores on the SCQ than children in the CAUG (p<.001), particularly in the reciprocal social interaction domain, indicating that the intervention reduced problems in social communication. Three of 60 CAUG children, 2 of 57 FCG children, and none of the NIG children received a formal ASD diagnosis. Conclusion Early institutional rearing was associated with an increased risk of social communication difficulties and ASD. A family-centered foster care intervention improved social communication skills. PMID:25617251

An Impact and Feasibility Evaluation of a Six-Week (Nine Hour) Active Play Intervention on Fathers' Engagement with Their Preschool Children: A Feasibility Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houghton, Laura J.; O'Dwyer, Mareesa; Foweather, Lawrence; Watson, Paula; Alford, Simon; Knowles, Zoe R.

2015-01-01

Research has demonstrated the benefits of father involvement with their children and a link between uninvolved fatherhood and societal problems. Children's Centres (n?=?15) received 6?×?90-minute active play sessions designed to foster 6 aspects of parental engagement. Fathers' engagement and attitudes to child physical activity were measured pre-…

Mobilizing Training Resources for Rural Foster Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Applicants in Oregon, U.S.A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitmore, Jean

1991-01-01

A program for legally mandated training of foster and adoptive parents in rural Oregon is described. The development of this program and its funding sources can serve as an example for other rural areas. (BC)

The profile and progress of neglected and abused children in long-term foster care.

PubMed

Barber, James G; Delfabbro, Paul H

2009-07-01

This study compared the profile of neglected and abused children in the Australian foster care system as well as differences between maltreatment types in relation to parental contact, reunification and psychosocial progress in care. The case files of 235 children entering foster care were examined and their social workers were administered standardised questionnaires at the point of intake. All measures were repeated for those remaining in care 1 year and then again 2 years later. Neglected children were younger than non-neglected children, more likely to have a physical or mental disability, more likely to experience multiple forms of maltreatment and less likely to pose conduct problems for carers. Neglected children were more likely than non-neglected children to experience a decline in parental contact over time, and were less likely to be reunified with their families of origin. There was minimal difference between neglected and non-neglected in their psychosocial progress while in care. Aboriginal children were more likely to be reunified than non-Aboriginal children when neglect was attributable to transient factors (parental incapacity) but the reverse was true for non-neglected children. The fact that neglected children more often require a second form of maltreatment before being removed from home suggests that children's services workers are less inclined to remove children for neglect than for other forms of maltreatment. As a consequence, those neglected children who are in care tend to come from more dysfunctional families than non-neglected children do, as evidenced by the relatively poorer parental contact and reunification results of neglected children. Neglected children differ systematically from non-neglected children and suffer relative disadvantage in relation to multiple forms of maltreatment, parental contact, and reunification. The fact that declines in parental contact among neglected children in care occurred only when indirect contact was provided suggests that, wherever possible, care plans should include face-to-face visits and overnight stays rather than being restricted to less direct forms of contact. The difference in the success of reunification according to type of neglect (chronic or transient) also suggests that parental intervention programs need to focus their efforts on chronic factors rather than transient parental factors.

“When You’re Sitting on the Fence, Hope’s the Hardest Part”: Challenges and Experiences of Heterosexual and Same-Sex Couples Adopting Through the Child Welfare System

PubMed Central

Moyer, April M.; Kinkler, Lori A.; Richardson, Hannah B.

2012-01-01

Foster-to-adopt families can be viewed as systems that are influenced by many other systems (e.g., the legal system, the social service agency, and the birth family). The current qualitative study of 84 foster-to-adopt parents (members of 42 lesbian, gay, and heterosexual couples) examined the types of challenges that parents faced as they navigated multiple systems during the initial post-placement period. Some participants described the legal insecurity associated with their role as foster-to-adopt parents as impacting their personal well-being and their attachment to their children. Lack of support services and disorganization within social service agencies, as well as strained relationships with birth parents, were also identified as stressors for foster-to-adopt parents. Importantly, lesbian and gay participants faced additional concerns regarding the security of their placement, due to the possibility for discrimination within the various systems involved with the foster-to-adopt process. Participants as a whole also identified positive aspects of their experiences within various systems; for example, they appreciated child care subsidies, state-provided health insurance, and supportive social workers. Our findings provide insights into foster-to-adopt parents’ experiences during the initial post-placement period, and have implications for adoption services aimed to improve placement stability and enhance family functioning in foster-to-adopt families. PMID:23226935

Education and nutritional status of orphans and children of HIV-infected parents in Kenya.

PubMed

Mishra, Vinod; Arnold, Fred; Otieno, Fredrick; Cross, Anne; Hong, Rathavuth

2007-10-01

We examined whether orphaned and fostered children and children of HIV-infected parents are disadvantaged in schooling, nutrition, and health care. We analyzed data on 2,756 children aged 0-4 years and 4,172 children aged 6-14 years included in the 2003 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, with linked anonymous HIV testing, using multivariate logistic regression. Results indicate that orphans, fostered children, and children of HIV-infected parents are significantly less likely to attend school than non-orphaned/non-fostered children of HIV-negative parents. Children of HIV-infected parents are more likely to be underweight and wasted, and less likely to receive medical care for ARI and diarrhea. Children of HIV-negative single mothers are also disadvantaged on most indicators. The findings highlight the need to expand child welfare programs to include not only orphans but also fostered children, children of single mothers, and children of HIV-infected parents, who tend to be equally, if not more, disadvantaged.

Helping Foster and Adopted Children to Grieve the Loss of Birthparents: A Case Study Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fineran, Kerrie R.

2012-01-01

Working with children and adolescents in the foster care system whose biological parents' parental rights have been, or are soon to be, terminated can present numerous challenges for counselors. Children in these situations often struggle with identification of conflicting feelings, grief resulting from the absence of the parent/parents, and…

25 CFR 20.506 - What information is required in the foster care case file?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... signed plan for payment, including financial responsibility of parents and use of other appropriate... child; and (l) A list of all prior placements, including the names of the foster parents and dates of... FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS Child Assistance Foster Care § 20.506 What information is...

25 CFR 20.506 - What information is required in the foster care case file?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... signed plan for payment, including financial responsibility of parents and use of other appropriate... child; and (l) A list of all prior placements, including the names of the foster parents and dates of... FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS Child Assistance Foster Care § 20.506 What information is...

25 CFR 20.506 - What information is required in the foster care case file?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... signed plan for payment, including financial responsibility of parents and use of other appropriate... child; and (l) A list of all prior placements, including the names of the foster parents and dates of... FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS Child Assistance Foster Care § 20.506 What information is...

25 CFR 20.506 - What information is required in the foster care case file?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... signed plan for payment, including financial responsibility of parents and use of other appropriate... child; and (l) A list of all prior placements, including the names of the foster parents and dates of... FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS Child Assistance Foster Care § 20.506 What information is...

25 CFR 20.506 - What information is required in the foster care case file?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... signed plan for payment, including financial responsibility of parents and use of other appropriate... child; and (l) A list of all prior placements, including the names of the foster parents and dates of... FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS Child Assistance Foster Care § 20.506 What information is...

Rebuilding Children's Lives: A Blueprint for Treatment Foster Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Christena B.; Burke, Ray V.; Herron, Ron W.; Mott, Mariam A.

This book describes a treatment approach used by Boys Town to help children and youth cared for in Treatment Foster Family Services. The unique strength of the program is that it teaches parents how to encourage positive behavior from their foster children and respond specifically to problematic behaviors by teaching appropriate social skills. The…

Insecure Attachment States of Mind and Atypical Caregiving Behavior among Foster Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballen, Natasha; Bernier, Annie; Moss, Ellen; Tarabulsy, George M.; St-Laurent, Diane

2010-01-01

The current study examined the links between attachment state of mind (assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview) and atypical parenting behavior among 39 foster mothers. Insecure states of mind were associated with increased atypical parenting while interacting with the foster child, whereas unexpectedly, an unresolved state of mind was not.…

A longitudinal study of the role of children's altruism and forgiveness in the relation between parental aggressive discipline and anxiety of preschoolers in China.

PubMed

Kwok, Sylvia Y C L; Gu, Minmin; Cheung, Andy P S

2017-03-01

Using data collected over a 1-year period on a stratified random sample of 368 parents with children studying in nurseries (mean age=3.97years), this study assessed the predictive effects of parental corporal punishment, parental psychological aggression, preschoolers' altruism, and preschoolers' forgiveness on preschoolers' anxiety symptoms in Hong Kong, China. Results of hierarchical regression analyses showed that parental psychological aggression, preschoolers' altruism and preschoolers' forgiveness at Time 1 significantly predicted preschoolers' anxiety at Time 2, when controlling for the initial level of preschoolers' anxiety and important demographic variables that co-vary with preschoolers' anxiety. Moreover, preschoolers' altruism moderated the predictive effect of parental psychological aggression on preschoolers' anxiety symptoms. The study has several significant contributions. First, the study supports the predictive effect of parental aggressive discipline on preschoolers' anxiety. Second, we provide evidence that preschoolers' altruism and forgiveness negatively predict preschoolers' anxiety symptoms. Third, preschoolers' altruism and forgiveness are shown to protect them against parental psychological aggression. A dual-focus approach to intervention and prevention is proposed to reduce aggressive discipline by parents as well as to enhance altruism and forgiveness in children. Parent training programs could be provided to teach parents positive discipline strategies. Home-based or school-based interventions could be designed for preschool children to foster and enhance their altruism and forgiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network Indicators of the Social Ecology of Adolescents in Relative and Non-Relative Foster Households

PubMed Central

Kothari, Brianne H.; McBeath, Bowen; Sorenson, Paul; Bank, Lew

2016-01-01

Though the presence, composition, and quality of social relationships—particularly as found in family networks—has an important influence on adolescent well-being, little is known about the social ecology of youth in foster care. This study examined the social networks of foster youth participating in a large RCT of an intervention for siblings in foster care. Youth reported on the people they lived with and the relatives they were in contact with, which provided indicators of network size, composition, and relationship quality. Cluster analysis was used to identify five family network profiles for youth living in foster homes. Two identified subgroups reflected robust family networks where youth were living with relative caregiver(s) and related youth, and also reported multiple family ties outside the household, including with biological parents. The remaining three profiles reflected youth reports of fewer family connections within or beyond the foster household, with distinctions by whether they lived with siblings and/or reported having positive relationships with their mothers and/or fathers. The identified network profiles were validated using youth- and caregiver-reported measures of mental health functioning, with increased caregiver report of post-traumatic stress symptoms indicated for the three subgroups that were not characterized by a robust family network. PMID:28736465

Parents Are the Experts: Understanding Parent Knowledge and the Strategies They Use to Foster Collaboration with Special Education Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kervick, Colby

2017-01-01

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975), PL-94142, mandated parent participation as a required component of the provision of special education services to children with disabilities. It is widely recognized that a collaborative teaming approach is the most effective strategy to foster parent participation (Friend & Cook, 2010; A.…

The promotion of wellness in children and families challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Pedro-Carroll, J

2001-11-01

This article considers the effects of marital disruption on children and families, using a risk and resilience perspective. The challenges that parental divorce poses for children are widely recognized; however, less attention has been given to strategies for promoting children's resilience and healthy developmental trajectories. The purpose of this article is to redress that imbalance by highlighting the importance of understanding pathways toward risk and resilience in children in the aftermath of divorce and the ways in which this research can be integrated into effective, evidence-based preventive interventions and proactive social policies that foster supportive parent-child relationships and psychological wellness in children and families.

Effect of a family focused active play intervention on sedentary time and physical activity in preschool children.

PubMed

O'Dwyer, Mareesa V; Fairclough, Stuart J; Knowles, Zoe; Stratton, Gareth

2012-10-01

Early childhood provides a window of opportunity for the promotion of physical activity. Given the limited effectiveness of interventions to date, new approaches are needed. Socio-ecological models suggest that involving parents as intervention targets may be effective in fostering healthier lifestyles in children. This study describes the effectiveness of a family-focused 'Active Play' intervention in decreasing sedentary time and increasing total physical activity in preschool children. Seventy-seven families were recruited from 8 randomly selected SureStart children's centres in the North West of England. Centres were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n = 4) or a comparison group (n = 4). Parents and children in the intervention group received a 10-week active play programme delivered by trained active play professionals; this included an activity and educational component. Families in the comparison group were asked to maintain their usual routine. Each participating parent and child wore a uni-axial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and post-test. Week and weekend day sedentary time and total physical activity adjusted for child- and home- level covariates were analysed using multilevel analyses. Significant intervention effects were observed for sedentary time and physical activity for both week and weekend days. Children in the intervention group engaged in 1.5% and 4.3% less sedentary time during week and weekend days, respectively and 4.5% and 13.1% more physical activity during week and weekend days, respectively than children in the comparison group. Parent's participation in sport and their physical activity levels, child's sex, availability of media in the home and attendance at organised activities were significant predictors of sedentary time and physical activity in this age group. A 10-week family focused active play intervention produced positive changes in sedentary time and total physical activity levels in preschool children. Specific covariates were identified as having a significant effect on the outcome measures. Moreover, children whose parents were active engaged in less sedentary time and more physical activity suggesting that parent's activity habits are mediators of physical activity engagement in this age group.

Students in Foster Care: Individualized School-Based Supports for Successful Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neiheiser, Linda M.

2015-01-01

Foster care is a government-based, temporary system of support for children and adolescents whose biologic parents are either unwilling or unable to parent them. Variability exists with regard to the type of foster care continuity of services offered as well as to the placement homes themselves, and--of the nearly half-million youth currently…

Perceptions of communication, family adaptability and cohesion: a comparison of adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer and their parents.

PubMed

Phillips-Salimi, Celeste R; Robb, Sheri L; Monahan, Patrick O; Dossey, Amy; Haase, Joan E

2014-01-01

To describe and compare adolescent and parent perspectives on communication, family adaptability and cohesion, as well as relationships among these variables, during the first month of an adolescent's cancer diagnosis. Seventy adolescent-parent dyads were enrolled as part of a larger multi-site study. The adolescents ranged in age from 11 to 19, and 61% were males. Parents were predominately mothers (83%). Dyads were predominately non-Hispanic Caucasian (63%). Measures included the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES II). Paired t-tests, Pearson correlations, intra-class correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression analyses were completed. Adolescent scores on communication, family adaptability and cohesion were significantly lower than parent scores. The inter-dyadic agreement between adolescents and parents was low. Communication, family adaptability and cohesion were examined separately for adolescents and for parents, and significant relationships were found. Both adolescent- and parent-perceived communication was significantly associated with family adaptability and cohesion outcomes. Differences were found in adolescent and parent perceptions of communication, family adaptability and cohesion. When both adolescents and parents had better perceived communication, this was associated with better perceived family adaptability and cohesion. Results suggest that the development of interventions to enhance adolescent-parent communication could help foster better family adaptability and cohesion, which may ultimately impact their psychological adjustment. In addition, understanding the degree to which adolescents and parents disagree on their perceptions, including the results that parents generally have more favorable perceptions, may be a useful starting point when developing interventions.

Perceptions of Communication, Family Adaptability, and Cohesion: A Comparison of Adolescents Newly Diagnosed with Cancer and their Parents

PubMed Central

Phillips-Salimi, Celeste R.; Robb, Sheri L.; Monahan, Patrick O.; Dossey, Amy; Haase, Joan E.

2017-01-01

Purpose Describe and compare adolescent and parent perspectives on communication, family adaptability and cohesion, as well as relationships among these variables, during the first month of the adolescent’s cancer diagnosis. Methods Seventy 70 adolescent-parent dyads were enrolled as part of a larger multi-site study. Adolescents ranged in age from 11–19 and 61% were males. Parents were predominately mothers (83%). Dyads were predominately non-Hispanic Caucasian (63%). Measures included the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES II). Paired t tests, Pearson correlations, intra-class correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses were completed. Results Adolescent scores on communication, family adaptability, and cohesion were significantly lower than parent scores. The inter-dyadic agreement between adolescents and parents was low. Communication, family adaptability, and cohesion were examined separately for adolescents and for parents, significant relationships were found. Both adolescent- and parent-perceived communication was significantly associated with family adaptability and cohesion outcomes. Conclusions Differences were found in adolescent and parent perceptions of communication, family adaptability, and cohesion. When both adolescents and parents had better perceived communication, it was associated with better perceived family adaptability and cohesion. Results suggest the development of interventions to enhance adolescent-parent communication could help foster better family adaptability and cohesion which may ultimately impact their psychological adjustment. In addition, understanding the degree to which adolescents and parents disagree on their perceptions, including the results that parents generally have more favorable perceptions, may be a useful starting point when developing interventions. PMID:24501152

Characteristics of the Social Support Networks of Maltreated Youth: Exploring the Effects of Maltreatment Experience and Foster Placement.

PubMed

Negriff, Sonya; James, Adam; Trickett, Penelope K

2015-08-01

Little is known about the social support networks of maltreated youth or how youth in foster care may compare with those who remain with their parent(s). Social network characteristics and perceived social support were examined between (1) maltreated and comparison youth, (2) maltreated youth who remained with their biological parent, those with a foster parent, or a those with a kin caregiver, and (3) youth in stable placements and those who have changed placements. Data came from a sample of 454 adolescents (241 boys, 9-13 years old at enrollment) who took part in a longitudinal study of child maltreatment. Participants completed three assessments approximately 1 year apart. Results showed that on average, maltreated adolescents named significantly fewer people in their network than comparison adolescents. At Time 2, comparison adolescents reported more same-aged friends. In the maltreatment group, youth with a foster parent reported significantly more older friends than maltreated youth with a kin caregiver. Fewer maltreated youth named a biological parent on the social support questionnaire at all three time points. More youth in kinship care described their caregiver as supportive than those in foster care. These findings indicate that despite heterogeneous placement histories, social support networks among maltreated youth were very similar.

Characteristics of the Social Support Networks of Maltreated Youth: Exploring the Effects of Maltreatment Experience and Foster Placement

PubMed Central

Negriff, Sonya; James, Adam; Trickett, Penelope K.

2014-01-01

Little is known about the social support networks of maltreated youth or how youth in foster care may compare with those who remain with their parent(s). Social network characteristics and perceived social support were examined between (1) maltreated and comparison youth, (2) maltreated youth who remained with their biological parent, those with a foster parent, or a those with a kin caregiver, and (3) youth in stable placements and those who have changed placements. Data came from a sample of 454 adolescents (241 boys, 9–13 years old at enrollment) who took part in a longitudinal study of child maltreatment. Participants completed three assessments approximately 1 year apart. Results showed that on average, maltreated adolescents named significantly fewer people in their network than comparison adolescents. At Time 2, comparison adolescents reported more same-aged friends. In the maltreatment group, youth with a foster parent reported significantly more older friends than maltreated youth with a kin caregiver. Fewer maltreated youth named a biological parent on the social support questionnaire at all three time points. More youth in kinship care described their caregiver as supportive than those in foster care. These findings indicate that despite heterogeneous placement histories, social support networks among maltreated youth were very similar. PMID:26388678

Early food for future health: a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of an eHealth intervention aiming to promote healthy food habits from early childhood.

PubMed

Helle, Christine; Hillesund, Elisabet Rudjord; Omholt, Mona Linge; Øverby, Nina Cecilie

2017-09-20

Childhood overweight and obesity is a global public health challenge. Primary prevention initiatives targeting parents have been called for to encourage a positive feeding environment and healthy eating habits that may lay a good foundation for future health. At the same time, there is a need for interventions which combine accessibility and scalability with cost effectiveness. Today's parents are extensive Internet-users, but only a few randomized controlled trials have investigated the use of Internet to promote healthy eating habits in early childhood. In Early Food for Future Health we have developed and will evaluate an Internet-based tool for parents of children between 6 and 12 months, aiming to increase knowledge about infant nutrition and foster protective feeding behavior. During springtime 2016, parents of children aged between 3 and 5 months were recruited through Norwegian child health centres and announcements on Facebook. After completing the baseline questionnaire, 718 parents were individually randomized to intervention- or control group. The intervention group received monthly emails with links to an age-appropriate web-site when their child was between 6 and 12 months. The control group received ordinary care from the child health centres. The data-collection is ongoing. All participants will be followed up at ages 12 and possibly 24 and 48 months, with questionnaires relating to eating behaviour and feeding practices, food variety and diet quality. Providing guidance and counseling to parents of infants is an important task for health authorities and the public child health services. Early Food for Future health is an intervention focusing on promoting early healthy food-habits which may prevent childhood overweight and obesity. If proven to be effective, Early Food for Future Health can be used by parents and public health nurses for supplementary guidance on feeding practices and diet. This study has the potential to provide greater insight and understanding regarding early parental feeding practices, child eating behavior and the development and efficacy of Internet-based public health interventions. ISRCTN13601567 .

The Educational Rights of Children in Foster Care and Other Out-of-Home Placements: A Guide for Advocates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaels, Lauren S.

2014-01-01

This guide is designed to help advocates--including biological and adoptive parents, resource parents, adult students in foster care, and service providers--understand and advocate for the educational rights of children in New Jersey's foster care system. The guide explains the requirements of federal and state laws that particularly affect these…

Career mentoring needs of youths in foster care: voices for change.

PubMed

Hudson, Angela L

2013-05-01

Adolescents with a history of foster care placement are more likely to become homeless, have mental illness, become parents too early in life, or become incarcerated within the juvenile justice/prison system. In addition, a low percentage of young adults, who formerly were in foster care, complete vocational training or higher education. This was a qualitative study, using focus group methodology. Four focus group sessions were conducted with youth living in foster care. The purpose was to obtain their perceptions about mentoring. Focus groups comprised six to eight youths per group and were guided by a semi-structured interview guide. A total of 27 youth in foster care participated in focus group interviews. Mean age was 16.4 (SD = 0.68) years. Youth participants were very knowledgeable about mentoring programs for at-risk youth, along with negative psychosocial outcomes experienced by former foster youth. However, they remarked that they are given few opportunities for career mentoring. The overall themes that emerged from narrative data were needing and finding authority figures, hooking up with a career mentor, and deserving the good life. Career mentoring is an affordable and feasible intervention for child welfare agencies. This could lead to more motivated and prepared youth living in foster care for vocational training or higher education. Learning opportunities from a career mentor may be a lifeline for preventing negative psychosocial outcomes for foster youth, reward achievement goals, and improve overall quality of life in emerging adulthood. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Social communication difficulties and autism in previously institutionalized children.

PubMed

Levin, April R; Fox, Nathan A; Zeanah, Charles H; Nelson, Charles A

2015-02-01

To determine the risk of difficulties with social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors as well as the rate of autism in children institutionalized in early infancy and to assess the impact of a foster care intervention on ameliorating this risk. Children abandoned at birth and raised in institutions in Bucharest, Romania were randomly assigned to a care-as-usual group (institutional care, CAUG), or placed in family-centered foster care (FCG) as part of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP). At approximately 10 years of age, the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) was administered to caregivers of children in both groups as well as to parents of a typically developing community sample (Never-Institutionalized group [NIG]) residing in Bucharest, Romania. Children scoring ≥12 on the SCQ underwent clinical evaluation for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Caregivers of children with a history of institutionalization reported that these children had significantly more deviant behavior than never-institutionalized children on all subdomains of the SCQ (all p < 0.001). Children in the FCG had significantly lower scores on the SCQ than children in the CAUG (p < .001), particularly in the reciprocal social interaction domain, indicating that the intervention reduced problems in social communication. Three of 60 CAUG children, 2 of 57 FCG children, and none of the NIG children received a formal ASD diagnosis. Early institutional rearing was associated with an increased risk of social communication difficulties and ASD. A family-centered foster care intervention improved social communication skills. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family influences on the development of aggression and violence.

PubMed

Labella, Madelyn H; Masten, Ann S

2018-02-01

Recent research confirms that many of the most salient risk and protective factors for the development of aggression and violence reside in the family system. Family-based risks begin before birth, encompassing genetic and epigenetic processes. Contextual stressors (e.g., poverty, conflict) may impact development directly or indirectly through disrupted parenting behavior, including high negativity, low warmth, harshness, and exposure to violence. The family can also serve as a powerful adaptive system counteracting the risk of aggression and violence. Parents can promote healthy behavioral development through warmth, structure, and prosocial values, as well as by fostering adaptive resources in the child and community. Successful interventions often reduce aggression and violence by supporting parents and families. Recent insights and future directions for research and practice are discussed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Taking steps together: a family- and community-based obesity intervention for urban, multiethnic children.

PubMed

Anderson, John D; Newby, Rachel; Kehm, Rebecca; Barland, Patricia; Hearst, Mary O

2015-04-01

Successful childhood obesity intervention models that build sustainable behavioral change are needed, particularly in low-income, ethnic minority communities disparately affected by this problem. Families were referred to Taking Steps Together (TST) by their primary care provider if at least one child had a body mass index ≥85%. The TST intervention comprised 16 weekly 2-hour classes including educational activities, group cooking/eating, and physical activities for parents and children. TST's approach emphasized building self-efficacy, targeting both children and parents for healthy change, and fostering intrinsic motivation for healthier living. Pre-post intervention data were collected on health-related behaviors using a survey, and trained staff measured weight and height. Adults (n = 33) and children (n = 62) were largely Hispanic/Latino and low-income. Adults and children significantly increased their fruit and vegetable consumption and weekly physical activity, and adults significantly decreased sugared beverage consumption and screen time. No change in body mass index was observed for adults or children. This family-focused childhood obesity intervention integrated evidence-based principles with a nonprescriptive approach and produced significant improvements in key healthy behaviors for both adults and children. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

"Making Kind Cool": Parents' Suggestions for Preventing Cyber Bullying and Fostering Cyber Kindness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassidy, Wanda; Brown, Karen; Jackson, Margaret

2012-01-01

Cyber bullying among youth is rapidly becoming a global phenomenon, as educators, parents and policymakers grapple with trying to curtail this negative and sometimes devastating behavior. Since most cyber bullying emanates from the home computer, parents can play an important role in preventing cyber bullying and in fostering a kinder online…

They are not always a burden: Older people and child fostering in Uganda during the HIV epidemic

PubMed Central

Kasedde, Susan; Doyle, Aoife M.; Seeley, Janet A.; Ross, David A.

2014-01-01

This qualitative study examines the role of older people (60 years and above) in fostering decisions for orphans and non-orphans within extended families in a rural Ugandan community heavily affected by HIV. Fieldwork conducted in 2006 provided information on the influence of HIV on fostering decisions through 48 individual in-depth interviews and two group interviews with foster-children and family members to develop detailed case studies related to 13 fostered adolescents. The adolescents included five non-orphans and eight orphans (five were double orphans because they had lost both parents). Older people play a very important role in fostering decisions as potential foster-parents, advisers, mediators and gatekeepers. They have a high level of authority over the foster-children, who are regarded as important resources within the extended family. With fewer potential caregivers available because of HIV-related deaths, the responsibility for fostering orphans has often fallen to surviving older people. Fostering is used by older people and the child's extended family as a strategy to ensure the welfare of the foster-child. When the foster-parent is an older person, it is also used to ensure physical and emotional support for the older person themselves. Support from the extended family towards foster households is widely reported to have been reduced by HIV by diminishing resources that would otherwise have been made available to support foster care. New initiatives and investment are required to complement community and family resources within well-managed social protection and welfare programmes. To be effective, such programmes will require adequate investment in administrative capacity and monitoring. They must aim to strengthen families and, recognizing that resources are limited, should prioritize the community's poorest households, rather than specifically targeting households with orphans or other foster-children. PMID:24880658

Does subsequent criminal justice involvement predict foster care and termination of parental rights for children born to incarcerated women?

PubMed

Kubiak, Sheryl Pimlott; Kasiborski, Natalie; Karim, Nidal; Schmittel, Emily

2012-01-01

This longitudinal study of 83 incarcerated women, who gave birth during incarceration and retained their parental rights through brief sentences, examines the intersection between subsequent criminal justice involvement postrelease and child welfare outcomes. Ten years of multiple state-level administrative data sets are used to determine if arrest or conviction predict foster care and/or termination of parental rights. Findings indicate that only felony arrest is a significant predictor of foster care involvement. Additionally, 69% of mothers retained legal custody, despite subsequent criminal involvement for many, suggesting supportive parenting programs and resources need to be available to these women throughout and after incarceration.

Child welfare services involvement among the children of young parents in foster care.

PubMed

Dworsky, Amy

2015-07-01

Despite the high rate of early parenthood among youth in foster care as well as the increased risk of child maltreatment among children whose adolescent parents have been neglected or abused, very little is known about child welfare services involvement among children whose parents were in foster care when they were born. This study uses administrative data from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to examine the occurrence of child abuse and neglect investigations, indicated reports and out of home care placements among the children of youth in foster. Thirty-nine percent of the children were the subject of at least one CPS investigation, 17 percent had at least one indicated report and 11 percent were placed in out of home care at least once before their 5th birthday. Cox proportional hazard models are also estimated to identify characteristics of parenting foster youth and their placement histories associated with the risk of child welfare services involvement. Implications of the findings for policy and practice are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mental Health Interventions for Children in Foster Care: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Hambrick, Erin P.; Oppenheim-Weller, Shani; N’zi, Amanda M.; Taussig, Heather N.

2016-01-01

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 randomized 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 not 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. PMID:28496286

Factors that influence the onset of parental care in zebra finches: Roles for egg stimuli and prolactin.

PubMed

Smiley, Kristina O; Adkins-Regan, Elizabeth

2018-05-09

Parental care is a critical component for determining reproductive success both for a current set of offspring but also over the lifetime of the individual. The hormone prolactin has often been implicated as a parental care hormone across taxa but causal relationships have only been strongly demonstrated in mammals and few select species of birds. For instance, in mammals, maternal care towards foster pups can be induced by exogenous treatment with prolactin, in concert with other reproductive hormones involved in pregnancy. We aimed to address this causal mechanism in birds by artificially elevating prolactin during the nest building and egg laying stages using vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and then exposing them to foster chicks. We predicted that increasing prolactin would increase brooding and feeding behaviors towards foster chicks compared to the saline control group. Parental behavior towards foster chicks was only shown by individuals who had initiated clutches regardless of treatment. VIP treatment had no effect on parental behavior; however, a positive relationship was found between male and female feeding rates in the VIP but not control group. Our results suggest that both eggs and chicks are sufficient to stimulate foster care, perhaps through endogenous prolactin signalling, while further elevations of prolactin may serve to synchronize parental behaviors between pairs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parental control, parental warmth, and psychosocial adjustment in a sample of substance-abusing mothers and their school-aged and adolescent children

PubMed Central

Suchman, Nancy E.; Rounsaville, Bruce; DeCoste, Cindy; Luthar, Suniya

2007-01-01

Parenting interventions for substance-abusing adults have been broadly based on two approaches, one emphasizing parental control as a means to managing children’s behavior and the second emphasizing parental warmth and sensitivity as means to fostering children’s psychological development. In this investigation, we examined associations of parental control and parental warmth, respectively, with children’s behavioral and psychological adjustment in a sample of 98 women enrolled in methadone maintenance and their school-aged and adolescent children. Using collateral data collected during the baseline phase of a randomized clinical trial (Luthar, S. S., Suchman, N. E., & Altomare, M. [in press]. Relational Psychotherapy Mothers Group: A randomized clinical trial for substance abusing mothers [in preparation]), we tested predictions that (a) parental control would be more strongly associated with children’s behavioral adjustment and (b) parental warmth would be more strongly associated with children’s psychological adjustment. Both predictions were generally confirmed, although some crossover among parenting and child dimensions was also evident. Results support the theoretical stance that parental limit setting and autonomy support, as well as nurturance and involvement, are important factors, respectively, in children’s behavioral and psychological adjustment. PMID:17175393

[Social characteristics and health status of children entering foster care centers].

PubMed

Oliván Gonzalvo, G

1999-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the social characteristics and health status of children entering foster care. A cross-sectional study was performed over a 6-year period. Data was collected using a standardized entrance form. Using the child's medical history and a physical examination according to standardized protocols their health status was assessed. The following results were obtained on 776 children. Demography: 53.6% males and 46.4% females; mean age 7.3 +/- 5.7 years and predominance of infants/preschoolers (46.1%) and adolescents (32.9%). Family characteristics: living in a single parent family (33.2%) or no parent family (18.4%) before placement; coming from a high-risk family (53.7%) and/or a family with multiple problems (33.9%). Reason for placement: neglect (50.2%), parental incapacity (24.2%), abandonment (22%), physical abuse (20.1%), child disruptive behavior (17%), emotional abuse (11%), sexual abuse (3.2%) and more than one reason (33.1%). Personal history: chronic illness (4.4%), incomplete immunization (20.1%), psychomotor delay (4.2%), special education (3.3%), and delay/precocious school abandonment (34.6%). Health status: abnormality in at least one body system (66.1%) and more than one (42%), the most frequent health problems included problems in odontology (38.1%), dermatology (29.9%), vision (18.4%), respiration (11.6%), orthopedics (10.5%), psychomotor delay (10.3%), otology (8.1%) and ocular (6%). Actions taken included: therapeutic prescription for acute illness (43.7%) and referral to other sanitary services (46.9%). A high rate of children entering foster care present physical and mental health problems. These problems can be identified at the time of entrance into foster care; therefore, early intervention in the treatment and referral of this high-risk population must be undertaken as a great opportunity to solve them.

Long-Term Effects of Pre-Placement Risk Factors on Children's Psychological Symptoms and Parenting Stress among Families Adopting Children from Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadeem, Erum; Waterman, Jill; Foster, Jared; Paczkowski, Emilie; Belin, Thomas R.; Miranda, Jeanne

2017-01-01

This exploratory longitudinal study examined behavioral outcomes and parenting stress among families with children adopted from foster care, taking into account environmental and biological risk factors. Child internalizing and externalizing problems and parenting stress were assessed in 82 adopted children and their families at 2 months…

Why Do Children Resist or Obey Their Foster Parents? The Inner Logic of Children's Behavior during Discipline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Elly; Doornenbal, Jeannette; Okma, Krista

2004-01-01

This article discusses a study of children's perspectives on disciplinary conflicts with their foster parents. Most children accept parental authority, but they also defend their personal autonomy and loyalties to peers. In this study, only birthchildren told real-life stories about fierce resistance to get their own way. Fierce resistance among…

Quality of Parent-Adolescent Conversations About Sex and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Rogers, Adam A; Ha, Thao; Stormshak, Elizabeth A; Dishion, Thomas J

2015-08-01

Studies suggest that the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex uniquely predicts adolescent sexual behavior. Previous studies have relied predominantly on self-report data. Observational methods, which are not susceptible to self-report biases, may be useful in examining the associations between the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex and adolescent sexual behavior more objectively. With a sample of adolescents (N = 55, 58% male, 44% white, Mage = 15.8) and their parents, we used hierarchical logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between the observed quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex and the likelihood of adolescents' sexual intercourse. The quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex predicted sexual behavior. Specifically, lecturing was associated with a higher likelihood of adolescents having had sexual intercourse. The quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex is a unique correlate of adolescent sexual behavior and warrants further investigation. Thus, it serves as a potential target of preventive interventions that aim to foster adolescent sexual health behaviors. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of Parent-Adolescent Conversations about Sex and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: An Observational Study

PubMed Central

Rogers, Adam A.; Ha, Thao; Stormshak, Elizabeth A.; Dishion, Thomas J.

2015-01-01

PURPOSE Studies suggest that the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex uniquely predicts adolescent sexual behavior. Previous studies have relied predominantly on self-report data. Observational methods, which are not susceptible to self-report biases, may be useful in examining the associations between the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex and adolescent sexual behavior more objectively. METHOD With a sample of adolescents (N = 55, 58% male, 44% White, Mage = 15.8) and their parents, we used hierarchical logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between the observed quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex and the likelihood of adolescents’ sexual intercourse. RESULTS The quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex predicted sexual behavior. Specifically, lecturing was associated with a higher likelihood of adolescents having had sexual intercourse. CONCLUSIONS The quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex is a unique correlate of adolescent sexual behavior and warrants further investigation. Thus, it serves as a potential target of preventive interventions that aim to foster adolescent sexual health behaviors. PMID:26206438

NET-Works: Linking families, communities and primary care to prevent obesity in preschool-age children.

PubMed

Sherwood, Nancy E; French, Simone A; Veblen-Mortenson, Sara; Crain, A Lauren; Berge, Jerica; Kunin-Batson, Alicia; Mitchell, Nathan; Senso, Meghan

2013-11-01

Obesity prevention in children offers a unique window of opportunity to establish healthful eating and physical activity behaviors to maintain a healthful body weight and avoid the adverse proximal and distal long-term health consequences of obesity. Given that obesity is the result of a complex interaction between biological, behavioral, family-based, and community environmental factors, intervention at multiple levels and across multiple settings is critical for both short- and long-term effectiveness. The Minnesota NET-Works (Now Everybody Together for Amazing and Healthful Kids) study is one of four obesity prevention and/or treatment trials that are part of the Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment (COPTR) Consortium. The goal of the NET-Works study is to evaluate an intervention that integrates home, community, primary care and neighborhood strategies to promote healthful eating, activity patterns, and body weight among low income, racially/ethnically diverse preschool-age children. Critical to the success of this intervention is the creation of linkages among the settings to support parents in making home environment and parenting behavior changes to foster healthful child growth. Five hundred racially/ethnically diverse, two-four year old children and their parent or primary caregiver will be randomized to the multi-component intervention or to a usual care comparison group for a three-year period. This paper describes the study design, measurement and intervention protocols, and statistical analysis plan for the NET-Works trial. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors Associated with Physical Activity Literacy among Foster Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dominick, Gregory M.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Saunders, Ruth P.; Hussey, Jim R.; Watkins, Ken W.; W.

2012-01-01

Objectives: To explore associations between physical activity (PA) literacy and psychosocial constructs for providing instrumental social support for youth PA. Methods: Ninety-one foster parents completed surveys assessing PA literacy (overall and specific), perceptions of child PA, coordination, PA enjoyment, psychosocial variables:…

Multi-family group therapy for adolescent Internet addiction: exploring the underlying mechanisms.

PubMed

Liu, Qin-Xue; Fang, Xiao-Yi; Yan, Ni; Zhou, Zong-Kui; Yuan, Xiao-Jiao; Lan, Jing; Liu, Chao-Ying

2015-03-01

Internet addiction is one of the most common problems among adolescents and effective treatment is needed. This research aims to test the effectiveness and underlying mechanism of multi-family group therapy (MFGT) to reduce Internet addiction among adolescents. A total of 92 participants consisting of 46 adolescents with Internet addiction, aged 12-18years, and 46 their parents, aged 35-46years, were assigned to the experimental group (six-session MFGT intervention) or a waiting-list control. Structured questionnaires were administered at pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2) and a three-month follow-up (T3). There was a significant difference in the decline both in the average score and proportion of adolescents with Internet addiction in MFGT group at post-intervention (MT1=3.40, MT2=2.46, p<0.001; 100 versus 4.8%, p<0.001) maintained for three months (MT3=2.06, p<0.001; 100 versus 11.1%, p<0.001). Reports from both adolescents and parents were significantly better than those in the control group. Further explorations of the underlying mechanisms of effectiveness based on the changed values of measured variables showed that the improvement in adolescent Internet use was partially explained by the satisfaction of their psychological needs and improved parent-adolescent communication and closeness. The six-session multi-family group therapy was effective in reducing Internet addiction behaviors among adolescents and could be implemented as part of routine primary care clinic services in similar populations. As family support system is critical in maintaining the intervention effect, fostering positive parent-adolescent interaction and addressing adolescents' psychological needs should be included in preventive programs for Internet addiction in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can Parenting Intervention Prevent Cascading Effects From Placement Instability to Insecure Attachment to Externalizing Problems in Maltreated Toddlers?

PubMed

Pasalich, Dave S; Fleming, Charles B; Oxford, Monica L; Zheng, Yao; Spieker, Susan J

2016-08-01

Multiple placement changes disrupt continuity in caregiving and undermine well-being in children in child welfare. This study conducted secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial to examine whether a relationship-based intervention, Promoting First Relationships(©) (PFR), reduced risk for a maladaptive cascade from placement instability to less secure attachment to elevated externalizing problems. Participants included caregivers (birth or foster/kin) of toddlers (10-24 months) recently transitioned to their care because of child welfare placement decisions. Although main effects of PFR on security and externalizing problems were not previously observed, this study's results revealed that PFR attenuated the association between multiple placement changes (baseline) and less security (postintervention) and that the indirect effect of placement instability on greater externalizing problems (6-month follow-up) via less security was evident only in toddlers in the comparison condition. These findings shed light on how a history of multiple caregiver changes may influence toddlers' risk for poor adjustment in subsequent placements, and the promise of supporting caregivers through a parenting intervention to prevent such risk. © The Author(s) 2016.

Can parenting intervention prevent cascading effects from placement instability to insecure attachment to externalizing problems in maltreated toddlers?

PubMed Central

Pasalich, Dave S.; Fleming, Charles B.; Oxford, Monica L.; Zheng, Yao; Spieker, Susan J.

2016-01-01

Multiple placement changes disrupt continuity in caregiving and undermine well-being in children in child welfare. This study conducted secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial to examine whether a relationship-based intervention, Promoting First Relationships© (PFR), reduced risk for a maladaptive cascade from placement instability to less secure attachment to elevated externalizing problems. Participants included caregivers (birth or foster/kin) of toddlers (10–24 months) recently transitioned to their care because of child welfare placement decisions. Although main effects of PFR on security and externalizing problems were not previously observed, this study’s results revealed that PFR attenuated the association between multiple placement changes (baseline) and less security (postintervention), and that the indirect effect of placement instability on greater externalizing problems (6-month follow-up) via less security was evident only in toddlers in the comparison condition. These findings shed light on how a history of multiple caregiver changes may influence toddlers’ risk for poor adjustment in subsequent placements, and the promise of supporting caregivers through a parenting intervention to prevent such risk. PMID:27381935

Prospect of Foster Family by Foster Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslamazova, Liliya Arturovna; Yurina, Alla Anatolievna; Kochenkova, Lyubov Pavlovna; Krasnova, Ludmila Vyacheslavovna

2016-01-01

This article deals with child-parent relationships in foster families, who bring up foster children with disabilities. The research was conducted in Republic of Adygheya (the Russian Federation). We have found out that, according to a child's view, interfamily relationships can be very ambivalent. On the one hand, foster children say that they…

Fostering Discipline: Instructor's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Patricia

"Fostering Discipline" is a manual to be used in education for families who provide service to foster children. It assumes that the participants in the class have had prior instruction in their roles as foster parents, the purposes of foster care, the reasons why children are in care and their relationship with the agency. This instructor's…

Child molestations by homosexual foster parents: Illinois, 1997--2002.

PubMed

Cameron, Paul

2005-02-01

Do those who engage in homosexuality disproportionately sexually abuse foster or adoptive children as reported by child protective services? Illinois child services reported sexual abuse for 1997 through 2002. 270 parents committed "substantiated" sexual offenses against foster or subsidized adoptive children: 67 (69%) of 97 of these mother and 148 (86%) of 173 of these father perpetrators sexually abused girls; 30 (31%) of the mothers and 25 (14%) of the father perpetrators sexually abused boys, i.e., 92 (34%) of the perpetrators homosexually abused their charges. Of these parents 15 both physically and sexually abused charges: daughters by 8 of the mothers and 4 of the fathers, sons by 3 of the mothers, i.e., same-sex perpetrators were involved in 53%. Thus, homosexual practitioners were proportionately more apt to abuse foster or adoptive children sexually.

Adverse childhood experiences among children placed in and adopted from foster care: Evidence from a nationally representative survey.

PubMed

Turney, Kristin; Wildeman, Christopher

2017-02-01

Despite good reason to believe that children in foster care are disproportionately exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), relatively little research considers exposure to ACEs among this group of vulnerable children. In this article, we use data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized children ages 0-17 in the United States, to estimate the association between foster care placement and exposure to an array of ACEs. In adjusted logistic regression models, we find that children placed in foster care or adopted from foster care, compared to their counterparts, were more likely to experience parental divorce or separation, parental death, parental incarceration, parental abuse, violence exposure, household member mental illness, and household member substance abuse. These children were also more likely to experience ACEs than children across different thresholds of socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., children in households with incomes below the poverty line) and across different family structures (e.g., children in single-mother families). These results advance our understanding of how children in foster care, an already vulnerable population, are disproportionately exposed to ACEs. This exposure, given the link between ACEs and health, may have implications for children's health and wellbeing throughout the life course. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Connections Project: a relational approach to engaging birth parents in visitation.

PubMed

Gerring, Charyl E; Kemp, Susan P; Marcenko, Maureen O

2008-01-01

This paper presents a practical framework for relational practice with birth families, organized around parental visitation. The approach was developed in the Birth Family-Foster Family Connections Project, a three-year collaborative research demonstration project between a large private agency and the Washington State Department of Child and Family Services. The overall goal of the Connections Project, which served young children from infancy to age 6, was to create supportive connections among birth families, foster families, children, and the child welfare system. Although engaging parents in child welfare services is a challenging task for social workers, the Connections Project resulted in strong parent-worker relationships, very high participation in weekly visitation by birth parents, and quite extensive contact between birth and foster families. The paper describes relational strategies used by Connections social workers before and during visits, with the goal of providing child welfare social workers with a practical and effective framework for engaging parents through this core child welfare service.

Long-Term Effects of Pre-Placement Risk Factors on Children's Psychological Symptoms and Parenting Stress Among Families Adopting Children From Foster Care.

PubMed

Nadeem, Erum; Waterman, Jill; Foster, Jared; Paczkowski, Emilie; Belin, Thomas R; Miranda, Jeanne

2017-06-01

This exploratory longitudinal study examined behavioral outcomes and parenting stress among families with children adopted from foster care, taking into account environmental and biological risk factors. Child internalizing and externalizing problems and parenting stress were assessed in 82 adopted children and their families at 2 months post-placement, 12 months post-placement, and then yearly until 5 years post-placement. A history of abuse/neglect predicted significantly higher externalizing and internalizing problems at a borderline level of statistical significance. In the initial stages after placement, externalizing problems were significantly higher among children who were 4 years or older at placement versus those who were younger than 4, although differences were no longer significant 5 years post-placement. Statistical trends in parenting stress reflected reduced stress in the first 12 months followed by a plateau for parents who adopted older children and greater stress for parents who adopted younger children. Familiar limitations for observational cohort data apply. Nonetheless, the availability of longitudinal follow-up on a sizable sample of children adopted from foster care adds insight to the psychological dynamics for adoptive families and suggests that families of children adopted from the foster care system may have unique needs for ongoing support around behavioral issues.

How do relationships support parenting? Effects of attachment style and social support on parenting behavior in an at-risk population.

PubMed

Green, Beth L; Furrer, Carrie; McAllister, Carol

2007-09-01

The importance of supportive relationships for new parents has been the focus of both research and parenting interventions. Attachment style, typically viewed as a relatively stable trait reflecting one's comfort in social relationships, as well as social support, or one's perception of the social context, have both been found to be important for fostering engaged, involved parenting. Less is known, however, about how these variables work together to influence parenting behavior, especially in families at higher risk for negative child outcomes. Data were collected from 152 urban, predominantly African American, low-income parents when their children were 14 and 36 months of age. Results suggest that parents with more social support show greater increases in the frequency of positive parent-child activities over time, but that this effect is mediated by mothers' attachment style, specifically, their level of anxious/ambivalent attachment. Mothers with more social support tended to be less anxious/ambivalent about close relationships, and this in turn led to increases over time in the frequency of parent-child interactions. Mothers' tendency to avoid close relationships, however, while correlated with social support, was unrelated to changes in parenting behavior. Implications of these findings for program development, parenting, and the malleability of attachment style based on social context are discussed.

Preventing rapid repeat pregnancy and promoting positive parenting among young mothers in foster care.

PubMed

Finigan-Carr, Nadine M; Murray, Kantahyanee W; O'Connor, Julia M; Rushovich, Berenice R; Dixon, Desyree A; Barth, Richard P

2015-01-01

Young mothers in foster care face considerable challenges above and beyond that of their non-foster care peers. Child welfare workers have few resources to guide them in the selection of evidence-informed programs, models, and strategies that address the unique risk factors and needs of youth in foster care who are at risk for rapid repeat pregnancy and inadequate parenting practices. Workers need knowledge of the evidence about which programs are most likely to improve key health and well-being outcomes. The article assesses the evidence-based programs identified and yields a list that reflects the best evidence for efficacy and effectiveness.

75 FR 23557 - National Foster Care Month, 2010

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-04

... 8505 of April 28, 2010 National Foster Care Month, 2010 By the President of the United States of... entering the system through no fault of their own. During National Foster Care Month, we recognize the... coverage for them in every State. This month, caring foster parents and professionals across our Nation...

Using professional expertise in partnership with families: A new model of capacity building.

PubMed

Clerke, Teena; Hopwood, Nick; Chavasse, Fran; Fowler, Cathrine; Lee, Sally; Rogers, Julie

2017-03-01

The first five years of parenting are critical to children's development. Parents are known to respond best to interventions with a partnership-based approach, yet child and family health nurses (CFHNs) report some tension between employing their expertise and maintaining a partnership relationship. This article identifies ways in which CFHNs skilfully use their professional expertise, underpinned by helping qualities and interpersonal skills, to assist families build confidence and capacity, and thus buffer against threats to parent and child well-being. It reports on an Australian ethnographic study of services for families with young children. Fifty-two interactions were observed between CFHNs and families in day-stay and home visiting services in Sydney. A new model is presented, based on four partnership activities and the fluid movement between them, to show how CFHNs use their expertise to identify strengths and foster resilience in families in the longer term, without undermining the principles of partnership.

The importance of parents and other caregivers to the resilience of high-risk adolescents.

PubMed

Ungar, Michael

2004-03-01

Relationships between 43 high-risk adolescents and their caregivers were examined qualitatively. Parents and other formal and informal caregivers such as youth workers and foster parents were found to exert a large influence on the behaviors that bolster mental health among high-risk youth marginalized by poverty, social stigma, personal and physical characteristics, ethnicity, and poor social or academic performance. Participants' accounts of their intergenerational relationships with caregivers showed that teenagers seek close relationships with adults in order to negotiate for powerful self-constructions as resilient. High-risk teens say they want the adults in their lives to serve as an audience in front of whom they can perform the identities they construct both inside and outside their homes. This pattern was evident even among youth who presented as being more peer-than family-oriented. The implications of these findings to interventions with caregivers and teens is discussed.

The effects of foster care intervention on socially deprived institutionalized children's attention and positive affect: results from the BEIP study.

PubMed

Ghera, Melissa M; Marshall, Peter J; Fox, Nathan A; Zeanah, Charles H; Nelson, Charles A; Smyke, Anna T; Guthrie, Donald

2009-03-01

We examined the effects of a foster care intervention on attention and emotion expression in socially deprived children in Romanian institutions. Institutionalized children were randomized to enter foster care or to remain under institutional care. Subsequently, the institutionalized and foster care groups, along with a community-based comparison group, were evaluated on emotion tasks at 30 and 42 months of age. Behaviors reflecting positive and negative affect and attention were coded from videotapes. Data indicated that at both age points, children who received the foster care intervention showed higher levels of attention and positive affect compared to children who remained institutionalized. Compared to the community sample, children in the foster care intervention showed higher levels of attention to the emotion-eliciting tasks at 42 months of age. The results of this randomized trial demonstrate the impact of a family-based intervention on the development of attention and positive affect.

Infant-Guided, Co-Regulated Feeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Part II: Interventions to Promote Neuroprotection and Safety.

PubMed

Shaker, Catherine S

2017-04-01

Feeding skills of preterm neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit are in an emergent phase of development and require careful support to minimize stress. The underpinnings that influence and enhance both neuroprotection and safety were discussed in Part I. An infant-guided, co-regulated approach to feeding can protect the vulnerable neonate's neurologic development, support the parent-infant relationship, and prevent feeding problems that may endure. Contingent interventions are used to maintain subsystem stability and enhance self-regulation, development, and coping skills. This co-regulation between caregiver and neonate forms the foundation for a positive infant-guided feeding experience. Caregivers select evidence-based interventions contingent to the newborn's communication. When these interventions are then titrated from moment to moment, neuroprotection and safety are fostered. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

An Analysis of the Fragmented Foster Care System with a View toward Systemic Reconstruction: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leach, John William

Relevant research analyzing the major components of the foster care system is reviewed and critiqued. The research suggests that children are entering the foster care system with a greater severity of psychosocial disorders than in previous years. Regardless of the problems of foster children, empathic and flexible foster parents have a greater…

Antecedents and Concomitants of Parenting Stress in Adolescent Mothers in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Budd, Karen S.; Holdsworth, Michelle J. A.; HoganBruen, Kathy D.

2006-01-01

Objective: This study's aim was to examine variables associated with different short-term trajectories in multiply disadvantaged adolescent mothers by investigating antecedents and concomitants of parenting stress. Method: We followed 49 adolescent mothers (ages 14-18 at study outset) who were wards in Illinois foster care using a longitudinal…

Advancing Prediction of Foster Placement Disruption Using Brief Behavioral Screening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurlburt, Michael S.; Chamberlain, Patricia; DeGarmo, David; Zhang, Jinjin; Price, Joe M.

2010-01-01

Objective: Behavioral difficulties increase the risk that children will experience negative placement disruptions while in foster care. Chamberlain et al. (2006) found that the Parent Daily Report (PDR), a brief measure of parent-reported child behaviors, was a strong predictor of negative placement changes over 1 year among children receiving…

Successful Adaptation among Sudanese Unaccompanied Minors: Perspectives of Youth and Foster Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luster, Tom; Qin, Desiree; Bates, Laura; Rana, Meenal; Lee, Jung Ah

2010-01-01

This study explores the adaptation of unaccompanied Sudanese refugee minors resettled in the US. Seven years after resettlement, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 Sudanese youths and 20 foster parents regarding factors that contributed to successful adaptation. The youths emphasized personal agency and staying focused on getting an…

Characteristics of Out-of-Home Caregiving Environments Provided under Child Welfare Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barth, Richard P.; Green, Rebecca; Webb, Mary Bruce; Wall, Ariana; Gibbons, Claire; Craig, Carlton

2008-01-01

A national probability sample of children who have been in child welfare supervised placements for about one year identifies the characteristics (e.g., age, training, education, health, and home) of the foster parents, kinship foster parents, and group home caregivers. Caregiving respondents provided information about their backgrounds.…

Leaving Home Again. Instructor Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFadden, Emily Jean

This manual is one of four modules in the curriculum PUSH For Youths GOALS (Providing Understanding, Support and Help for Youths Going Out And Living Successfully), which was developed for use in training foster parents to be primary teachers of the youths in their homes. This manual is designed to be used in foster parent classes. The module…

Next Steps in Parenting the Child Who Hurts: Tykes and Teens.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Caroline

Noting that adopted and foster children may have suffered early traumatic experiences, often expressed in emotional and behavioral problems that become increasingly problematic as the child approaches adolescence, this book presents strategies to help adoptive and foster parents deal with their youngsters' troubling behavior and to make them feel…

Providing therapy to children and families in foster care: a systemic-relational approach.

PubMed

Lewis, Catherine

2011-12-01

Foster care is a system created to protect children from an unsafe home environment yet multiple foster home placements, conflictual or nonexistent relationships between foster parents and birth parents, long, drawn out court battles, and living in an on-going state of not knowing when or if they will be going home are just some of the challenges many children in care are expected to manage. This paper presents a guide for therapists working with families involved in foster care. Utilizing ideas from the postmodern therapies and structural family therapy, suggestions will be provided about who needs to talk to whom about what, when to have these necessary conversations, and how to talk to people in a way that mobilizes adults to take action for the children, with the goal of minimizing postplacement trauma, strengthening and repairing relational bonds, and moving children out of foster care and into permanent homes as quickly as possible.

Attachment, Development, and Mental Health in Abused and Neglected Preschool Children in Foster Care: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Vasileva, Mira; Petermann, Franz

2016-09-22

A proper preparation for foster parents to care for abused and neglected children includes effective training and initial diagnostics in order to plan individual treatment. Hence, a basic knowledge about the main psychosocial and developmental problems associated with abuse and neglect and their prevalence in foster children is needed. For this purpose, a systematical literature review and a series of meta-analyses were conducted. A total of 25 studies reporting data on development (n = 4,033), mental health (n = 726), and attachment (n = 255) of foster children in preschool age met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analyses indicated prevalence rates of approximately 40% for developmental, mental health problems, and insecure attachment. Rates of disorganized attachment were estimated to 22%. These findings outline the necessity of an initial trauma-oriented diagnostics and trainings for foster parents that address foster children's development, mental health, and disorganized attachment. © The Author(s) 2016.

Translational Neuroscience as a Tool for Intervention Development in the Context of High-Adversity Families

PubMed Central

Fisher, Philip A.

2017-01-01

The use of theory-driven models to develop and evaluate family-based intervention programs has a long history in psychology. Some of the first evidence-based parenting programs to address child problem behavior, developed in the 1970s, were grounded in causal models derived from longitudinal developmental research. The same translational strategies can also be applied to designing programs that leverage emerging scientific knowledge about the effects of early adverse experiences on neurobiological systems to reduce risk and promote well-being. By specifying not only behavioral targets but also affected underlying neural systems, interventions can become more precise and efficient. This chapter describes the development of a program of research focusing on an intervention for young children in foster care. The intervention emerged from social learning theory research and employs a translational neuroscience approach. The conceptual model guiding the research, which incorporates behavioral domains as well as stress-regulatory neural systems, is described. Finally, future directions for translational neuroscience in family-based intervention research are considered. PMID:27589501

Improvements in the Child-Rearing Attitudes of Latina Mothers Exposed to Interpersonal Trauma Predict Greater Maternal Sensitivity Toward Their 6-Month-Old Infants.

PubMed

Waters, Sara F; Hagan, Melissa J; Rivera, Luisa; Lieberman, Alicia F

2015-10-01

The current study investigated maternal sensitivity in a treatment-seeking sample of predominately Latina, low-income pregnant women with histories of interpersonal trauma exposure. Pregnant women (N = 52; M = 27.08 years, SD = 5.66) who enrolled in a study of a perinatal adaptation of child-parent psychotherapy reported on their posttraumatic stress symptoms and child-rearing attitudes at baseline and again at 6-months postpartum. Maternal sensitivity was measured via observational coding of a free-play episode at 6-months postpartum. Two thirds of mothers exhibited healthy levels of maternal sensitivity, M > 4.0 (range = 2.5-7.0). The results of multiple linear regression predicting maternal sensitivity, R(2) = .26, indicated that greater improvements in child-rearing attitudes over the course of treatment predicted higher levels of maternal sensitivity, β = .33, whereas improvements in posttraumatic stress symptoms over the course of treatment did not, β = -.10. Mothers' attitudes regarding parenting during the perinatal period may be a mechanism by which intervention fosters healthy mother-infant relationship dynamics. Thus, parenting attitudes are a worthy target of intervention in vulnerable families. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Collateral Benefits of the Family Check-Up on Early Childhood School Readiness: Indirect Effects of Parents’ Positive Behavior Support

PubMed Central

Lunkenheimer, Erika S.; Dishion, Thomas J.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Connell, Arin M.; Gardner, Frances; Wilson, Melvin N.; Skuban, Emily M.

2009-01-01

The authors examined the longitudinal effects of the Family Check-Up (FCU) on parents’ positive behavior support and children’s school readiness competencies in early childhood. It was hypothesized that the FCU would promote language skills and inhibitory control in children at risk for behavior problems as an indirect outcome associated with targeted improvements in parents’ positive behavior support. High-risk families in the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program participated in a multisite preventive intervention study (N = 731) with 3 yearly assessments beginning at child age 2 years. Positive behavior support was measured using 4 indicators derived from at-home observations of parent–child interaction during semistructured tasks. Longitudinal structural equation models revealed that parents in families randomly assigned to the FCU showed improvements in positive behavior support from child age 2 to 3, which in turn promoted children’s inhibitory control and language development from age 3 to 4, accounting for child gender, ethnicity, and parental education. Findings suggest that a brief, ecological preventive intervention supporting positive parenting practices can indirectly foster key facets of school readiness in children at risk. PMID:18999335

The Role of Placement History and Current Family Environment in Children's Aggression in Foster Care.

PubMed

Perry, Kristin J; Price, Joseph

2017-04-01

Predictors of the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care were examined ( N = 160, 50.9% male, M age = 7.57, SD = 2.39). First, predictors representative of children's placement histories were examined in relation to the children's aggression at T1. Next, predictors representing characteristics of the current family environment were examined in relation to the children's aggression at T2 (four months later). Results revealed that a greater number of prior group home placements and being in a non-kinship home were associated with higher physical aggression at T1. A greater number of prior group home placements, a fewer number of regular home placements, being in a non-kinship home, and prior removal from the home due to neglect were associated with higher relational aggression at T1. The results also revealed that higher foster sibling relational aggression at T1 predicted lower child physical aggression at T2. If foster siblings were biological children of the foster parent, higher levels of a foster sibling's physical aggression at T1 predicted reduced child physical aggression at T2. The opposite pattern was observed if foster siblings were not biological children of the foster parent. Lastly, longer time in the current placement, more children in the home, and the presence of a sibling that was a biological child of the parent predicted higher child relational aggression at T2. These findings provide initial insights into how placement history and current family environment are associated with the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care.

It Takes Two to Talk--The Hanen Program and families of children with motor disorders: a UK perspective.

PubMed

Pennington, L; Thomson, K

2007-11-01

Speech and language therapy for young children who have motor disorders targets both the children themselves and their parents. Therapy for parents often involves training about communication and how to foster children's development. It Takes Two to Talk--The Hanen Program for Parents has become popular in the UK, but has not been specifically evaluated for this client group. This study, which was part of a larger investigation of the acceptability and potential effects of the programme on the communication patterns of mothers and their young children with motor disorders, investigated therapists' experiences of providing the training in the National Health Service (NHS) and their views on its effectiveness. Four focus groups, which involved 16 speech and language therapists who provide It Takes Two to Talk in NHS Trusts in England, were analysed using qualitative methods. The themes indicated that therapists perceived the training programme to be effective in helping parents to develop a facilitative communication style. Therapists reported secondary outcomes of positive changes in parents' confidence and in relationships between parents and their children and between parents and therapists. Barriers to the provision and success of the programme were thought to relate to resources, parents' apprehensions about the programme's content and delivery and support from key stakeholders. Barriers were seen to be minimized in services where other members of the healthcare teams actively supported the training programme and where the intervention was integrated as part of a care pathway. The information from this study may assist service providers in the marketing, planning and delivery of new intervention methods, to ensure that they are seen as valuable and acceptable by parents.

Effect of a family focused active play intervention on sedentary time and physical activity in preschool children

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Early childhood provides a window of opportunity for the promotion of physical activity. Given the limited effectiveness of interventions to date, new approaches are needed. Socio-ecological models suggest that involving parents as intervention targets may be effective in fostering healthier lifestyles in children. This study describes the effectiveness of a family-focused ‘Active Play’ intervention in decreasing sedentary time and increasing total physical activity in preschool children. Method Seventy-seven families were recruited from 8 randomly selected SureStart children’s centres in the North West of England. Centres were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n = 4) or a comparison group (n = 4). Parents and children in the intervention group received a 10-week active play programme delivered by trained active play professionals; this included an activity and educational component. Families in the comparison group were asked to maintain their usual routine. Each participating parent and child wore a uni-axial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and post-test. Week and weekend day sedentary time and total physical activity adjusted for child- and home- level covariates were analysed using multilevel analyses. Results Significant intervention effects were observed for sedentary time and physical activity for both week and weekend days. Children in the intervention group engaged in 1.5% and 4.3% less sedentary time during week and weekend days, respectively and 4.5% and 13.1% more physical activity during week and weekend days, respectively than children in the comparison group. Parent’s participation in sport and their physical activity levels, child’s sex, availability of media in the home and attendance at organised activities were significant predictors of sedentary time and physical activity in this age group. Conclusion A 10-week family focused active play intervention produced positive changes in sedentary time and total physical activity levels in preschool children. Specific covariates were identified as having a significant effect on the outcome measures. Moreover, children whose parents were active engaged in less sedentary time and more physical activity suggesting that parent’s activity habits are mediators of physical activity engagement in this age group. PMID:23025568

Autonomic Reactivity of Children to Separation and Reunion with Foster Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oosterman, Mirjam; Schuengel, Carlo

2007-01-01

Objective: To determine whether foster children showed different autonomic nervous system activity on separation and reunion than control children. Autonomic nervous system activity in foster children was examined in relation to time in placement and disinhibited attachment. Method: The sample included 60 foster and 50 control children between 2…

The impact of family transitions on child fostering in rural Malawi.

PubMed

Grant, Monica J; Yeatman, Sara

2014-02-01

Despite the frequency of divorce and remarriage across much of sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about what these events mean for the living arrangements of children. We use longitudinal data from rural Malawi to examine the effects of family transitions on the prevalence and incidence of child fostering, or children residing apart from their living parents. We find that between 7 % and 15 % of children aged 3-14 are out-fostered over the two-year intersurvey period. Although divorce appears to be a significant driver of child fostering in the cross-sectional analysis, it is not significantly associated with the incidence of out-fostering. In contrast, maternal remarriage has both a lagged and an immediate effect on the incidence of out-fostering. Furthermore, the likelihood of out-fostering is even higher among children whose mother remarried and had a new child during the intersurvey period. Using longitudinal data collected from living mothers rather than from children's current foster homes offers new insights into the reasons children are sent to live with others besides their parents.

The Impact of Family Transitions on Child Fostering in Rural Malawi

PubMed Central

Grant, Monica J.; Yeatman, Sara

2013-01-01

Despite the frequency of divorce and remarriage across much of sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about what these events mean for the living arrangements of children. We use longitudinal data from rural Malawi to examine the effects of family transitions on the prevalence and incidence of child fostering, or children residing apart from their living parents. We find that between 7 % and 15 % of children aged 3–14 are out-fostered over the two-year intersurvey period. Although divorce appears to be a significant driver of child fostering in the cross-sectional analysis, it is not significantly associated with the incidence of out-fostering. In contrast, maternal remarriage has both a lagged and an immediate effect on the incidence of out-fostering. Furthermore, the likelihood of out-fostering is even higher among children whose mother remarried and had a new child during the intersurvey period. Using longitudinal data collected from living mothers rather than from children’s current foster homes offers new insights into the reasons children are sent to live with others besides their parents. PMID:24019099

Common needs but divergent interventions for U.S. homeless and foster care children: results from a systematic review.

PubMed

Zlotnick, Cheryl; Tam, Tammy; Zerger, Suzanne

2012-09-01

Many children living in homeless situations in the U.S. have temporary stays in foster care, and both populations suffer disproportionately higher rates of physical, psychological and social difficulties compared with other children. However, very little is known about which specific interventions achieve the best outcomes for children in these overlapping transitional living situations. To address this gap, we review existing literature to identify the most promising practices for children living in transition. A standardised vocabulary specific to each of three electronic databases (i.e. Medline, PsychINFO and CINAHL) was employed to identify studies that described an intervention specifically targeting foster care or homeless children and families. Separate systematic searches were conducted for homeless and foster children, and only studies published in English between January 1993 and February 2009 were selected. The final sample (n = 43) of articles described interventions that fell into two categories: mental health (n = 17) and case management (n = 26). No article included a sample containing both homeless and foster care children, and most studies on homeless children used case management interventions while most studies on foster care children focused on mental health interventions. Few articles employed rigorous study designs. Although repeatedly studies have demonstrated the overlap between populations of homeless and foster care children, studies focused on one population or the other. Virtually all studies on both homeless and foster children devised interventions to reduce trauma and family instability; yet, no evidence-based practice addresses the overlapping needs and potentially relevant evidence-based practice for these two populations. An important and vital next step is to establish an effective evidence-based intervention that reduces the impact of trauma on both U.S. populations of children living in transition. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Custodial Homes, Therapeutic Homes, and Parental Acceptance: Parental Experiences of Autism in Kerala, India and Atlanta, GA USA.

PubMed

Sarrett, Jennifer C

2015-06-01

The home is a critical place to learn about cultural values of childhood disability, including autism and intellectual disabilities. The current article describes how the introduction of autism into a home and the availability of intervention options change the structure and meaning of a home and reflect parental acceptance of a child's autistic traits. Using ethnographic data from Kerala, India and Atlanta, GA USA, a description of two types of homes are developed: the custodial home, which is primarily focused on caring for basic needs, and the therapeutic home, which is focused on changing a child's autistic traits. The type of home environment is respondent to cultural practices of child rearing in the home and influences daily activities, management, and care in the home. Further, these homes differ in parental acceptance of their autistic children's disabilities, which is critical to understand when engaging in international work related to autism and intellectual disability. It is proposed that parental acceptance can be fostered through the use of neurodiverse notions that encourage autism acceptance.

"KiDS and Diabetes in Schools" project: Experience with an international educational intervention among parents and school professionals.

PubMed

Bechara, Glaucia Margonari; Castelo Branco, Fernanda; Rodrigues, Avelino Luiz; Chinnici, Daniela; Chaney, David; Calliari, Luis Eduardo P; Franco, Denise Reis

2018-06-01

Although it is known that school care is a major challenge in diabetes treatment, there is still no published international initiative. The aims of this study were to introduce an international educational intervention tool, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) KiDS and Diabetes in Schools project (KiDS project), and to describe its impact on diabetes knowledge and behavior of caregivers and school professionals. The KiDS project was developed with the support of IDF and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes and provides online free material in 10 languages, directed to caregivers and school personnel. A pilot evaluation of the KiDS intervention was performed in Brazil. An educational intervention was conducted in 5 primary schools, with 42 parents and school staff, followed by 2 individual interviews after 1 and 3 months. The results were evaluated in a qualitative study with a descriptive design based on content analysis. School staff acquired new knowledge on diabetes and its treatment. They felt more confident when helping students with diabetes and said the educational intervention promoted a positive impact on the teacher-student relationship, on the caring for health, and on school infrastructure. Family members of children with diabetes stated that the educational intervention gave them an opportunity to strengthen and update information on treatment and improve their knowledge. The KiDS project is the first international tool directed to foster a safe and supportive environment and a better understanding of diabetes in schools. In this pilot evaluation, it achieved the goal of informing and changing the behavior of parents and school staff, thus improving the care provided to children with diabetes in schools. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intervention Effects on Foster Preschoolers’ Attachment-Related Behaviors From a Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Fisher, Philip A.; Kim, Hyoun K.

2008-01-01

This study examines change in attachment-related behaviors among foster preschoolers participating in a randomized trial of the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care Program for Preschoolers (MTFC-P). Measures of secure, resistant, and avoidant behaviors were collected using a caregiver-report diary at 3-month intervals during the 12 months following a new foster placement. Children randomly assigned to the MTFC-P intervention condition (n = 57) showed significant increases in secure behavior and significant decreases in avoidant behavior relative to children assigned to a regular foster care condition (n = 60). Both groups showed significant decreases in resistant behavior over time. Analyses also revealed a significant interaction between treatment condition and age at first foster placement on change in secure behavior. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of early intervention and prevention services for foster preschoolers. PMID:17340186

The Power of Community: How Foster Parents, Teachers, and Community Members Support Academic Achievement for Foster Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morton, Brenda M.

2016-01-01

Foster children have been identified as one of the most high-risk groups for academic failure in schools today. However, a small number of foster youth are beating the odds by achieving academically. How are they able to overcome tremendous barriers and succeed? This phenomenological study reports the findings of former foster youth and their P-12…

Getting Foster Youth to and through College: Successes and Challenges of the New Jersey Foster Care Scholars Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Maia; Losey, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

The popularity of the New Jersey Foster Care Scholars program is a testament to its importance. Typical college students rely on parents for financial assistance and emotional support. Youth aging out of foster care often are on their own. The scholarship program offers an opportunity for higher education that many foster youth thought they would…

Decreasing rates of disorganised attachment in infants and young children, who are at risk of developing, or who already have disorganised attachment. A systematic review and meta-analysis of early parenting interventions

PubMed Central

Barrow, Jamie; Kirby, Natalie; Garside, Megan; Kaushal, Pulkit

2017-01-01

Background Disorganised attachment patterns in infants have been linked to later psychopathology. Services have variable practices for identifying and providing interventions for families of children with disorganised attachment patterns, which is the attachment pattern leading to most future psychopathology. Several recent government reports have highlighted the need for better parenting interventions in at risk groups. Objectives The objective of this review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of available parenting interventions for families of children at high risk of developing, or already showing, a disorganised pattern of attachment. Methods Population: Studies were included if they involved parents or caregivers of young children with a mean age under 13 years who had a disorganised classification of attachment or were identified as at high risk of developing such problems. Included interventions were aimed at parents or caregivers (e.g. foster carers) seeking to improve attachment. Comparators included an alternative intervention, an attention control, treatment as usual or no intervention. The primary outcome was a disorganised pattern in childhood measured using a validated attachment instrument. Studies that did not use a true Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) design were excluded from the review. Both published and unpublished papers were included, there were no restrictions on years since publication and foreign language papers were included where translation services could be accessed within necessary timescales. Results A comprehensive search of relevant databases yielded 15,298 papers. This paper reports a systematic review as part of an NIHR HTA study identifying studies pre-2012, updated to include all papers to October 2016. Two independent reviewers undertook two stage screening and data extraction of the included studies at all stages. A Cochrane quality assessment was carried out to assess the risk of bias. In total, fourteen studies were included in the review. In a meta-analysis of these fourteen studies the interventions saw less disorganised attachment at outcome compared to the control (OR = 0.50, (0.32, 0.77), p = 0.008). The majority of the interventions targeted maternal sensitivity. We carried out exploratory analyses to examine factors that may influence treatment outcome but these should be treated with caution given that we were limited by small numbers of studies. Conclusions Parenting interventions that target parental sensitivity show promise in reducing disorganised attachment. This is limited by few high quality studies and the fact that most studies are with mothers. More high quality randomised controlled trials are required to elucidate this further. PMID:28708838

When Unintended Consequences Become the Main Effect: Evaluating the Development of a Foster Parent Training Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loesch-Griffin, Deborah A.; Ringstaff, Cathy

A program of education, training, and support provided to foster parents in a California county through a nonprofit agency is evaluated. The evaluators' experience indicates that: (1) evaluations are gaining in popularity; (2) role shifts by evaluators are sometimes difficult to perceive; (3) program staff are unlikely to use evaluative feedback…

Parent Assessments of Self-Determination Importance and Performance for Students with Autism or Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Erik W.; Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Cooney, Molly; Weir, Katherine; Moss, Colleen K.; Machalicek, Wendy

2013-01-01

Fostering student self-determination is now considered an essential element of special education and transition services for children and youth with intellectual disability and/or autism. Yet, little is known about the pivotal role parents might play beyond the school campus in fostering self-determination among their children with developmental…

Characteristics of out-of-home caregiving environments provided under child welfare services.

PubMed

Barth, Richard P; Green, Rebecca; Webb, Mary Bruce; Wall, Ariana; Gibbons, Claire; Craig, Carlton

2008-01-01

A national probability sample of children who have been in child welfare supervised placements for about one year identifies the characteristics (e.g., age, training, education, health, and home) of the foster parents, kinship foster parents, and group home caregivers. Caregiving respondents provided information about their backgrounds. Interviewers also used the HOME-SF to assess the caregiving environments of foster care and kinship care. Comparisons are made to other nationally representative samples, including the U.S. Census and the National Survey of America's Families. Kinship care, foster care, and group care providers are significantly different from each other--and the general population--in age and education. Findings on the numbers of children cared for, understimulating environments, use of punitive punishment, and low educational levels of caregivers generate suggestions for practice with foster families.

Psychosocial functioning in Dutch foster children: The relationship with child, family, and placement characteristics.

PubMed

Goemans, Anouk; van Geel, Mitch; Vedder, Paul

2016-06-01

Foster care is the preferred alternative for out-of-home care, but not necessarily beneficial for foster children's psychosocial functioning. This dilemma leaves researchers with a challenge to find out more about the factors related to foster children's social and emotional functioning. In a sample of 446 Dutch foster children we examined the extent to which three clusters of characteristics, those akin to the foster child, the foster family, or foster placement, were related to foster children's functioning at the time of research. Multivariate three-step hierarchical regression analyses were performed for three outcome variables: externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and prosocial behavior. We found that all three clusters of foster care characteristics were significantly related to foster children's functioning. Foster placement characteristics, in particular interventions aimed at foster children, explained the largest amount of variance in behavior problems. Children receiving interventions had more externalizing and internalizing problems. A possible explanation is that interventions are indicated for those foster children who are in the highest need of additional support. Prosocial behavior was particularly related to foster family characteristics. The results were mostly in line with international research. Careful screening and monitoring of the social and emotional functioning of foster children may help to identify problems at an early stage. In addition (preventive) support should be offered to those foster children and families who are in need of it. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding and Measuring the Cost of Foster Family Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culley, James D.; And Others

This report presents an instrument for estimating the direct and indirect costs of raising foster children in different regions of the United States. It also contains three primary research studies on foster care delivery systems, an in-depth study of foster parents in Delaware, a summary of major differences and similarities in payment systems,…

The Influence of Foster Parent Investment on Children's Representations of Self and Attachment Figures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, J.P.; Dozier, M.

2005-01-01

This study examined associations between foster mothers' emotional investment, assessed when foster children were age 2, and foster children's representations of self and others, assessed when children were age 5. Caregiver investment was assessed using a semi-structured interview called the ''This is My Baby'' interview (TIMB; Bates, B., &…

The unintended consequences of sex education: an ethnography of a development intervention in Latin America

PubMed Central

Nelson, Erica; Edmonds, Alexander; Ballesteros, Marco; Encalada Soto, Diana; Rodriguez, Octavio

2014-01-01

This paper is an ethnography of a four-year, multi-disciplinary adolescent sexual and reproductive health intervention in Bolivia, Nicaragua and Ecuador. An important goal of the intervention – and of the larger global field of adolescent sexual and reproductive health – is to create more open parent-to-teen communication. This paper analyzes the project's efforts to foster such communication and how social actors variously interpreted, responded to, and repurposed the intervention's language and practices. While the intervention emphasized the goal of ‘open communication,’ its participants more often used the term ‘confianza’ (trust). This norm was defined in ways that might – or might not – include revealing information about sexual activity. Questioning public health assumptions about parent–teen communication on sex, in and of itself, is key to healthy sexual behavior, the paper explores a pragmatics of communication on sex that includes silence, implied expectations, gendered conflicts, and temporally delayed knowledge. PMID:25175294

The Role of Placement History and Current Family Environment in Children’s Aggression in Foster Care

PubMed Central

Perry, Kristin J.; Price, Joseph

2017-01-01

Predictors of the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care were examined (N = 160, 50.9% male, M age = 7.57, SD = 2.39). First, predictors representative of children’s placement histories were examined in relation to the children’s aggression at T1. Next, predictors representing characteristics of the current family environment were examined in relation to the children’s aggression at T2 (four months later). Results revealed that a greater number of prior group home placements and being in a non-kinship home were associated with higher physical aggression at T1. A greater number of prior group home placements, a fewer number of regular home placements, being in a non-kinship home, and prior removal from the home due to neglect were associated with higher relational aggression at T1. The results also revealed that higher foster sibling relational aggression at T1 predicted lower child physical aggression at T2. If foster siblings were biological children of the foster parent, higher levels of a foster sibling’s physical aggression at T1 predicted reduced child physical aggression at T2. The opposite pattern was observed if foster siblings were not biological children of the foster parent. Lastly, longer time in the current placement, more children in the home, and the presence of a sibling that was a biological child of the parent predicted higher child relational aggression at T2. These findings provide initial insights into how placement history and current family environment are associated with the physical and relational aggressive behavior of children in foster care. PMID:29551877

Plasticity of Decision-Making Abilities Among Maltreated Adolescents: Evidence From a Random Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Weller, Joshua A.; Leve, Leslie D.; Kim, Hyoun K.; Bhimji, Jabeene; Fisher, Philip A.

2014-01-01

Childhood maltreatment has lasting negative effects throughout the lifespan. Early intervention research has demonstrated that these effects can be remediated through skill-based, family-centered interventions. However, less is known about plasticity during adolescence, and whether interventions are effective many years after children experience maltreatment. This study investigated this question by examining adolescent girls’ ability to make advantageous decisions in the face of risk using a validated decision-making task; performance on this task has been associated with key neural regions involved in affective processing and executive functioning. Maltreated foster girls (n = 92), randomly assigned at age 11 to either an intervention designed to prevent risk-taking behaviors or services as usual (SAU), and non-maltreated age and SES-matched girls living with their biological parent(s) (n = 80), completed a decision-making task (at age 15–17) that assessed risk-taking and sensitivity to expected value, an index of advantageous decision-making. Girls in the SAU condition demonstrated the greatest decision-making difficulties, primarily for risks to avoid losses. In the SAU group, frequency of neglect was related to greater difficulties in this area. Girls in the intervention condition with less neglect performed similarly to non-maltreated peers. This research suggests that early maltreatment may impact decision-making abilities into adolescence and that enriched environments during early adolescence provide a window of plasticity that may ameliorate these negative effects. PMID:25997770

Familism, parent-adolescent conflict, self-esteem, internalizing behaviors and suicide attempts among adolescent Latinas.

PubMed

Kuhlberg, Jill A; Peña, Juan B; Zayas, Luis H

2010-08-01

Adolescent Latinas continue to report higher levels of suicide attempts than their African-American and White peers. The phenomenon is still not understood and is theorized to be the result of the confluence of many cultural, familial, and individual level factors. In Latino cultures, belief in the importance of the family, the value known as familism, appears to protect youth's emotional and behavioral health, but parent-adolescent conflict has been found to be a risk factor for suicide attempts. The role of familism in relation to parent-adolescent conflict, self-esteem, internalizing behaviors, and suicide attempts has not been studied extensively. To address this question, we interviewed 226 adolescent Latinas, 50% of whom had histories of suicide attempts. Using path analysis, familism as a cultural asset was associated with lower levels of parent-adolescent conflict, but higher levels of internalizing behaviors, while self-esteem and internalizing behaviors mediated the relationship between parent-adolescent conflict and suicide attempts. Our findings point to the importance of family involvement in culturally competent suicide prevention and intervention programs. Reducing parent-daughter conflict and fostering closer family ties has the added effect of improving self-esteem and shrinking the likelihood of suicide attempts.

Discussion of alternatives, risks and benefits in pediatric acute care.

PubMed

Cox, Elizabeth D; Raaum, Sonja E

2008-07-01

Across adult healthcare, discussions of alternatives, risks and benefits vary in inclusiveness or are even absent. We examine these discussions and their associated factors in pediatric visits. Coders noted speaker and recipient for alternatives, risks and benefits from 98 videotaped visits. Outcomes included discussion of alternatives, risks or benefits (yes/no) and involvement of parent or child in discussions (active or passive). Bivariate techniques were used to relate visit factors to outcomes. Most visits included discussion of alternatives (58% of visits), risks (54%) and benefits (69%). Longer visits were more likely to include risk discussions. For alternatives, active parent/child involvement was more likely with college graduate parents; for risks active involvement was more likely with female and more experienced physicians. Parents and children raised risks more frequently than benefits, often focusing on disadvantages such as taste or frequency/duration of therapy. Most pediatric visits include alternatives, risks and benefits but parent/child involvement in raising these topics is limited. When parents or children initiate these discussions, they often mention risks salient to adherence. Future work could explore whether longer visits or interventions targeted for specific participants could foster such discussions.

Development of a survey to assess adolescent perceptions of teen parenting.

PubMed

Herrman, Judith W; Nandakumar, Ratna

2012-01-01

Initiatives designed to prevent teen pregnancy are often based on adult perceptions of the negative aspects of a teen birth. Qualitative research has revealed that teens may perceive positive rewards associated with teen parenting. These perceptions have not yet been examined through survey research. The theory of reasoned action proposes that individuals assess the costs and rewards prior to engaging in a behavior and provides a framework for the development of a survey instrument designed to measure adolescent thoughts about the costs and rewards of the teen parenting experience. This manuscript describes the development and testing of a quantitative survey instrument designed to measure adolescents' perceptions. Pretesting, piloting, exploratory factor analysis, and a variety of reliability and validity measures were used to determine the value of the measure. The thoughts on teen parenting survey (TTPS) demonstrates an alpha level of .90. The TTPS yields a cumulative score of teen perceptions about the impact of a teen birth during the adolescent years that may be used to assess youth beliefs, correlated with demographic data, used to identify teens at risk for pregnancy/parenting, or provide a pretest/posttest to assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to foster realistic attitudes toward teen parenting.

Maternal Discourse, Attachment-Related Risk, and Current Risk Factors: Associations with Maternal Parenting Behavior during Foster Care Visits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.; Mangelsdorf, Sarah C.; Haight, Wendy L.; Black, James E.; Sokolowski, Margaret Szewczyk; Giorgio, Grace; Tata, Lakshmi

2007-01-01

This study examined relations among mothers' discourse about experiences in their families of origin and with child protective services (CPS), attachment-related and current risk factors, and the quality of mothers' parenting behavior with their young children during supervised visits. Twenty-nine 2- to 6-year-old children in foster care and their…

Therapeutic Guidance for Infants and Families: Using Multi-Family Groups as an Extension of Child-Parent Psychotherapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frame, Laura; Ivins, Barbara; Wong, Lynette; Cantrell, Sally

2015-01-01

Treatment of very young children in foster care involves the complex dynamics of a child's trauma history, multiple relationships, and caregivers' and providers' feelings about working with the child welfare system. Through the story of a toddler removed from his parents and placed in foster care, the authors illustrate a model of combined group…

Differences in greeting behaviour towards humans with varying levels of familiarity in hand-reared wolves (Canis lupus).

PubMed

Ujfalussy, Dorottya Júlia; Kurys, Anita; Kubinyi, Enikő; Gácsi, Márta; Virányi, Zsófia

2017-06-01

Socialized wolves' relationship with humans is a much debated, but important question in light of dog domestication. Earlier findings reported no attachment to the caretaker at four months of age in a Strange Situation Test, while recently attachment to the caretaker was reported at a few weeks of age in a similar paradigm. To explore wolf-human relationship, we analysed behaviours of hand reared, extensively socialized wolves towards four visitor types: foster-parents, close acquaintances, persons met once before, and complete strangers during a greeting episode. As hypothesized, in the greeting context subjects showed more intense and friendly behaviour towards foster-parents, than other visitor types, which may reflect familiarity and affinity. However, differences were more pronounced in the group situation (at six months of age) than in the individual situation (at 12 and 24 months), suggesting that unique status of foster parents may become less distinct as wolves get older, while exploration of novel social agents is expressed more with older age. Fear related behaviour patterns were only found in the individual situation, mainly displayed towards strangers. We showed that, in case of extensively socialized wolves, distinctive affiliation and affinity towards the foster parent prevails into adulthood.

Screen-related sedentary behaviors: children's and parents' attitudes, motivations, and practices.

PubMed

He, Meizi; Piché, Leonard; Beynon, Charlene; Harris, Stewart

2010-01-01

To investigate school-aged children's and parents' attitudes, social influences, and intentions toward excessive screen-related sedentary behavior (S-RSB). A cross-sectional study using a survey methodology. Elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada. All grades 5 and 6 students, their parents, and their teachers in the participating schools were invited to voluntarily participate; 508 student-parent pairs completed the surveys. Children's screen-related behaviors. Data were analyzed using the Independent Student t test to compare differences of continuous variables and the chi-square test to test for differences of categorical variables. Children spent 3.3 +/- 0.15 (standard error) hours per day engaged in screen-related activities. Entertainment, spending time with family, and boredom were cited as the top 3 reasons for television viewing and video game playing. Compared to "low-screen users" (ie, < 2 hours/day), "high-screen users" (ie, >or= 2 hours/day) had a less negative attitude toward excessive S-RSB and perceived loosened parental rules on screen use. Parents of high-screen users had a less negative attitude toward children's S-RSB, had fewer rules about their children's screen use, and were more likely to be sedentary themselves. Intervention strategies aimed at reducing S-RSB should involve both parents and children and should focus on fostering behavioral changes and promoting parental role modeling.

Foster care re-entry: Exploring the role of foster care characteristics, in-home child welfare services and cross-sector services.

PubMed

Lee, Sangmoo; Jonson-Reid, Melissa; Drake, Brett

2012-09-01

This study seeks to advance our understanding of how modifiable and non-modifiable factors may impact the likelihood of re-entry into foster care. Children who entered foster care for the first time following at least one report of maltreatment and were then reunified were followed from exit to re-entry, age 18 or the end of the study period using longitudinal administrative data. Risk of re-entry was explored according to a range of modifiable and non-modifiable case and service characteristics. Children removed from homes with parents who had multiple risk factors (e.g., no high school diploma, mental health diagnosis, criminal record, or teen parents) or were receiving AFDC prior to entry were more likely to re-enter. The receipt of in-home child welfare services during or after foster care was associated with reduced risk of re-entry. Having the longest placement with a relative was associated with decreased risk of re-entry. In conclusion, both modifiable and non-modifiable factors are associated with re-entry into foster care. Among modifiable factors, services appear to have a particularly strong relationship to re-entry. Our data also suggest that in-home child welfare services provided during and after foster care may be associated with improved long-term permanency after return home. Given the continued import of caregiver risk factors even among reunified families, services provided to support reunification should include attention to caregiver needs outside parenting.

Foster care re-entry: Exploring the role of foster care characteristics, in-home child welfare services and cross-sector services☆

PubMed Central

Lee, Sangmoo; Jonson-Reid, Melissa; Drake, Brett

2013-01-01

This study seeks to advance our understanding of how modifiable and non-modifiable factors may impact the likelihood of re-entry into foster care. Children who entered foster care for the first time following at least one report of maltreatment and were then reunified were followed from exit to re-entry, age 18 or the end of the study period using longitudinal administrative data. Risk of re-entry was explored according to a range of modifiable and non-modifiable case and service characteristics. Children removed from homes with parents who had multiple risk factors (e.g., no high school diploma, mental health diagnosis, criminal record, or teen parents) or were receiving AFDC prior to entry were more likely to re-enter. The receipt of in-home child welfare services during or after foster care was associated with reduced risk of re-entry. Having the longest placement with a relative was associated with decreased risk of re-entry. In conclusion, both modifiable and non-modifiable factors are associated with re-entry into foster care. Among modifiable factors, services appear to have a particularly strong relationship to re-entry. Our data also suggest that in-home child welfare services provided during and after foster care may be associated with improved long-term permanency after return home. Given the continued import of caregiver risk factors even among reunified families, services provided to support reunification should include attention to caregiver needs outside parenting. PMID:23729947

Feasibility of Connecting, a Substance-Abuse Prevention Program for Foster Teens and their Caregivers.

PubMed

Haggerty, Kevin P; Barkan, Susan E; Skinner, Martie; Ben Packard, W; Cole, Janice J

2016-01-01

To test the feasibility, usability, and proximal outcomes of Connecting, an adaptation of a low-cost, self-directed, family-based substance use prevention program, Staying Connected with Your Teen, with foster families in a randomized, waitlist control pilot study. Families (n = 60) fostering teens between 11 and 15 years of age were recruited into the study and randomly assigned into the self-administered program with telephone support from a family consultant (n = 32) or a waitlist control condition (n = 28). Overall satisfaction with the program was high, with 100% of parents reporting they would recommend the program to other caregivers and reporting being "very satisfied" or "satisfied with the program. Program completion was good, with 62% of families completing all 91 specified tasks. Analyses of proximal outcomes revealed increased communication about sex and substance use (posttest1 OR = 1.97, and 2.03, respectively). Teens in the intervention vs. the waitlist condition reported lower family conflict (OR=.48), and more family rules related to monitoring (OR = 4.02) and media use (OR = 3.24). Caregivers in the waitlist group reported significant increases in the teen's positive involvements (partial eta sq = 17% increase) after receiving the intervention. Overall, program participation appeared to lead to stronger family management, better communication between teens and caregivers around monitoring and media use, teen participation in setting family rules, and decreased teen attitudes favorable to antisocial behavior. This small pilot study shows promising results for this adapted program.

Who Is Caring for Our Most Vulnerable Children? The Motivation to Foster in Child Welfare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodger, Susan; Cummings, Anne; Leschied, Alan W.

2006-01-01

Objective: Responding to the need for more foster families to provide care for increasing numbers of children coming into care, this study was designed to understand the motivations and needs of foster parents in order to improve recruitment and retention. To meet this goal, the study identified characteristics of current foster families,…

"All is well": professionals' documentation of social determinants of health in Swedish Child Health Services health records concerning maltreated children - a mixed method approach.

PubMed

Köhler, Marie; Rosvall, Maria; Emmelin, Maria

2016-08-15

Knowledge about social determinants of health has influenced global health strategies, including early childhood interventions. Some psychosocial circumstances - such as poverty, parental mental health problems, abuse and partner violence - increase the risk of child maltreatment and neglect. Healthcare professionals' awareness of psychosocial issues is of special interest, since they both have the possibility and the obligation to identify vulnerable children. Child Health Services health records of 100 children in Malmö, Sweden, who had been placed in, or were to be placed in family foster care, were compared with health records of a matched comparison group of 100 children who were not placed in care. A mixed-method approach integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis was applied. The documentation about the foster care group was more voluminous than for the comparison group. The content was problem-oriented and dominated by severe parental health and social problems, while the child's own experiences were neglected. The professionals documented interaction with healthcare and social functions, but very few reports to the Social Services were noted. For both groups, notes about social structures were almost absent. Child Health Service professionals facing vulnerable children document parental health issues and interaction with healthcare, but they fail to document living conditions thereby making social structures invisible in the health records. The child perspective is insufficiently integrated in the documentation and serious child protection needs remain unmet, if professionals avoid reporting to Social Services.

Attachment security as a mechanism linking foster care placement to improved mental health outcomes in previously institutionalized children

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.; Zeanah, Charles H.; Fox, Nathan A.; Nelson, Charles A.

2011-01-01

Background Children reared in institutions experience elevated rates of psychiatric disorders. Inability to form a secure attachment relationship to a primary caregiver is posited to be a central mechanism in this association. We determined whether the ameliorative effect of a foster care (FC) intervention on internalizing disorders in previously institutionalized children was explained by the development of secure attachment among children placed in FC and evaluated the role of lack of attachment in an institutionalized sample on the etiology of internalizing disorders within the context of a randomized trial. Methods A sample of 136 children (aged 6-30 months) residing in institutions was recruited in Bucharest, Romania. Children were randomized to FC (n=68) or to care as usual (CAU; n=68). Foster parents were recruited, trained, and overseen by the investigative team. Attachment security at 42 months was assessed using the Strange Situation Procedure, and internalizing disorders at 54 months were assessed using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment. Results Girls in FC had fewer internalizing disorders than girls in CAU (OR=0.17, p=006). The intervention had no effect on internalizing disorders in boys (OR=0.47, p=.150). At 42 months, girls in FC were more likely to have secure attachment than girls in CAU (OR=12.5, p<.001), but no difference was observed in boys (OR=2.0, p=.205). Greater attachment security predicted lower rates of internalizing disorders in both sexes. Development of attachment security fully mediated intervention effects on internalizing disorders in girls. Conclusion Placement into FC facilitated the development of secure attachment and prevented the onset of internalizing disorders in institutionalized girls. The differential effects of FC on attachment security in boys and girls explained gender differences in the intervention effects on psychopathology. Findings provide evidence for the critical role of disrupted attachment in the etiology of internalizing disorders in children exposed to institutionalization. PMID:21733136

Toolbox No. 2: Expanding the Role of Foster Parents in Achieving Permanency. Toolboxes for Permanency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Susan

Noting that over the last decade, the role of a foster parent has evolved from temporary caregiver to essential part of a professional team in determining the best long-term plan for children in their care, this guide focuses on practical ways in which best child welfare practice can be incorporated into the recruitment, training, and support of…

Client Self-Management: Promoting Self-Help for Parents of Children in Foster-Care

PubMed Central

Angel, Bjørn Øystein

2016-01-01

Drawing upon Foucault's concepts of power, this article shows how a course given to parents whose children are in foster-care encourages a particular form of self-management—most notably, that their internal dialogues must be altered so that the parents can view themselves as people in control of their behaviour who are in a position to choose new behaviour. The article is based on a qualitative study conducted in Norway and centres on the support and development of participants in the course. Study results show increased self-confidence and self-respect in the participants, both as individuals and as parents. In addition, significant benefits were stated as finding that they could verbalise and describe difficult events and emotions, experiencing being ‘normal’ within a group and receiving feedback. From the perspective of child protective services, dialogue with parents is central, as it not only commits clients to specific behaviours, but—more importantly—commits them to a particular inner dialogue about parenthood. The course can be seen as a management tool in which the parent's ‘self’ becomes the central object, seeking to contradict the conventional conception of parents with children in foster-care as having nothing to contribute to their children's upbringing. PMID:27559212

Against the odds: foster carers' perceptions of family, commitment and belonging in successful placements.

PubMed

Oke, Nicholas; Rostill-Brookes, Helen; Larkin, Michael

2013-01-01

This study examines carer attributes associated with placement stability for teenagers growing up in long term foster care, focusing on unexpected placement success. We explored experiences and perceptions relating to family, belonging and commitment in a group of foster carers providing a stable placement for a young person who had not been expected to settle. These placements showed positive outcome, despite factors in the child's history that might have predicted otherwise. Seven foster carers were interviewed following a semi-structured guide, which covered their ideas about their relationship with the child in question, about the foster family, and the child's sense of belonging in foster and birth family. Analysis of carers' accounts of placements which had succeeded 'against the odds' revealed four major themes, described under the headings My Child--emotional bonding, the carers' enlarged view of family and their parental regard for the young person; Jam in the Sandwich--working within a 'compromised space' between Local Authority and birth family; Repair and Rebuild--the craft of fostering including managing the foster/birth family boundary; Sticking with It--resilience, tenacity and maintaining hopefulness. The carers' accounts offer pointers towards the ingredients of successful placements and prompt reflection on how these may be supported and promoted. They also highlight tensions inherent in the foster carer task relating to carers' parental functioning for young people in long-term foster care.

Parental Warmth Amplifies the Negative Effect of Parental Hostility on Dating Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Leslie Gordon; Simons, Ronald L.; Lei, Man-Kit; Hancock, Donna L.; Fincham, Frank D.

2012-01-01

Past research has documented the positive association between parental hostility and offspring involvement in intimate partner violence. Researchers, practitioners, and parents typically adopt the standpoint that parental warmth may counter these negative lessons. However, Straus and colleagues argue that parents foster IPV to the extent that they…

Facilitating Attachment between School-Aged Children and a Dying Parent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saldinger, Amy; Cain, Albert C.; Porterfield, Katherine; Lohnes, Kelly

2004-01-01

A qualitative, community study of 58 parentally bereaved children and their 35 surviving parents illustrates how families take advantage of forewarning of death to foster connections between children and dying parents and prepare for youngsters' continued attachment to dying parents after the death. Children and parents displayed strong yearnings…

Fostering Parental Autonomy: An Aid to Effective Parenting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanberry, J. Phillip; Stanberry, Anne M.

This study examined the feelings of confidence in parenting among 13 women enrolled in a parent education program in rural Mississippi which emphasized academic skills and personal growth. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant correlation between parents' feelings of self-differentiation and confidence as parents. Based on several…

The Role of Therapeutic Mentoring in Enhancing Outcomes for Youth in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Sara B.; Pryce, Julia M.; Martinovich, Zoran

2011-01-01

Effective service interventions greatly enhance the well-being of foster youth. A study of 262 foster youth examined one such intervention, therapeutic mentoring. Results showed that mentored youth improved significantly in the areas of family and social functioning, school behavior, and recreational activities, as well as in the reduction of…

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH INDISCRIMINATE FRIENDLINESS IN HIGH-RISK CHILDREN.

PubMed

Love, Leighanne; Minnis, Helen; O'connor, Suzy

2015-01-01

Indiscriminate friendliness (IF) refers to a lack of reticence with strangers and is well-documented in neglected children. This risky behavior is distinct from attachment insecurity, and persists when parenting/caregiving improves. A previous review has suggested that caregiving quality is not associated with IF. This review aimed to explore factors associated with IF and whether quality of caregiving is important. Ten articles were reviewed using the S.H. Downs and N. Black (1998) Checklist for randomized and nonrandomized studies. Overall quality was high. Results showed that IF is present in fostered populations and postinstitutionalized children. Attachment security was not associated with IF. Length of time in institution and inhibitory control were associated with IF. Inhibitory control moderated the association between IF and number of caregivers. Genetic factors predispose children to IF and may impact on persistence. Quality of caregiving was associated with IF. Emotional availability (i.e., the degree to which carer and child are able to respond to each other's emotional signals) predicted IF. Limitations across studies included heterogeneity in IF measurement and unreliable measures of preadoptive care. Parenting may be a useful target for intervention. Future research should focus on developing a standardized measure of IF as well as evaluating a parental intervention. © 2015 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

School violence: an insider view.

PubMed

Johnson, Shelley A; Fisher, Kathleen

2003-01-01

To discover what teachers perceive to be contributing factors to violence in schools. Open-ended questions were asked of a convenience sample of teachers ( = 396) during an in-service education program on school violence. The teachers were in a semi-rural school district in a Mid-Atlantic state. Answers were analyzed using content analysis; all responses were reviewed and important themes were extracted. Identified themes were then placed into suitable categories and studied to determine relationships. Of the surveys analyzed ( = 239), 13 themes were identified. The three categories which then identified probable causes of school violence were (1) lack of knowledge, (2) lack of support, and (3) inadequate safety measures. Nurses can use the results of this study in multiple ways. One is to help parents understand their role in preventing school violence. Because violence in the home and violence in the media seem to foster violent acting-out behavior, nurses can teach parents about these correlations and seek solutions such as the elimination of family violence, and monitoring television viewing and video games. Nursing assessments of school-aged children and their families can include these elements. School nurses in particular can use these study results as an opportunity to develop interventions for students, teachers, and families that stress knowledge building about impulse control, anger management, appropriate parenting, and early intervention for at-risk children.

Actividades Para Padres: A Parent Handbook (Activities for Parents: A Parent Handbook).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coca, Benjamin

Thirty Mora, New Mexico parents attended a 13-session parent involvement workshop (The Mora Adventure) designed to help parents foster successful school experiences through non-school activities with their children. A parent involvement model was used as the basis of the workshop in which the parents developed more effective communication skills;…

Parental Approach to the Prevention and Management of Fever and Pain Following Childhood Immunizations: A Survey Study.

PubMed

Saleh, Ezzeldin; Swamy, Geeta K; Moody, M Anthony; Walter, Emmanuel B

2017-05-01

Antipyretic analgesics are commonly used to prevent and treat adverse events following immunizations. Current practice discourages routine use due to possible blunting of vaccine immune responses. We surveyed 150 parents/caregivers of recently vaccinated 6- and 15-month-old children to determine the prevalence of and beliefs regarding antipyretic analgesics use around vaccinations. 11% used them prophylactically, before vaccination. Use in the first 48 hours after vaccination was 64%, primarily to prevent and/or treat fever and pain. Acetaminophen was administered 2.6 times more frequently than ibuprofen. Ibuprofen was used more in the 15-month compared with the 6-month-old children (28% vs 7.4%, respectively, P = .001). The majority of caregivers disagreed with their use for fever (53%) or pain (59%). Antipyretic analgesic use, including prophylaxis, around vaccinations was common in our study population. Effective interventions are needed to target parents/caregivers to eliminate unnecessary antipyretic analgesic use around vaccination time and foster nonmedication alternatives.

Parental approach to the prevention and management of fever and pain following childhood immunizations: a survey study

PubMed Central

Saleh, Ezzeldin; Swamy, Geeta K; Moody, M Anthony; Walter, Emmanuel B.

2017-01-01

Antipyretic analgesics are commonly used to prevent and treat adverse events following immunizations. Current practice discourages routine use due to possible blunting of vaccine immune responses. We surveyed 150 parents/caregivers of recently vaccinated 6- and 15-month-old children to determine the prevalence of and beliefs regarding antipyretic analgesics use around vaccinations. 11% used them prophylactically, before vaccination. Use in the first 48 hours after vaccination was 64%, primarily to prevent and/or treat fever and pain. Acetaminophen was administered 2.6 times more frequently than ibuprofen. Ibuprofen was used more in the 15-month compared to the 6-month-old children (28 % vs 7.4 % respectively, p=0.001). The majority of caregivers disagreed with their use for fever (53%) or pain (59%). Antipyretic analgesic use, including prophylaxis, around vaccinations was common in our study population. Effective interventions are needed to target parents/caregivers to eliminate unnecessary antipyretic analgesic use around vaccination time and foster non-medication alternatives. PMID:27798399

Differences in greeting behaviour towards humans with varying levels of familiarity in hand-reared wolves (Canis lupus)

PubMed Central

Kurys, Anita; Kubinyi, Enikő; Gácsi, Márta; Virányi, Zsófia

2017-01-01

Socialized wolves' relationship with humans is a much debated, but important question in light of dog domestication. Earlier findings reported no attachment to the caretaker at four months of age in a Strange Situation Test, while recently attachment to the caretaker was reported at a few weeks of age in a similar paradigm. To explore wolf–human relationship, we analysed behaviours of hand reared, extensively socialized wolves towards four visitor types: foster-parents, close acquaintances, persons met once before, and complete strangers during a greeting episode. As hypothesized, in the greeting context subjects showed more intense and friendly behaviour towards foster-parents, than other visitor types, which may reflect familiarity and affinity. However, differences were more pronounced in the group situation (at six months of age) than in the individual situation (at 12 and 24 months), suggesting that unique status of foster parents may become less distinct as wolves get older, while exploration of novel social agents is expressed more with older age. Fear related behaviour patterns were only found in the individual situation, mainly displayed towards strangers. We showed that, in case of extensively socialized wolves, distinctive affiliation and affinity towards the foster parent prevails into adulthood. PMID:28680658

Exploring the link between maternal attachment-related anxiety and avoidance and mindful parenting: The mediating role of self-compassion.

PubMed

Moreira, Helena; Carona, Carlos; Silva, Neuza; Nunes, Joana; Canavarro, Maria Cristina

2016-12-01

Mindful parenting has been described as a set of parental practices or skills that seek to enhance moment-to-moment awareness in the parent-child relationship. Although it has been suggested that adopting a mindful approach in parenting may foster positive parent-child relationships and promote the psychological functioning of children and parents, little is known about the factors that may be associated with this parental skill. In this study, we aimed to examine whether attachment-related anxiety and avoidance were associated with mindful parenting through self-compassion. The sample included 290 mothers of school-aged children and adolescents recruited in school settings, who completed self-reported measures of adult attachment (Experiences in Close Relationships - Relationships Structures), self-compassion (Self-compassion Scale), and mindful parenting (Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale). Structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed mediation model and to ascertain direct and indirect effects among study variables. Whereas attachment avoidance had a direct effect on mindful parenting, attachment anxiety was indirectly associated with mindful parenting through self-compassion. Specifically, higher levels of anxiety were associated with lower self-compassion, which, in turn, was associated with lower levels of mindful parenting. Higher levels of avoidance were directly associated with lower levels of mindful parenting. These results demonstrate that mothers' attachment dimensions play an important role in their levels of mindful parenting, although through different pathways. Interventions aimed at promoting mindful parenting skills should attempt to promote parents' self-compassion and consider parents' levels of attachment insecurity. The results underline the important role of mothers' attachment on levels of mindful parenting and evidence different pathways through which attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance are associated with this parental skill. Higher levels of attachment avoidance were directly associated with lower levels of mindful parenting, whereas higher levels of anxiety were indirectly associated with lower levels of mindful parenting through lower levels of self-compassion. Mothers who are more self-compassionate are more able to adopt a mindful stance in the parent-child relationship. Parenting interventions aimed at promoting mindfulness skills in the parenting context can benefit from including self-compassionate exercises and are particularly important for insecurely attached parents. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Intervening to Improve Outcomes for Siblings in Foster Care: Conceptual, Substantive, and Methodological Dimensions of a Prevention Science Framework

PubMed Central

Kothari, Brianne H.; Blakeslee, Jennifer; Lamson-Siu, Emilie; Bank, Lew; Linares, L. Oriana; Waid, Jeffrey; Sorenson, Paul; Jimenez, Jessica; Pearson, Eva; Shlonsky, Aron

2014-01-01

In recent years, the child welfare field has devoted significant attention to siblings in foster care. Policymakers and practitioners have supported efforts to connect siblings via shared foster placements and visitation while researchers have focused on illuminating the empirical foundations of sibling placement and sibling intervention in child welfare. The current paper synthesizes literature on sibling relationship development and sibling issues in child welfare in the service of presenting a typology of sibling-focused interventions for use with foster youth. The paper provides two examples of current intervention research studies focused on enhancing sibling developmental processes and understanding their connection to child welfare outcomes. The paper concludes by presenting an emerging agenda informing policy, practice, and research on siblings in foster care. PMID:24634558

Childhelp

MedlinePlus

... Intervention Programs Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline Childhelp Foster Care & Adoption Services Childhelp Group Homes Childhelp Advocacy ... Intervention Programs Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline Childhelp Foster Care & Adoption Services Childhelp Group Homes Childhelp Advocacy ...

The Role of Parenting Styles and Socio-Economic Status in Parents' Knowledge of Child Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

September, Shiron Jade; Rich, Edna Grace; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa

2016-01-01

Early childhood development (ECD) has been recognised to be the most important contributor to long-term social and emotional development. Therefore, positive parenting is paramount to foster quality parent-child interaction. Previous research shows that for parents to adopt a positive parenting style, some degree of parental knowledge is required.…

Do specialty courts achieve better outcomes for children in foster care than general courts?

PubMed

Sloan, Frank A; Gifford, Elizabeth J; Eldred, Lindsey M; Acquah, Kofi F; Blevins, Claire E

2013-02-01

This study assessed the effects of unified family and drug treatment courts (DTCs) on the resolution of cases involving foster care children and the resulting effects on school performance. The first analytic step was to assess the impacts of presence of unified and DTCs in North Carolina counties on time children spent in foster care and the type of placement at exit from foster care. In the second step, the same data on foster care placements were merged with school records for youth in Grades 3-8 in public schools. The effect of children's time in foster care and placement outcomes on school performance as measured by math and reading tests, grade retention, and attendance was assessed using child fixed-effects regression. Children in counties with unified family courts experienced shorter foster care spells and higher rates of reunification with parents or primary caregivers. Shorter foster care spells translated into improved school performance measured by end-of-grade reading and math test scores. Adult DTCs were associated with lower probability of reunification with parents/primary caregivers. The shortened time in foster care implies an efficiency gain attributable to unified family courts, which translate into savings for the court system through the use of fewer resources. Children also benefit through shortened stays in temporary placements, which are related to some improved educational outcomes.

Changing Problem Behavior Using Solution Parenting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Mona Struhsaker; Zimmerman, Toni Schindler; Watson, Catherine

Solution parenting is designed to provide both foster parents and caseworkers a new kind of parenting for difficult children and youth in placement. The specialized training program is for those who will teach solution parenting. Objectives for trainees include: (1) identify small, positive behavioral changes; (2) recognize and use pre-existing…

Positive Parenting for High-Risk Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devall, Esther L.

2004-01-01

Teen, single, divorced, foster, abusive, substance affected, and incarcerated parents and their children participated in intensive parenting education classes lasting 9 to 24 weeks. Participants were primarily single (58%), Hispanic (60%), and female (60%). Parents showed significant increases in empathy and knowledge of positive discipline…

A Model of Female Sexual Desire: Internalized Working Models of Parent-Child Relationships and Sexual Body Self-Representations.

PubMed

Cherkasskaya, Eugenia; Rosario, Margaret

2017-11-01

The etiology of low female sexual desire, the most prevalent sexual complaint in women, is multi-determined, implicating biological and psychological factors, including women's early parent-child relationships and bodily self-representations. The current study evaluated a model that hypothesized that sexual body self-representations (sexual subjectivity, self-objectification, genital self-image) explain (i.e., mediate) the relation between internalized working models of parent-child relationships (attachment, separation-individuation, parental identification) and sexual desire in heterosexual women. We recruited 614 young, heterosexual women (M = 25.5 years, SD = 4.63) through social media. The women completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling was used. The hypotheses were supported in that the relation between internalized working models of parent-child relationships (attachment and separation-individuation) and sexual desire was mediated by sexual body self-representations (sexual body esteem, self-objectification, genital self-image). However, parental identification was not related significantly to sexual body self-representations or sexual desire in the model. Current findings demonstrated that understanding female sexual desire necessitates considering women's internalized working models of early parent-child relationships and their experiences of their bodies in a sexual context. Treatment of low or absent desire in women would benefit from modalities that emphasize early parent-child relationships as well as interventions that foster mind-body integration.

Therapeutic mentoring: reducing the impact of trauma for foster youth.

PubMed

Johnson, Sara B; Pryce, Julia M

2013-01-01

This study utilized secondary data analysis to examine therapeutic mentoring (TM) as a service intervention in helping to reduce trauma symptoms in foster youth. Outcomes were compared for mentored (n = 106) and non-mentored (n = 156) foster youth related to experience and symptoms of trauma. Results showed that mentored youth improved significantly in the reduction of trauma symptoms relative to non-mentored youth, suggesting that TM shows promise as an important treatment intervention for foster youth with trauma experiences.

Mentalization in children exposed to parental methamphetamine abuse: relations to children's mental health and behavioral outcomes.

PubMed

Ostler, Teresa; Bahar, Ozge Sensoy; Jessee, Allison

2010-05-01

This study examined the mentalization capabilities of children exposed to parental methamphetamine abuse in relation to symptom underreporting, mental health, and behavioral outcomes. Twenty-six school-aged children in foster care participated in this study. Mentalization was assessed using the My Family Stories Interview (MFSI), a semi-structured interview in which children recalled family stories about a happy, sad or scary and fun time. An established scale of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC), a self-report measure, provided information on children's symptom underreporting. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), completed by the children's foster caregivers, assessed children's mental health and behavioral outcomes. Children with higher mentalization were significantly less prone to underreport symptoms. These children had fewer mental health problems and were rated by their foster caregivers as more socially competent. The findings underscore that mentalization could be an important protective factor for children who have experienced parental substance abuse.

Offspring telomere length in the long lived Alpine swift is negatively related to the age of their biological father and foster mother.

PubMed

Criscuolo, François; Zahn, Sandrine; Bize, Pierre

2017-09-01

A growing body of studies is showing that offspring telomere length (TL) can be influenced by the age of their parents. Such a relationship might be explained by variation in TL at conception (gamete effect) and/or by alteration of early growth conditions in species providing parental care. In a long-lived bird with bi-parental care, the Alpine swift ( Apus melba ), we exchanged an uneven number of 2 to 4-day-old nestlings between pairs as part of a brood size manipulation. Nestling TL was measured at 50 days after hatching, which allowed investigation of the influence of the age of both their biological and foster parents on offspring TL, after controlling for the manipulation. Nestling TL was negatively related to the age of their biological father and foster mother. Nestling TL did not differ between enlarged and reduced broods. These findings suggest that offspring from older males were fertilized by gametes with shorter telomeres, presumably due to a greater cell division history or a longer accumulation of damage, and that older females may have provided poorer parental care to their offspring. © 2017 The Author(s).

Quality Improvement Initiative for Family-Centered Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Hospital in South Africa.

PubMed

Maree, Carin; Kekana, Poppy; van der Walt, Christa; Yazbek, Mariatha; Leech, Ronell

The introduction of family-centered care in the neonatal intensive care unit was identified as a high priority to facilitate bonding and attachment with potential positive outcomes for the parents and infants. The aim of the study was, therefore, to develop and implement a quality improvement initiative to foster family-centered care in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit from birth onward. A pretest posttest intervention design was used using mixed methods over 3 phases to determine the perceived level of family-centered care according to healthcare professionals and parents using self-administered questionnaires; to develop and implement a quality improvement initiative to enhance family-centered care in a neonatal intensive care unit using a nominal group technique, followed by the quality improvement process; and to evaluate the outcomes of the initiative by repeating the self-administered questionnaires to parents and staff. Various activities were introduced as part of the initiative such as early breastfeeding, early introduction of parents to their infant, open visitation policy, and involvement in caring activities. The perceived level of care according to staff and parents increased. It is expected to enhance bonding and attachment between the infants and their parents, with consequential long-term positive outcomes.

Parent–offspring resemblance in colony-specific adult survival of cliff swallows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Charles R.; Roche, Erin A.; Brown, Mary Bomberger

2015-01-01

Survival is a key component of fitness. Species that occupy discrete breeding colonies with different characteristics are often exposed to varying costs and benefits associated with group size or environmental conditions, and survival is an integrative net measure of these effects. We investigated the extent to which survival probability of adult (≥1-year old) cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) occupying different colonies resembled that of their parental cohort and thus whether the natal colony had long-term effects on individuals. Individuals were cross-fostered between colonies soon after hatching and their presence as breeders monitored at colonies in the western Nebraska study area for the subsequent decade. Colony-specific adult survival probabilities of offspring born and reared in the same colony, and those cross-fostered away from their natal colony soon after birth, were positively and significantly related to subsequent adult survival of the parental cohort from the natal colony. This result held when controlling for the effect of natal colony size and the age composition of the parental cohort. In contrast, colony-specific adult survival of offspring cross-fostered to a site was unrelated to that of their foster parent cohort or to the cohort of non-fostered offspring with whom they were reared. Adult survival at a colony varied inversely with fecundity, as measured by mean brood size, providing evidence for a survival–fecundity trade-off in this species. The results suggest some heritable variation in adult survival, likely maintained by negative correlations between fitness components. The study provides additional evidence that colonies represent non-random collections of individuals.

Salivary cortisol: a possible biomarker in evaluating stress and effects of interventions in young foster children?

PubMed

van Andel, Hans W H; Jansen, Lucres M C; Grietens, Hans; Knorth, Erik J; van der Gaag, Rutger Jan

2014-01-01

Young foster children undergo an early separation from their caregiver(s) and often experience severe stress before placement. However, a considerable part of the children do not show apparent signs of distress, making it difficult for the foster carer to be aware of the amount of stress in their foster child. Potential evidence for using salivary cortisol levels as a dimension to evaluate the amount of stress in young foster children is reviewed. Moreover, the applicability of salivary cortisol in the evaluation of stress-reducing interventions for young foster children is discussed. A systematic review was performed using the databases Medline, Psychinfo, Embase, Ebscohost, and Academic Search Premier. Nine studies were traced in which salivary cortisol was used to measure stress in children placed in family foster care or in adoptive families. Stress in general but also neglect, early loss of a caregiver, a younger age at first placement, and a higher number of placements were associated with an altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in foster children. Moreover, four studies on the effect of stress-reducing interventions on HPA-axis functioning of young foster children were found. These studies suggest that caregiver-based interventions can actually help to normalize the HPA-axis function in foster children, and that such changes co-occur with improved behavioral functioning. Although the results from the papers discussed in this review suggest that diurnal cortisol with a wake up and a bedtime measurement may be a relevant tool to evaluate stress in young foster children, this cannot yet be concluded from the present studies, because statistical data from the studies on foster care and adoption in this review were not robust and researchers used different methods to collect the salivary cortisol. Still, it is noteworthy that all studies did find the same pattern of reduced levels in relation to chronic stress (caused by maltreatment and neglect of the child).

Assessing conservation tools for an at-risk shorebird: Feasibility of headstarting for American Oystercatchers Haematopus palliatus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, Samantha A.; Sanders, Felicia J.; Jodice, Patrick G.R.

2016-01-01

Management of threatened and endangered populations of wildlife increasingly relies upon active intervention such as predator control, habitat manipulation, and ex situ breeding or care. One tool that has received consideration for the management of declining or threatened avian populations is headstarting, or the artificial incubation of eggs and subsequent placement of newly hatched chicks in original or foster nests. We assessed the feasibility of implementing a headstarting program for the American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus, a species of high conservation concern in the eastern USA. Annual productivity is often low and lost during incubation, suggesting artificial incubation could enhance annual productivity. We used a control-impact approach to assign nests as either control or headstart and measured daily survival rate, success of parents accepting headstarted chicks, attendance patterns and behaviours of parents, and chick survival. We also implemented a transparent scoring process to rate the success of each step and the overall program. Daily survival rates of nests were significantly higher at headstart compared to control nests, and parents continued to incubate when eggs were well secured at nest sites. Attendance patterns and behaviour did not differ between headstart and control parents, and parents readily accepted healthy chicks whether they were returned to original or foster nests. Chick survival and subsequently annual productivity were, however, not higher at headstart compared to control nests suggesting that although we were able to enhance nest survival, low chick survival was still limiting annual productivity. Ultimately, headstarting may be most appropriate for American Oystercatchers where productivity is lost primarily to flooding, predation, or disturbance during the incubation stage but not during the chick-rearing stage. If, for example, high rates of nest loss are due to predators that also may prey upon chicks, then headstarting may not be an effective conservation tool.

Effect of Foster Care on Language Learning at Eight Years: Findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windsor, Jennifer; Moraru, Ana; Nelson, Charles A., III.; Fox, Nathan A.; Zeanah, Charles H.

2013-01-01

This study reports on language outcomes at eight years from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled study of foster care. We previously have shown that children placed in foster care by age two have substantially stronger preschool language outcomes than children placed later and children remaining in institutional care.…

Feasibility of Connecting, a Substance-Abuse Prevention Program for Foster Teens and their Caregivers

PubMed Central

Barkan, Susan E.; Skinner, Martie; Ben Packard, W.; Cole, Janice J.

2016-01-01

Objective To test the feasibility, usability, and proximal outcomes of Connecting, an adaptation of a low-cost, self-directed, family-based substance use prevention program, Staying Connected with Your Teen, with foster families in a randomized, waitlist control pilot study. Method Families (n = 60) fostering teens between 11 and 15 years of age were recruited into the study and randomly assigned into the self-administered program with telephone support from a family consultant (n = 32) or a waitlist control condition (n = 28). Results Overall satisfaction with the program was high, with 100% of parents reporting they would recommend the program to other caregivers and reporting being “very satisfied” or “satisfied with the program. Program completion was good, with 62% of families completing all 91 specified tasks. Analyses of proximal outcomes revealed increased communication about sex and substance use (posttest1 OR = 1.97, and 2.03, respectively). Teens in the intervention vs. the waitlist condition reported lower family conflict (OR=.48), and more family rules related to monitoring (OR = 4.02) and media use (OR = 3.24). Caregivers in the waitlist group reported significant increases in the teen’s positive involvements (partial eta sq = 17% increase) after receiving the intervention. Conclusions Overall, program participation appeared to lead to stronger family management, better communication between teens and caregivers around monitoring and media use, teen participation in setting family rules, and decreased teen attitudes favorable to antisocial behavior. This small pilot study shows promising results for this adapted program. PMID:27891209

Service Needs of Foster Families with Children Who Have Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jason D.; Moraes, Sabrina; Mayhew, Janet

2005-01-01

We examined the service needs of foster families with children who have disabilities. Foster parents in a large Canadian city were asked "What services or supports would be helpful to you?" The responses to this question were edited for clarity and to eliminate redundancies, and sorted into piles of like statements by a group of 15…

Substitute Care Providers: Helping Abused and Neglected Children. The User Manual Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Kenneth

This manual for child welfare staff and foster/adoptive parents is intended to provide guidelines for serving abused and neglected children who are in family foster care and adoption. The first section is on substitute care and permanency planning and offers an historical perspective on substitute care and definitions of family foster care and…

Academic Achievement and Aging out of Care: Foster Parents' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mack, Robert D.

2012-01-01

Foster children experience multiple barriers and challenges that, amongst other issues, prevent them from achieving academically. At the age of 18, foster youth are forced out of the Department of Children and Families care, leading many of them to become homeless or to return to the homes from which they were displaced. Scholarly literature and…

Successful Academic Achievement among Foster Children: What Did the Foster Parents Do?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skilbred, Dag Tore; Iversen, Anette Christine; Moldestad, Bente

2017-01-01

Children who spend part of their childhood in foster homes have, as a group, lower academic achievement than their peers. However, some of these children do well and succeed in higher education. Resilience is about positive development enhanced by protective factors despite adversity. Protective factors may be both positive qualities in the…

When Parenting Does Not "Come Naturally": Providers' Perspectives on Parenting Education for Incarcerated Mothers and Fathers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Cathrine; Dawson, Angela; Rossiter, Chris; Jackson, Debra; Power, Tamara; Roche, Michael

2018-01-01

Learning to parent sensitively and safely can be challenging for adults with childhood abuse and neglect experiences. Such childhood experiences are prevalent among incarcerated parents whose ability to parent their own children is also limited by separation from them. Several prisons have developed programs to foster pro-social parenting skills…

Parental Reflective Functioning: An approach to enhancing parent-child relationships in pediatric primary care

PubMed Central

Ordway, Monica Roosa; Webb, Denise; Sadler, Lois S.; Slade, Arietta

2015-01-01

The current state of science suggests that safe, responsive, and nurturing parent-child relationships early in children’s lives promotes healthy brain and child development and protection against lifelong disease by reducing toxic stress and promoting foundational social-emotional health. Pediatric healthcare providers (HCP) have a unique opportunity to foster these relationships. However, such a role requires a shift in pediatric healthcare from a focus only on children to one that includes families and communities as well as the inclusion of children’s social and emotional health with their physical health. To foster healthy parent-child relationships, HCPs must develop the expertise to integrate approaches that support family’s socioemotional health into pediatric primary care. This article suggests ways in which pediatric HCPs can integrate a focus on parental reflective functioning into their clinical work, helping parents to understand some of the thoughts and feelings that underlie their children’s behavior. PMID:25661692

RESTORING SAFETY: AN ATTACHMENT-BASED APPROACH TO CLINICAL WORK WITH A TRAUMATIZED TODDLER.

PubMed

Ribaudo, Julie

2016-01-01

This clinical case study explores the integration of infancy research, brain development, attachment theory, and models of infant-parent/child-parent psychotherapy to address the needs of abused and neglected young children placed in foster or adoptive homes. Traumatized children employ defensive strategies to survive when there is no "good enough" caregiver (D.W. Winnicott, 1953, p. 94), and helping professionals can provide therapeutic experiences to develop or restore a child's sense of safety. With the case example of Anthony and his foster/adoptive parents, I illustrate how to manage and contain a traumatized child's terror, rage, and grief through therapeutic sessions with the parent and child together, and supportive parental guidance. I promote attention to the child's ability to self-integrate and to regulate his own affect, and encourages secure-base parental responses that facilitate a child's shift toward secure attachment behavior. © 2015 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Weight changes in children in foster care for 1 year.

PubMed

Schneiderman, Janet U; Smith, Caitlin; Arnold-Clark, Janet S; Fuentes, Jorge; Duan, Lei

2013-10-01

The aims of this study of predominately racial/ethnic minority children in foster care (N=360, birth to 19 years old) in Los Angeles, CA were to examine the (1) prevalence of obesity (≥ 95 percentile) and overweight/obese (≥ 85 percentile) upon entrance to foster care (T1) and after 1 year in foster care (T2); (2) comparison of high weight categories to national statistics; (3) relationship of changes in weight status to age, reason for entry into foster care, and placement. Chi-square test and McNemar test comparing paired proportions were used to determine whether there were significant changes in the proportion of high weight categories between T1 and T2. Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test were used to evaluate the association between age, placement, and reason for foster care with the change in weight category. Changes in weight were categorized as (1) decreased in weight, (2) remained at overweight or obese, (3) increased in weight, or (4) remained normal. The proportion of obese and obese/overweight children between ages 2 and 5 were significantly lower at T2 than T1. There were no significant changes in the prevalence of obesity for the total population at T2. Children age 6 or older had a higher prevalence of obesity and overweight/obesity compared to national statistics. Of children at all ages, 64.7% of children of all ages entered foster care with a normal weight and stayed in the normal range during their first year in foster care, 12.2% decreased their weight, 15.4% remained overweight or obese, and 7.7% increased their weight. Age and parental substance use was related to change in weight category from T1 to T2. Children did not become more overweight or obese in foster care; however 28% of the children were obese or overweight upon entry into foster care. Children who are 6 years or older and obese upon entering foster care should be targeted for weight reduction. The pediatric community and child welfare system need to work together by including weight percentiles in the foster care file and training/monitoring child welfare caregivers in weight reduction interventions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nurturing the Parent Teacher Alliance: A Guide to Forming A Facilitative Relationship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Frank; Simmons, Betty Jo

This booklet provides guidelines to help teachers better understand the importance of forming alliances with the primary caregivers (birth parents, adoptive parents, step parents, foster parents, or guardians) of the children whom they teach. Specific recommendations are offered concerning the following factors: conferences in the home, in school,…

The Effects of Customized Individual Counseling Interventions on the Career and College Readiness of Adolescents in the Foster Care System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Regina Gavin

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of customized individual counseling interventions on the career and college readiness of adolescents within foster care. An intervention program, consisting of customized individual interventions, entitled "Students That Are Reaching Success" ("S.T.A.R.S.") was created by the…

Challenges in Shifting Management Responsibility From Parents to Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease.

PubMed

Kayle, Mariam; Tanabe, Paula; Shah, Nirmish R; Baker-Ward, Lynne; Docherty, Sharron L

This study explored the challenges faced by adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) and their parents and the work they engage in to progressively shift from parent management to independent adolescent self-management. A qualitative descriptive focus-group design with semi-structured interviews was used with adolescents (11-18 years) with SCD (HbSS genotype) and their parents/primary caregivers. Interviews were analyzed using content analysis. Two adolescent focus groups, with a total of 14 adolescents, and two parent focus groups, with a total of 15 parents, described adaptive challenges. Adolescents' adaptive challenges included mastering complex symptom management, communicating about SCD and symptoms, and maintaining control. Parents' adaptive challenges included giving over the complex management, communicating the management with the adolescent, balancing protection against risk with fostering independence, changing a comfortable rhythm, and releasing the adolescent into an "SCD-naive" world. Adolescents' adaptive work included pushing back at parents, defaulting back to parental care, stepping up with time, learning how SCD affects them, and educating friends about SCD. Parents' adaptive work included engaging the adolescent in open dialogue and co-managing with the adolescent. Shifting management responsibility from parents to adolescents imposes adaptive challenges for both. Future research is needed to develop and test interventions that improve adaptive capacity in adolescents and parents. Health care providers need to assess the parent-child relationship and their progress in shifting the management responsibility, facilitate discussions to arrive at a shared understanding of the challenges, and collaborate on adaptive work to address these challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fostering Higher Education: A Postsecondary Access and Retention Intervention for Youth with Foster Care Experience

PubMed Central

Haggerty, Kevin P.; Roe, Stephanie S.

2016-01-01

Most youth in foster care aspire to obtain higher education, but face daunting obstacles in doing so. While societal interest and effort to support foster youth in achieving higher education has grown, very few supports have evidence to show that they are effective at improving postsecondary outcomes. In an effort to address the dearth of clearly articulated, evidence-based postsecondary support approaches for foster youth, we have developed Fostering Higher Education (FHE), a comprehensive, structured, and evaluable postsecondary access and retention intervention composed of elements (professional educational advocacy, substance abuse prevention, mentoring) that are either evidence based or promising based on the scientific literature and their ability to address the outcomes of interest. This paper describes the development and youth usability and practitioner feasibility testing of the FHE intervention approach, which was developed through funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Youth usability feedback was primarily positive, with the majority of participants indicating they found the FHE activities interesting and useful, and were comfortable participating in them. Practitioner feasibility feedback was also primarily positive, with almost unanimous ratings of the FHE intervention components as very important to provide to youth and that all would be feasible for an organization to implement, though the mentoring components were seen as slightly less feasible than other components. Next steps and implications of this intervention development process are discussed. PMID:27688522

Focus on Teen Men: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Wise Guys Program.

PubMed

Herrman, Judith W; Moore, Christopher; Rahmer, Brian

2016-04-01

Many interventions designed to promote safe sexual behaviors in teens focus on young women. Wise Guys is one curricular intervention designed to foster safe sexual practices in young men. This study assessed knowledge, attitude, and behavioral changes as the result of Wise Guys. This pre/posttest descriptive study measured changes in knowledge, attitudes, and sexual behaviors in 159 young men. This study detected limited knowledge and attitude changes but yielded statistically significant differences in safe sexual behaviors and likelihood to talk with parents or guardians about sexuality and dating. This study revealed important benefits of Wise Guys and proposed future mixed methods research to ensure that authentic teen voices inform programming. Nurses working with adolescents may find this information valuable as they address sexual health issues in their work. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Support to Parents with Cognitive Limitations: Parental Abilities and Social Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milot, Élise; Turcotte, Daniel; Tétreault, Sylvie

2016-01-01

In several countries, a growing number of adults with cognitive limitations decide to become parents. However, exercising this right requires the implementation of measures and services that foster their ability to assume parental responsibilities. This study presents results collected in an exploratory study documenting the type of support…

Understanding the Relationships between Attachment Styles, Locus of Control, School Maladaptation, and Depression Symptoms among Students in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jankowska, Anna M.; Lewandowska-Walter, A.; Chalupa, A. A.; Jonak, Jolanta; Duszynski, Ramzia; Mazurkiewicz, N.

2015-01-01

Altered family experiences place children in foster care at risk for school adjustment difficulties. This study focuses on exploring the differences in school adaptation, locus of control, depression symptoms, and attachment styles among children in foster care and children raised by their biological parents. Sixty children completed self-report…

The Socioemotional Development of Orphans in Orphanages and Traditional Foster Care in Iraqi Kurdistan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Abdulbaghi; Mohamad, Kirmanj

1996-01-01

A one-year follow-up study of children who had lost both parents and were placed in orphanages (n=19) or foster homes (n=18) in Iraqi Kurdistan investigated the orphans' situation and development. The children in orphanages were found to have higher frequency of post-traumatic stress disorder than the foster care children. (Author/CR)

Foster Care Placement, Poor Parenting, and Negative Outcomes among Homeless Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Kimberly A.; Melander, Lisa A.

2010-01-01

Although homeless youth with and without foster care histories both face adverse life circumstances, little is known about how these two groups compare in terms of their early histories and whether they face similar outcomes. As such, we compared those with and without a history of foster care placement to determine if the associations between a…

Adolescents in Wartime U.S. Military Families: A Developmental Perspective on Challenges and Resources

PubMed Central

Milburn, Norweeta G.; Lightfoot, Marguerita

2013-01-01

Adolescents in wartime U.S. military families are a unique group of young people who are experiencing the usual milestones of adolescent development, including establishing their identities and becoming autonomous, while they face the challenges of military life such as multiple frequent moves, relocation and parent deployment to combat settings. This paper reviews research on adolescents in wartime U.S. military families, within the context of adolescent development, to identify their behavioral, emotional and academic risk status, and challenges and resources. Recommendations for future research and interventions to foster the healthy development of these adolescents are also provided. PMID:23780722

Inhibited attachment behaviour and disinhibited social engagement behaviour as relevant concepts in referred home reared children.

PubMed

Scheper, F Y; Abrahamse, M E; Jonkman, C S; Schuengel, C; Lindauer, R J L; de Vries, A L C; Doreleijers, T A H; Jansen, L M C

2016-07-01

Disorders of attachment and social engagement have mainly been studied in children, reared in institutions and foster care. There are few studies amongst home reared children living with biological parents. The aim of this study was to test the clinical significance of inhibited attachment behaviour and disinhibited social engagement behaviour in young home reared children, referred for treatment of emotional and behavioural problems, compared with young children in treatment foster care. The Disturbances of Attachment Interview, Maltreatment Classification System, the Child Behaviour Checklist and Parenting Stress Index were used in 141 referred home reared children and 59 referred foster children, aged 2.0-7.9 years (M = 4.7, SE = 1.3), 71% boys. Inhibited attachment behaviour was less prevalent in the referred home reared group (9%) than in the foster care group (27%). Disinhibited social engagement behaviour was found in 42% of the home reared group, similar to the foster care group. Inhibited attachment behaviour and disinhibited social engagement behaviour were not associated with child maltreatment. More inhibited attachment behaviour was associated with clinical levels of child internalizing and externalizing behaviour in the home reared group, not in the foster care group. In both groups, more disinhibited social engagement behaviour was associated with clinical levels of externalizing behaviour and with more parenting stress. Even without evident links to maltreatment, results of this study suggest clinical significance of inhibited attachment behaviour and disinhibited social engagement behaviour in young home reared children referred for treatment of emotional and behavioural problems. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Parents Helping Parents and Count Me In Projects: Evaluation Report, 1983-1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Paula F.; And Others

The report presents 1983-84 evaluative data on two projects sponsored by the PACER Center (the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights): a statewide parent training program and a program designed to foster positive attitudes about handicapped persons. The parent training program is analyzed in terms of five levels of activity: public…

Change and Predictors of Change in Parental Self-Efficacy from Early to Middle Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glatz, Terese; Buchanan, Christy M.

2015-01-01

Parental self-efficacy (PSE) describes parents' beliefs about being able to handle developmentally specific issues and being able to influence their child in a way that fosters the child's positive development and adjustment (Bandura, 1997). Parents of adolescents have been shown to feel less efficacious than parents of preadolescent children…

A resolution recognizing National Foster Care Month as an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by children in the foster care system, acknowledging the dedication of foster care parents, advocates, and workers, and encouraging Congress to implement policy to improve the lives of children in the foster care system.

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA

2012-05-16

Senate - 06/04/2012 Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Agreed to in SenateHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

The influence of parent's body mass index on peer selection: an experimental approach using virtual reality.

PubMed

Martarelli, Corinna S; Borter, Natalie; Bryjova, Jana; Mast, Fred W; Munsch, Simone

2015-11-30

Relatively little is known about the influence of psychosocial factors, such as familial role modeling and social network on the development and maintenance of childhood obesity. We investigated peer selection using an immersive virtual reality environment. In a virtual schoolyard, children were confronted with normal weight and overweight avatars either eating or playing. Fifty-seven children aged 7-13 participated. Interpersonal distance to the avatars, child's BMI, self-perception, eating behavior and parental BMI were assessed. Parental BMI was the strongest predictor for the children's minimal distance to the avatars. Specifically, a higher mothers' BMI was associated with greater interpersonal distance and children approached closer to overweight eating avatars. A higher father's BMI was associated with a lower interpersonal distance to the avatars. These children approached normal weight playing and overweight eating avatar peers closest. The importance of parental BMI for the child's social approach/avoidance behavior can be explained through social modeling mechanisms. Differential effects of paternal and maternal BMI might be due to gender specific beauty ideals. Interventions to promote social interaction with peer groups could foster weight stabilization or weight loss in children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Etiology of homosexuality and attitudes toward same-sex parenting: a randomized study.

PubMed

Frias-Navarro, Dolores; Monterde-I-Bort, Hector; Pascual-Soler, Marcos; Badenes-Ribera, Laura

2015-01-01

Attribution theory suggests the hypothesis that heterosexuals' attitudes toward homosexual sexual orientation will be more negative when homosexuality is attributed to controllable causes. Our randomized study analyzed (a) whether beliefs about the genetic or environmental etiology of the homosexual sexual orientation can be immediately modified by reading a text and (b) the causal effect of attributions about the controllability (environmental etiology) or noncontrollability (genetic etiology) of homosexual sexual orientation on the rejection of same-sex parenting and their social rights. The sample was composed of 190 Spanish university students with a mean age of 22.07 years (SD = 8.46). The results show that beliefs about the etiology of the sexual orientation could be modified by means of a written text. Furthermore, participants who believed that sexual orientation had a genetic etiology showed greater support for social rights and less rejection of same-sex parenting. However, the effects were detected only when there was a traditional opposition to the family with same-sex parenting. When the opposition was normative, the effect was not statistically significant. Our results can be useful in planning variables for intervention programs designed to foster tolerance toward and normality of sexual diversity.

"Everyone just keeps their eyes closed and their fingers crossed": sexual health communication among black parents and children in Nova Scotia, Canada.

PubMed

Davis, Antoinette N; Gahagan, Jacqueline C; George, Clemon

2013-07-22

Black Canadian youth remain disproportionally affected by an array of social and health issues, including sexually transmitted infections. While research exists in support of the involvement of parents as a key means to prevent or modify harmful behaviours among youth, less is known about how parent-child communication can serve as a prevention intervention strategy within Black families in Canada. This study explores sexual health communication between Black parents and youth in Nova Scotia and identifies facilitators, obstacles and issues that families face in dialoguing about sexual health. Focus groups and in-depth interview sessions were held with a diverse sample of parents of Black youth, health and education professionals, and Black youth in Nova Scotia, as part of a larger study aimed at exploring parent-child communication on sexual health and HIV. The research team worked in partnership with and received feedback from key informants and a community advisory committee throughout the various stages of this study. All sessions were audio-taped with permission and thematic analysis was carried out on the verbatim transcripts. Six key themes emerged from the data analysis in relation to parent-child communication within Black families in Nova Scotia: 1. the gendered nature of [sexual] health communication; 2. fear and uncertainty as obstacles; 3. open and honest dialogue from an early age as a facilitator; 4. media as both a catalyst and a barrier; 5. peers as a catalyst; and 6. time constraints as an obstacle. The findings of this study reveal that parent-child communication regarding sexual health promotion within Black families in Nova Scotia remains varied and is heavily affected by a myriad of intersecting determinants of health faced by Black youth and their parents. Health promotion interventions aimed at fostering and supporting parent-child communication on sexual health must simultaneously target both parents and youth and further, such efforts must engage a high level of cultural competency in order to better meet the needs of this population.

Cognitive, Noncognitive, and Family Background Contributions to College Attainment: A Behavioral Genetic Perspective.

PubMed

McGue, Matt; Rustichini, Aldo; Iacono, William G

2017-02-01

There is considerable evidence that college attainment is associated with family background and cognitive and noncognitive skills. Behavioral genetic methods are used to determine whether the family background effect is mediated through cognitive and noncognitive skill development. We analyze data from two longitudinal behavioral genetic studies: the Minnesota Twin Family Study, consisting of 1,382 pairs of like-sex twins and their parents, and the Sibling Interaction and Behavior Study, consisting of 409 adoptive and 208 nonadoptive families with two offspring and their rearing parents. Cognitive ability, noncognitive skills, and family background are all associated with offspring college attainment. Biometric analysis shows that the intergenerational transmission of college attainment owes to both genetic and shared environmental factors. The shared environmental influence was not due to highly educated parents fostering noncognitive skill development in their children, and there was limited evidence that they foster cognitive skill development. The environmental transmission of educational attainment does not appear to be a consequence of highly educated parents fostering cognitive and noncognitive skill development. Alternative mechanisms are needed to explain the strong shared environmental influence on college attainment. Possibilities include academic expectations, social network effects, and the economic benefits of having wealthy parents. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early Intervention for Preterm Infants and Their Mothers: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Kurtz, Melissa; Lee, Shih-Yu; Liu, Huaping

2014-11-18

This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of various early interventions on maternal emotional outcomes, mother-infant interaction, and subsequent infant outcomes during neonatal intensive care unit admission and postdischarge. Key interventions associated with outcomes in both the neonatal intensive care unit and postdischarge (ie, home) settings are summarized. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials involving early interventions for infants and their mother published between 1993 and 2013 in the electronic databases PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and Cochrane was undertaken. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale to evaluate internal and external validity of the study. Twelve randomized controlled trials were included in the review, and all used some form of parenting education. The interventions had limited effects on maternal stress and mother-infant interaction and positive effects on maternal anxiety, depressive symptoms, and maternal coping. There were positive effects on infants' short-term outcomes for length of stay and breast-feeding rate. Positive and clinically meaningful effects of early interventions were seen in some physiological/psychological outcomes of mothers and preterm infants. It is important for nurses to foster close mother-infant contact and increase maternal competence during and after the infant's hospitalization period.

Health Risk Behavior in Foster Youth

PubMed Central

Gramkowski, Bridget; Kools, Susan; Paul, Steven; Boyer, Cherrie; Monasterio, Erica; Robbins, Nancy

2010-01-01

Problem Adolescent health problems are predominantly caused by risk behavior. Foster adolescents have disproportionately poor health; therefore identification of risk behavior is critical. Method A secondary analysis of data from a larger study investigated the health risk behavior of 56 foster youth using the CHIP-AE. Findings Foster youth had some increased risk behavior. Younger adolescents and those in kinship care had less risky behavior. Youth had more risk behavior when: in group homes, parental death, histories of physical or emotional abuse, or history of attempted suicide. Conclusions These results point to areas of strength and vulnerability in foster youth. PMID:19490278

Foster Care Outcomes for Children With Intellectual Disability.

PubMed

Slayter, Elspeth M

2016-10-01

The promotion of speedy, permanent outcomes for foster children is a central child welfare policy goal. However, while children with intellectual disability (ID) are at greater risk for child welfare involvement, little is known about their case outcomes. This cross-sectional national study explores between-group foster care outcomes. Foster children with intellectual disability were more likely to have experienced an adoption disruption or dissolution but less likely to be reunified with a parent, primary caretaker or other family member. Implications for interagency collaboration in support of pre and post-foster care discharge support services are discussed.

Alcohol Control and Foster Care

PubMed Central

Markowitz, Sara; Cuellar, Alison; Conrad, Ryan M.; Grossman, Michael

2013-01-01

Parental alcohol consumption is often associated with an increased likelihood of child abuse. As consumption is related to price, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the propensity for increases in the full price of alcohol to influence entry rates and the length of time spent in foster care. Using alcoholic beverage prices and a measure of availability in combination with data on foster care cases, we find that higher alcohol prices are not effective in reducing foster care entry rates; however, once in foster care, the duration of stay may be shortened by higher prices and reduced availability. PMID:25506296

Promoting First Relationships® : Randomized Trial of a 10-Week Home Visiting Program With Families Referred to Child Protective Services.

PubMed

Oxford, Monica L; Spieker, Susan J; Lohr, Mary Jane; Fleming, Charles B

2016-09-19

We conducted a community-based randomized control trial with intent-to-treat analysis on Promoting First Relationships® (PFR), a 10-week home visiting program. The study included 247 families with 10- to 24-month-old children who had a recent, open child protective services investigation of child maltreatment. Families were randomly assigned to receive either the 10-week home visiting PFR service or a telephone-based, three-call resource and referral (R&R) service. Across postintervention time points, parents in the PFR condition scored higher than families in the R&R condition in parent understanding of toddlers' social emotional needs (d = .35) and observed parental sensitivity (d = .20). Children in the PFR condition scored lower than children in the comparison condition on an observational measure of atypical affective communication (d = .19) and were less likely than children in the comparison group to be placed into foster care through 1-year postintervention (6% vs. 13%, p = .042). No significant differences were found on measures of parenting stress or child social-emotional competence, behavior problems, or secure base behavior. Overall, the results show support for the promise of PFR as an intervention for enhancing parent sensitivity and preventing child removals for families in the child welfare system. © The Author(s) 2016.

Identity Profiles in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth: The Role of Family Influences

PubMed Central

Bregman, Hallie R.; Malik, Neena M.; Page, Matthew J. L.; Makynen, Emily; Lindahl, Kristin M.

2012-01-01

Sexual identity development is a central task of adolescence and young adulthood and can be especially challenging for sexual minority youth. Recent research has moved from a stage model of identity development in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth to examining identity in a non-linear, multidimensional manner. In addition, although families have been identified as important to youth's identity development, limited research has examined the influence of parental responses to youth's disclosure of their LGB sexual orientation on LGB identity. The current study examined a multidimensional model of LGB identity and its links with parental support and rejection. One hundred and sixty-nine LGB adolescents and young adults (ages 14–24, 56% male, 48% gay, 31% lesbian, 21% bisexual) described themselves on dimensions of LGB identity and reported on parental rejection, sexuality-specific social support, and non-sexuality-specific social support. Using latent profile analysis (LPA), two profiles were identified, indicating that youth experience both affirmed and struggling identities. Results indicated that parental rejection and sexuality-specific social support from families were salient links to LGB identity profile classification, while non-sexuality specific social support was unrelated. Parental rejection and sexuality-specific social support may be important to target in interventions for families to foster affirmed LGB identity development in youth. PMID:22847752

Conceptualizing the Step-Down for Foster Youth Approaching Adulthood: Perceptions of Service Providers, Caseworkers, and Foster Parents

PubMed Central

Havlicek, Judy; McMillen, J. Curtis; Fedoravicius, Nicole; McNelly, David; Robinson, Debra

2012-01-01

Studies find considerable movement between residential treatment and less restrictive foster home settings, with approximately half of foster youth who are stepped down eventually returning to a higher level of care. Very little is known about the step down for foster youth who are approaching adulthood in locked residential facilities. A qualitative study of stepping down a small sample of foster youth, as perceived by team members delivering a model of treatment foster care, is presented. These findings reveal the dimensions of stepping down foster youth at the onset of adulthood, and highlight the importance of providing foster youth with developmental opportunities to engage in the social roles and tasks of late adolescence and/or early adulthood. Implications for further refining the concept of stepping down from a developmental perspective are discussed. PMID:23878410

[Attachment and Adoption: Diagnostics, Psychopathology, and Therapy].

PubMed

Brisch, Karl-Heinz

2015-01-01

This presentation describes the development of attachment between adopted children and their adoptive parents with a focus on the particular issues seen in international adoptions. The questions of settling in, trauma in the country of origin, and the motivations of the adoptive parents will be discussed. Diagnosis and various psychopathological manifestations will be examined, as will outpatient and inpatient modes of therapy. The treatment of children of various ages will be covered along with the necessity for intensive counseling and psychotherapy for the adoptive parents. This will enable the parents to work through early trauma, which will give them and their adopted child the basis for developing healthy attachment patterns. This in turn will enable the child to mature and integrate into society. Possibilities of prevention are discussed. Many of the approaches discussed here regarding attachment and adoption may be applied to foster children and their foster parents.

Somebody’s Children or Nobody’s Children? How the Sociological Perspective Could Enliven Research on Foster Care

PubMed Central

Wildeman, Christopher; Waldfogel, Jane

2014-01-01

Social scientists have long been concerned about how the fortunes of parents affect their children, with acute interest in the most marginalized children. Yet little sociological research considers children in foster care. In this review, we take a three-pronged approach to show why this inattention is problematic. First, we provide overviews of the history of the foster care system and how children end up in foster care, as well as an estimate of how many children ever enter foster care. Second, we review research on the factors that shape the risk of foster care placement and foster care caseloads and how foster care affects children. We close by discussing how a sociological perspective and methodological orientation—ranging from ethnographic observation to longitudinal mixed methods research, demographic methods, and experimental studies—can foster new knowledge around the foster care system and the families it affects. PMID:25431518

The Educational Professional: The Educational Experiences that Enhanced and Impeded the Academic Outcome of Youth in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chisholm, Gloria

2010-01-01

A child in foster care is often categorized as a student at risk for school failure. However, children in foster care face a unique challenge in that most have been involuntarily separated from their biological parent and/or family. The schools must work in collaboration with the child to provide the necessary supports to achieve better…

Working with Parents to Promote Healthy Adolescent Sexual Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guilamo-Ramos, Vincent; Bouris, Alida

2009-01-01

Although parents play a vital role in fostering healthy sexuality-related attitudes and behaviors among adolescents, many parents struggle with how to address sexuality-related topics with their adolescent child. This article provides practitioners with evidence-based frameworks and guidelines on how to work with parents in order to improve their…

5 CFR 870.303 - Eligibility of foster children under Option C.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., or compensationer; (2) The parent-child relationship (as defined in § 870.101) must be with the... child unless: (1) The biological parent dies; (2) The biological parent is imprisoned; (3) The biological parent becomes unable to care for the child due to a disability; or (4) The employee, annuitant...

5 CFR 870.303 - Eligibility of foster children under Option C.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., or compensationer; (2) The parent-child relationship (as defined in § 870.101) must be with the... child unless: (1) The biological parent dies; (2) The biological parent is imprisoned; (3) The biological parent becomes unable to care for the child due to a disability; or (4) The employee, annuitant...

5 CFR 870.303 - Eligibility of foster children under Option C.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., or compensationer; (2) The parent-child relationship (as defined in § 870.101) must be with the... child unless: (1) The biological parent dies; (2) The biological parent is imprisoned; (3) The biological parent becomes unable to care for the child due to a disability; or (4) The employee, annuitant...

5 CFR 870.303 - Eligibility of foster children under Option C.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., or compensationer; (2) The parent-child relationship (as defined in § 870.101) must be with the... child unless: (1) The biological parent dies; (2) The biological parent is imprisoned; (3) The biological parent becomes unable to care for the child due to a disability; or (4) The employee, annuitant...

5 CFR 870.303 - Eligibility of foster children under Option C.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., or compensationer; (2) The parent-child relationship (as defined in § 870.101) must be with the... child unless: (1) The biological parent dies; (2) The biological parent is imprisoned; (3) The biological parent becomes unable to care for the child due to a disability; or (4) The employee, annuitant...

Role of Omani Parents: Fostering Emergent Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Qaryouti, Ibrahim A.; Kilani, Hashem A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to document the significance of four practices employed by parents that contribute to such development. Those practices encompassed the availability of materials, activities at home, parent attitude and visits to their child's class. Subjects consisted of 314 male and female parents of kindergarten children in the…

Paving the Way through Mainstream Education: The Interplay of Families, Schools and Disabled Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchner, Tobias; Smyth, Fiona; Biewer, Gottfried; Shevlin, Michael; Ferreira, Miguel A. V.; Martín, Mario Toboso; Díaz, Susana Rodríguez; Šiška, Jan; Latimier, Camille; Kánová, Šárka

2015-01-01

There has been much debate around the role of parents in supporting their disabled children in mainstream schools. Several authors have pointed to parents' advocacy and their engagement with professionals. Parents often perceived mainstream settings as fostering better social and academic learning for their offspring. However, while parents'…

Behavioral Parent Training in Child Welfare: Maintenance and Booster Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Camp, Carole M.; Montgomery, Jan L.; Vollmer, Timothy R.; Kosarek, Judith A.; Happe, Shawn; Burgos, Vanessa; Manzolillo, Anthony

2008-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of a 30-hr behavioral parent training program at increasing skill accuracy. However, it remains unknown whether skills acquisitions are maintained on a long-term basis. Few studies have evaluated the maintenance of skills learned during behavioral parent training for foster parents. The purpose of…

Neglected and Abused Children of Mentally Retarded Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seagull, Elizabeth A. W.; Scheurer, Susan L.

1986-01-01

Follow-up of 64 neglected and abused children, seen one to seven years earlier, with mentally retarded parent revealed that six children had been relinquished voluntarily for adoption; that courts had terminated parental rights for 34 children; and that nine had been placed in foster care. Cognitive limitations prevented parents from utilizing…

Parents Matter: Tips for Raising Teenagers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Washington, DC.

It is easy for parents to feel that they have lost their influence over their children once children reach adolescence. Several organizations with different focuses but with the same goal of helping parents raise their teenagers banded together to develop this publication. Their message is that parents can do many things to foster their children's…

The influence of early intervention, informal support and the family environment on trajectories of competence for fathers raising children with developmental disabilities.

PubMed

Crossman, Morgan K; Parish, Susan L; Hauser-Cram, Penny; Garcia, Dolores Acevedo; Warfield, Marji Erickson

2018-05-21

Scant research disentangles the relationship between parenting competence, early intervention (EI) services, the family environment and informal support among fathers of children with developmental disabilities. (1) To determine the trajectory of parental competence for fathers of children with DD from age 3 to age 15. (2) Controlling for child and family characteristics, determine the main effects of the family environment, informal support, and EI services on paternal competence when their child with a developmental disability was age 3. (3) To determine whether there were lasting effects of the family environment, informal support, and the EI service system on differences in paternal competence over time. This study used multilevel modeling to analyze longitudinal data from 93 American fathers from the Early Intervention Collaborative Study. There was no significant change over time in paternal competence after controlling for various covariates. Fathers who initially reported low levels of competence when their child was three reported continuously lower competence over time. Family relationships, positive supports, and perceived helpfulness of home visits were significant predictors of paternal competence at age three. Implications for programs and policy include developing and adopting rigorous ways to measure and carefully monitor service provision, including assessments of paternal competence, family relationships and informal supports at the start of early intervention, and fostering continuous collaborations between providers, researchers and clinicians to address challenges in data collection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Living with Stepparents

MedlinePlus

... get divorced . This is never an easy decision. Divorce can be painful for parents, but eventually, each ... topic for: Kids Kids Talk About: Marriage and Divorce (Video) Living With a Single Parent Foster Families ...

Attachment security as a mechanism linking foster care placement to improved mental health outcomes in previously institutionalized children.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Katie A; Zeanah, Charles H; Fox, Nathan A; Nelson, Charles A

2012-01-01

Children reared in institutions experience elevated rates of psychiatric disorders. Inability to form a secure attachment relationship to a primary caregiver is posited to be a central mechanism in this association. We determined whether the ameliorative effect of a foster care (FC) intervention on internalizing disorders in previously institutionalized children was explained by the development of secure attachment among children placed in FC. Second we evaluated the role of lack of attachment in an institutionalized sample on the etiology of internalizing disorders within the context of a randomized trial. A sample of 136 children (aged 6-30 months) residing in institutions was recruited in Bucharest, Romania. Children were randomized to FC (n = 68) or to care as usual (CAU; n = 68). Foster parents were recruited, trained, and overseen by the investigative team. Attachment security at 42 months was assessed using the Strange Situation Procedure, and internalizing disorders at 54 months were assessed using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment. Girls in FC had fewer internalizing disorders than girls in CAU (OR = 0.17, p = .006). The intervention had no effect on internalizing disorders in boys (OR = 0.47, p = .150). At 42 months, girls in FC were more likely to have secure attachment than girls in CAU (OR = 12.5, p < .001), but no difference was observed in boys (OR = 2.0, p = .205). Greater attachment security predicted lower rates of internalizing disorders in both sexes. Development of attachment security fully mediated intervention effects on internalizing disorders in girls. Placement into FC facilitated the development of secure attachment and prevented the onset of internalizing disorders in institutionalized girls. The differential effects of FC on attachment security in boys and girls explained gender differences in the intervention effects on psychopathology. Findings provide evidence for the critical role of disrupted attachment in the etiology of internalizing disorders in children exposed to institutionalization. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2011 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Increases in New Social Network Ties are Associated with Increased Cohesion among Intervention Participants

PubMed Central

Gesell, Sabina B.; Barkin, Shari L.; Sommer, Evan C.; Thompson, Jessica R.; Valente, Thomas W.

2016-01-01

Objective Many behavior change programs are delivered in group settings to manage implementation costs and to foster support and interactions among group members to facilitate behavior change. Understanding the group dynamics that evolve in group settings (e.g., weight management, Alcoholics Anonymous) is important, yet rarely measured. This paper examined the relationship between social network ties and group cohesion in a group-based intervention to prevent obesity in children. Method The data reported are process measures from an ongoing community-based randomized controlled trial. 305 parents with a child (3-6 years) at risk of developing obesity were assigned to an intervention that taught parents healthy lifestyles. Parents met weekly for 12 weeks in small consistent groups. Two measures were collected at weeks 3 and 6: a social network survey (people in the group with whom one discusses healthy lifestyles); and the validated Perceived Cohesion Scale (Bollen & Hoyle, 1990). We used lagged random and fixed effects regression models to analyze the data. Results Cohesion increased from 6.51 to 6.71 (t=4.4, p<0.01). Network nominations tended to increase over the 3-week period in each network. In the combined discussion and advice network, the number of nominations increased from 1.76 to 1.95 (z=2.59, p<0.01). Cohesion at week 3 was the strongest predictor of cohesion at week 6 (b=0.55, p<0.01). Number of new network nominations at week 6 was positively related to cohesion at week 6 (b=0.06, p<.01). In sum, being able to name new network contacts was associated with feelings of cohesion. Conclusion This is the first study to demonstrate how network changes affect perceived group cohesion within a behavioral intervention. Given that many behavioral interventions occur in group settings, intentionally building new social networks could be promising to augment desired outcomes. PMID:26286298

Increases in Network Ties Are Associated With Increased Cohesion Among Intervention Participants.

PubMed

Gesell, Sabina B; Barkin, Shari L; Sommer, Evan C; Thompson, Jessica R; Valente, Thomas W

2016-04-01

Many behavior change programs are delivered in group settings to manage implementation costs and to foster support and interactions among group members in order to facilitate behavior change. Understanding the group dynamics that evolve in group settings (e.g., weight management, Alcoholics Anonymous) is important, yet rarely measured. This article examined the relationship between social network ties and group cohesion in a group-based intervention to prevent obesity in children. The data reported are process measures from an ongoing community-based randomized controlled trial. A total of 305 parents with a child (3-6 years) at risk of developing obesity were assigned to an intervention that taught parents healthy lifestyles. Parents met weekly for 12 weeks in small consistent groups. Two measures were collected at Weeks 3 and 6: a social network survey (people in the group with whom one discusses healthy lifestyles) and the validated Perceived Cohesion Scale. We used lagged random and fixed effects regression models to analyze the data. Cohesion increased from 6.51 to 6.71 (t= 4.4,p< .01). Network nominations tended to increase over the 3-week period in each network. In the combined discussion and advice network, the number of nominations increased from 1.76 to 1.95 (z= 2.59,p< .01). Cohesion at Week 3 was the strongest predictor of cohesion at Week 6 (b= 0.55,p< .01). Number of new network nominations at Week 6 was positively related to cohesion at Week 6 (b= 0.06,p< .01). In sum, being able to name new network contacts was associated with feelings of cohesion. This is the first study to demonstrate how network changes affect perceived group cohesion within a behavioral intervention. Given that many behavioral interventions occur in group settings, intentionally building new social networks could be promising to augment desired outcomes. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

School Success, Possible Selves, and Parent School Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oyserman, Daphna; Brickman, Daniel; Rhodes, Marjorie

2007-01-01

Increased parent school involvement is associated with better academic outcomes; yet, proximal contributors to this effect remain understudied. We focus on one potential proximal contributor, youth's positive and negative future self-images or "possible selves," reasoning that if parent school involvement fosters possible selves, then…

45 CFR 1304.40 - Family partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) Parent involvement in child development and education. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies must provide opportunities to include parents in the development of the program's curriculum and approach to child..., encourage, and support parents as they foster the growth and development of their children. (3) Grantee and...

45 CFR 1304.40 - Family partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Parent involvement in child development and education. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies must provide opportunities to include parents in the development of the program's curriculum and approach to child..., encourage, and support parents as they foster the growth and development of their children. (3) Grantee and...

45 CFR 1304.40 - Family partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) Parent involvement in child development and education. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies must provide opportunities to include parents in the development of the program's curriculum and approach to child..., encourage, and support parents as they foster the growth and development of their children. (3) Grantee and...

45 CFR 1304.40 - Family partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) Parent involvement in child development and education. (1) Grantee and delegate agencies must provide opportunities to include parents in the development of the program's curriculum and approach to child..., encourage, and support parents as they foster the growth and development of their children. (3) Grantee and...

Using Erikson To Work More Effectively with Teenage Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJong, Lorraine

2003-01-01

Provides suggestions to help early childhood teachers work more effectively with teenage parents and become significant adults in teenage parents' lives. Suggestions include fostering positive identification and addressing individual teenager needs. Presents Erikson's stages of psychosocial development as a basis for recommendations to develop…

An intelligent ecosystem to support the psychological diagnosis and intervention of children under social vulnerability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pesántez-Avilés, Fernando; Cevallos-León Wong, Verónica; Robles-Bykbaev, Vladimir; Borck-Vintimilla, Estefanía.; Flores-Andrade, Santiago; Pineda-Villa, Yenner; Pacurucu-Pacurucu, Ana

2015-12-01

When children are taken apart from their parents because of many violence situations, they are taken to foster homes, where they share place with kids who have lived similar situations. United Nations Children's Fund (2014) refer that Children who have been abused or neglected, often may have low self-esteem and other emotional problems, which can lead, at worst, to risky behaviors and self-harm . They also could tend to internalize that behavior, repeating the pattern of violence and abuse as a response to their environment. In this line, the latest estimates provided by SOS Children's Village International show a global complex picture: around 24 million of children in the world live in foster homes, one billion of children live in conflict-affected areas; and, furthermore, there is a lack of mental health professionals in most of the countries. On those grounds, in this paper we propose an intelligent ecosystem to provide support for psychologists during the psychodiagnosis and intervention with children, especially the ones who are in foster homes. Currently, the system is able to automatically determine some psychological traits, according to responses provided by each patient. One part of the diagnostic system is based on two psychological tests: the Draw-A-Person test and the Draw-A-Family test. The results obtained on the first stage let the system establish different challenges according to the skills that the evaluated child needs to develop. Our proposed approach was tested in a population of 124 children (93 school students, and 31 living in shelters), and has achieved encouraging results (80% of precision in patient's profile determination).

High-Quality Foster Care Mitigates Callous-Unemotional Traits Following Early Deprivation in Boys: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Humphreys, Kathryn L; McGoron, Lucy; Sheridan, Margaret A; McLaughlin, Katie A; Fox, Nathan A; Nelson, Charles A; Zeanah, Charles H

2015-12-01

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits in childhood are a developmental precursor to psychopathy, yet the origins and etiology of CU traits are not known. We examined CU traits among 12-year-old children exposed to severe early deprivation and evaluated whether a high-quality foster care intervention mitigated the development of high levels of CU traits. Participants were from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled trial of foster care for children in institutions. Children were recruited from institutions in Bucharest, Romania, along with age- and sex-matched children who were never institutionalized. Children raised in institutional settings were randomized (mean age = 22 months) to either a foster care group (n = 68) or a care-as-usual group (n = 68). CU traits were assessed at age 12.75 years in available participants from the randomized trial (n = 95) and children who were never institutionalized (n = 50). Children who experienced institutional rearing as young children had significantly higher levels of CU traits in early adolescence compared to children who were never institutionalized. Intent-to-treat analysis indicated that, among boys, CU traits were significantly lower among those who received the foster care intervention compared to those randomized to care as usual. Caregiver responsiveness to distress, but not caregiver warmth, mediated the intervention effect on CU traits in boys. These findings provide the first evidence to date that psychosocial intervention can prevent the onset of CU traits. Although severe early deprivation predicted higher levels of CU traits, high-quality foster care that emphasized responsive caregiving reduced the impact of deprivation on CU trait development for boys. The Bucharest Early Intervention Project; http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT00747396. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parenting Conflicts

MedlinePlus

... Home Family Dynamics Adoption & Foster Care Communication & Discipline Types of Families Media Work & Play Getting Involved in Your Community Healthy Children > Family Life > Family Dynamics > Parenting Conflicts Family Life Listen Español Text Size Email Print ...

Can Foster Care Interventions Diminish Justice System Inequality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yi, Youngmin; Wildeman, Christopher

2018-01-01

Children who experience foster care, write Youngmin Yi and Christopher Wildeman, are considerably more likely than others to have contact with the criminal justice system, both during childhood and as adults. And because children of color disproportionately experience foster care, improvements to the foster care system could reduce racial/ethnic…

Effects of therapeutic interventions for foster children on behavioral problems, caregiver attachment, and stress regulatory neural systems.

PubMed

Fisher, Philip A; Gunnar, Megan R; Dozier, Mary; Bruce, Jacqueline; Pears, Katherine C

2006-12-01

Young children in foster care are exposed to high levels of stress. These experiences place foster children at risk for poor social, academic, and mental heath outcomes. The role of adverse events in stimulating neurobiological stress responses presumably plays a role in shaping neural systems that contribute to these problems. Systematic and developmentally well-timed interventions might have the potential to change developmental trajectories and promote resilience. Moreover, understanding how specific dimensions of early adversity affect underlying stress response systems and how alterations in these systems are related to later psychosocial outcomes might facilitate more precise and targeted interventions. Data are drawn from two ongoing randomized trials involving foster infants/toddlers and preschoolers. Consistent with prior animal models of early adversity, these studies have shown that early adversity-particularly neglect, younger age at first foster placement, and higher number of placements-is associated with altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. The interventions under investigation have produced evidence that it is possible to impact many areas that have been negatively affected by early stress, including HPA axis activity, behavior, and attachment to caregivers.

Parent training for preschool ADHD: A randomized controlled trial of specialized and generic programs

PubMed Central

Abikoff, Howard B.; Thompson, Margaret; Laver-Bradbury, Cathy; Long, Nicholas; Forehand, Rex L.; Brotman, Laurie Miller; Klein, Rachel G.; Reiss, Philip; Huo, Lan; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund

2014-01-01

Background The ‘New Forest Parenting Package’ (NFPP), an 8-week home-based intervention for parents of preschoolers with ADHD, fosters constructive parenting to target ADHD-related dysfunctions in attention and impulse control.Although NFPP has improved parent and laboratory measures of ADHD in community samples of children with ADHD-like problems, its efficacy in a clinical sample, and relative to an active treatment comparator, is unknown. The aims are to evaluate the short and long-term efficacy and generalization effects of NFPP compared to an established clinic-based parenting intervention for treating noncompliant behavior (‘Helping the Noncompliant Child’ [HNC]) in young children with ADHD. Methods A randomized controlled trial with three parallel arms was the design for this study. 164 3-4-year-olds, 73.8% male, meeting DSM-IV ADHD diagnostic criteria were randomized to NFPP (N = 67), HNC (N = 63), or wait-list control (WL, N = 34). All participants were assessed at post-treatment. NFPP and HNC participants were assessed at follow-up in the next school year. Primary outcomes were ADHD ratings by teachers blind to and uninvolved in treatment, and by parents. Secondary ADHD outcomes included clinician assessments, and laboratory measures of on-task behavior and delay of gratification. Other outcomes included parent and teacher ratings of oppositional behavior, and parenting measures. (Trial name: Home-Based Parent Training in ADHD Preschoolers; Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01320098; URL: http://www/clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01320098). Results In both treatment groups, children's ADHD and ODD behaviors, as well as aspects of parenting, were rated improved by parents at the end of treatment compared to controls. Most of these gains in the children's behavior and in some parenting practices were sustained at follow-up. However, these parent-reported improvements were not corroborated by teacher ratings or objective observations. NFPP was not significantly better, and on a few outcomes significantly less effective, than HNC. Conclusions The results do not support the claim that NFPP addresses putative dysfunctions underlying ADHD, bringing about generalized change in ADHD, and its underpinning self-regulatory processes. The findings support documented difficulties in achieving generalization across non-targeted settings, and the importance of using blinded measures to provide meaningful assessments of treatment effects. PMID:25318650

Challenges of Parenting Children with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Concept Map

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jason D.; Bednar, Lisa M.

2004-01-01

The purpose of the study was to describe the challenges of parents of children with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Nineteen birth, foster or adoptive parents were asked to answer the following question: "What are the challenges you face parenting a child with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder?" The data were analyzed using…

How Parents' and Teachers' Emotional Skills Foster Academic Performance in School Music Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campayo-Muñoz, Emilia; Cabedo-Mas, Alberto

2016-01-01

This paper explores the importance and effects of parents' and teachers' attitudes on students' academic performance in music. To this end, the research literature on the effects of parental and teacher behaviour on the behaviour of their children and students is reviewed, focusing on parents' and teachers' emotional skills. The review looks at…

The Effects of Behavioral Parent Training on Placement Outcomes of Biological Families in a State Child Welfare System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franks, Sabrina B.; Mata, Francesca C.; Wofford, Erin; Briggs, Adam M.; LeBlanc, Linda A.; Carr, James E.; Lazarte, Alejandro A.

2013-01-01

Behavioral parent training has proven effective in improving the skill performance of foster caregivers and biological parents of dependent children during role-play assessments. To date, however, no studies have examined the impact of behavioral parenting skills training on child placement outcomes. We conducted a quasi-experimental archival…

Perceptions about Parental Engagement among Hispanic Immigrant Mothers of First Graders from Low-Income Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Samantha Berkule; Arevalo, Jenny; Cates, Carolyn Brockmeyer; Weisleder, Adriana; Dreyer, Benard P.; Mendelsohn, Alan L.

2016-01-01

Parental engagement is critical to children's educational achievement. Before and during elementary school, it is crucial for parents to be involved in their children's education in order to foster development and achievement. Hispanic parents' immigrant status, coupled with a lack of English proficiency, means that they often find themselves of…

Fostering marginalized youths' political participation: longitudinal roles of parental political socialization and youth sociopolitical development.

PubMed

Diemer, Matthew A

2012-09-01

This study examines the roles of parental political socialization and the moral commitment to change social inequalities in predicting marginalized youths' (defined here as lower-SES youth of color) political participation. These issues are examined by applying structural equation modeling to a longitudinal panel of youth. Because tests of measurement invariance suggested racial/ethnic heterogeneity, the structural model was fit separately for three racial/ethnic groups. For each group, parental political socialization: discussion predicted youths' commitment to produce social change and for two groups, longitudinally predicted political participation. This study contributes to the literature by examining civic/political participation among disparate racial/ethnic groups, addresses an open scholarly question (whether youths' commitment to create social change predicts their "traditional" participation), and emphasizes parents' role in fostering marginalized youths' civic and political participation.

Parent-Child Interaction during Foster Care Visits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haight, Wendy L.; Black, James E.; Workman, Cindy L; Tata, Lakshmi

2001-01-01

The case-based research discussed in this article describes the variety of strategies mothers and young children spontaneously used to negotiate the complexities of foster care visits. Mothers and children displayed a variety of responses to visits, particularly separating at the end of visits. (Author)

Emotional abuse in a sample of multiply maltreated, urban young adolescents: issues of definition and identification.

PubMed

Trickett, Penelope K; Mennen, Ferol E; Kim, Kihyun; Sang, Jina

2009-01-01

The main purpose of this paper is to use the Brassard and Donovan [Brassard, M. R. & Donovan, K. L. (2006). Defining psychological maltreatment. In M. M. Freerick, J. F. Knutson, P. K. Trickett, & S. M. Flanzer (Eds.), Child abuse and neglect: Definitions, classifications, and a framework for research (pp. 151-197). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookers Publishing Co., Inc.] framework to examine and describe the nature of emotional abuse experienced by a sample of urban, ethnically diverse male and female youth (N=303) identified as maltreated by a very large public child welfare agency. Case record abstraction was conducted on the DCFS records of these maltreated youth using the Maltreatment Case Record Abstraction Instrument (MCRAI) which was based on the work of Barnett et al. [Barnett, D., Manly, J. T., & Cicchetti, D. (1993). Defining child maltreatment: The interface between policy and research. In D. Cicchetti & S. L. Toth (Eds.), Advances in applied developmental psychology: Child abuse, child development and social policy (pp. 7-73). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corp.] as modified by English and LONGSCAN [English, D. J., & the LONGSCAN Investigators. (1997). Modified maltreatment classification system (MMCS). Retrieved from http://www.iprc.unc.edu/longscan/]. Fifteen items of parental behavior deemed emotionally abusive were coded and organized into four subtypes of emotional abuse (spurning, terrorizing, isolating, exploiting/corrupting) using the Brassard and Donovan (2006) framework. Using this coding system, almost 50% of the sample were found to have experienced emotional abuse in contrast to 9% identified at the time of referral by DCFS. Most of the emotionally abused youth also experienced physical abuse (63%) and/or neglect (76%) as well. The most frequent subtype of emotional abuse experienced was terrorizing. Most youth experienced more than one subtype. Emotional abuse, while frequent, was seldom the focus of the child protection services investigation. The nature of this abuse was not minor, but rather likely to be dangerous to the mental health and well-being of these children. Further more emotional abuse, in this sample of young adolescents, at least, was likely to be accompanied by other forms of maltreatment, especially physical abuse and/or neglect. These findings have important implications for practice and the direction of future research. All those who interact with child welfare clients must recognize the prevalence of emotional abuse in maltreated children so that appropriate interventions are instituted. Screening for emotional abuse should be part of all intake referrals and when confirmed should be noted in official records. When children are placed, foster parents (both kin and non-kin) need training on the prevalence and consequences of emotional abuse, and strategies to help their foster children recover from the aftermath. When children remain with maltreating parents, emotional abuse should be a focus of the interventions designed to help maltreating parents with more effective parenting strategies and also should be a focus of the interventions designed to help the child recover from the consequences of maltreatment.

Discrepancies between UN models and DHS survey estimates of maternal orphan prevalence: insights from analyses of survey data from Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Robertson, L; Gregson, S; Madanhire, C; Walker, N; Mushati, P; Garnett, G; Nyamukapa, C

2008-01-01

Objectives: Model-based estimates of maternal (but not paternal) orphanhood are higher than those based on data from demographic and health surveys (DHS). We investigate the consistency of reporting of parental survival status in data from Manicaland, Zimbabwe. Methods: We compared estimates of paternal and maternal orphan prevalence in three rounds of a prospective household census in Manicaland (1998–2005) with estimates from DHS surveys and UNAIDS model projections. We investigated the consistency of reporting of parental survival status across the three rounds and compared estimates of adult mortality from the orphan data with direct estimates from concurrent follow-up of a general population cohort. Qualitative data were collected on possible reasons for misreporting. Results: Paternal and maternal orphan prevalence is increasing in Zimbabwe. Mothers reported as deceased in round 1 of the Manicaland survey were more likely than fathers to be reported as alive in rounds 2 or 3 (33.3% vs 13.4%). This pattern was most apparent among younger children. The qualitative findings suggest that foster parents sometimes claim adopted children as their natural children. Conclusions: These results are consistent with misreporting of foster parents as natural parents. This appears to be particularly common among foster mothers and could partly explain the discrepancy between mathematical model and DHS estimates of maternal orphanhood. PMID:18647868

Within Reach: Academic Achievement through Parent-Teacher Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markoff, Annabelle M.

This guide to fostering parent-teacher cooperation in the education of children with special needs, especially children with learning disabilities, offers a structure and process to maximize the effectiveness of parent-teacher meetings and other forms of communication. An introductory background chapter reviews the history of special education,…

Early Parenting Beliefs and Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Im-Bolter, Nancie; Zadeh, Zohreh Yaghoub; Ling, Daphne

2013-01-01

Studies have demonstrated the association between parenting style and children's academic achievement, but the specific mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. The development of skills that lay the foundation for academic success might be found in early parent-child interactions that foster language competence. Early negative…

Becoming Better Parents. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balson, Maurice

In response to new problems facing parents and families, this book provides democratic parenting strategies that diverge from traditional autocratic methods and reflect the values of respect, shared responsibility, self-discipline, and social equality. The goal of the book is to create a new tradition in child raising that will help to foster the…

An intervention to improve sibling relationship quality among youth in foster care: Results of a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Kothari, Brianne H; McBeath, Bowen; Sorenson, Paul; Bank, Lew; Waid, Jeff; Webb, Sara Jade; Steele, Joel

2017-01-01

Sibling programming is an important part of a prevention framework, particularly for youth in foster care. After children are removed from their families and placed into foster care in the aftermath of maltreatment, the sibling relationship is often the most viable ongoing relationship available to the child, and may be critical to a youth's sense of connection, emotional support, and continuity. The promise of dyadic sibling programming in particular rests on the ability of interventions to enhance the quality of sibling relationships; yet little research exists that suggests that sibling interventions can improve relationship quality among foster youth. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the effects of a specific dyadic sibling-focused intervention for older and younger siblings on sibling relationship quality. One hundred sixty four dyads (328 youth) participated in the study, with each dyad consisting of an older sibling between 11 and 15 years of age at baseline and a younger sibling separated in age by less than 4 years. Hierarchical linear models were applied to self-reported, observer-reported and observational data over the 18-month study period. Findings suggest that the sibling intervention holds promise for improving sibling relationship quality among youth in foster care. Implications and future directions for research are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fostering Self-Esteem: Part II. What Parents and Professionals Can Do.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rousso, Harilyn

1985-01-01

A disabled woman reviews the ways in which parents can communicate positive and realistic expectations about their disabled children's future. The importance of direct communication regarding sexuality and prejudice is emphasized. (CL)

"Airplanes Crash, Spaceships Stay in Orbit"

PubMed Central

EAGLE, RITA S.

1993-01-01

There are few empirical studies of the subjective experience of separation from living parents in children who are removed from their families following abuse or neglect. The author presents the case of a child who spent most of his childhood in foster homes and treatment residences, including 7 years in which he had no contact with his natural family. The fate of his primary attachments and its influence on his capacity to form new ones are discussed, using material drawn from 6 years of individual therapy while he was "in care" and during the time that contact with his mother was renewed. Separation, loss, and attachment in a child welfare context and relevant clinical interventions are discussed. PMID:22700157

The Difficult Transition to Adulthood for Foster Youth in the US: Implications for the State as Corporate Parent. Social Policy Report. Volume XXIII, Number I

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtney, Mark E.

2009-01-01

Although they make up a relatively small proportion of all children in the U.S. foster care system, foster youth approaching adulthood have over the years attracted considerable attention from policymakers. Three times in the past 25 years the Social Security Act has been amended to try to better support the transition to adulthood for foster…

Evaluative Intervention Research in Child's Play.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yawkey, Thomas Daniels; Fox, Frank D.

Evaluative intervention studies which have examined the potential of imaginative play to foster young children's cognitive and social development provide the focus of this literature review. Four criteria were used to select the studies: (1) the study's focus was on the use of imaginative play to foster cognitive growth; (2) the studies were…

Finding Hope in Bosnia: Fostering Resilience through Group Process Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shakoor, Muhyiddin; Fister, Deborah L.

2000-01-01

Presents a group process approach for intervening with adults coping with the impact of extraordinary and ongoing cumulative traumatic stress. Expands on historical frameworks for presenting a process-oriented and affective perspective. Article shows how group process intervention can be used to foster resilience in adults who experience…

You Can't Fight the System: Strategies of Family Justice in Foster Care Reintegration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crenshaw, Wes; Barnum, David

2001-01-01

Discusses the issue of justice in family therapy interventions and shares several strategies and ways of thinking about the therapy of foster care. Illustrates a case study and the interventions used to restore justice to a family caught up in the "system." (GCP)

Longitudinal Associations of Parental Emotion Socialization and Children's Emotion Regulation: The Moderating Role of ADHD Symptomatology.

PubMed

Breaux, Rosanna P; McQuade, Julia D; Harvey, Elizabeth A; Zakarian, Rebecca J

2018-05-01

Theory and research suggest that parents' reactions to children's emotions play a critical role in teaching children effective emotion regulation (ER) skills, but no studies have directly examined the role that parent emotion socialization plays in the development of ER in children with ADHD. Gaining insight into the causes of impaired ER, particularly in youth with ADHD who are known to have poor ER, has important theoretical and translational significance. The present study is the first to longitudinally examine whether emotion socialization predicts later physiological and adult-reported measures of ER in children with and without ADHD. It also sought to determine if these relations are moderated by ADHD symptoms. Participants were 61 children (31 girls, 30 boys; M = 10.67 years, SD = 1.28) with and without clinically significant ADHD symptoms. At Time 1, parent reports of emotion socialization and parent- and teacher-report of child ADHD symptoms were collected. At Time 2, child ER measures were collected based on parent- and teacher-report and physiological reactivity during an impossible puzzle and a social rejection task. Physiological measures included respiratory sinus arrhythmia and skin conductance level (SCL). Supportive parenting practices were associated with better parent-rated emotion regulation skills for all children and greater SCL reactivity for children with high ADHD symptoms. Non-supportive parenting reactions were associated with greater adult-rated emotional lability for children with high ADHD symptoms. Results highlight the importance of considering multiple aspects of ER, including physiological manifestations. Findings suggest that parents' use of adaptive emotion socialization practices may serve as a protective factor for children's ER development and may be particularly critical for youth with ADHD. Our findings support the use of interventions addressing parent emotion socialization to help foster better ER in children.

Selected Bibliography and Notations: Parents, Teacher Aides, and In-Service Education. Vol. 1, No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Martin

The emphasis of the bibliography on parents, teacher aides, and inservice education is on the utilization of parents as teacher aides in school and at home to foster the fullest development of children. Its stated purpose is to provide a resource for persons desiring information on the maximal enhancement of the interactions between parent and…

Factors that Foster, or Deter, School Involvement by Parents of Gifted Students in Two Inner-City Middle Schools: The Parents Speak

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Cary Duncan Matthews

2011-01-01

The importance of parental involvement in schools has been the focus of numerous studies (Cotton & Mann, 1994; Hoover-Dempsey & Sadler, 1997; McDermott & Rothenberg, 2000; Trotman, 2001; Epstein & Sanders, 2009). Many of these same studies correlate student achievement with parental involvement and suggest that student achievement is improved when…

"It All Comes down to the Leadership": The Role of the School Principal in Fostering Parent-School Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Jenny; Saltmarsh, Sue

2014-01-01

Parent-school engagement is widely understood to be an important factor in children's school experience and educational outcomes. However, there is considerable variation in the ways that schools manage their relationships with parents, as well as variation in what parents themselves view as important for engagement with their children's…

Keeping Youth Drug Free: A Guide for Parents, Grandparents, Elders, Mentors, and Other Caregivers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Research indicates that parents, grandparents, elders, foster parents, youth leaders, coaches, and other role models can play a major role in helping young people avoid substance abuse. This booklet provides caregivers with guidelines for communicating with youth about these potential problems. It is geared to the parents or guardians of 7-to-13…

Partnership as a Product of Trust: Parent-Teacher Relational Trust in a Low-Income Urban School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Heather Lynn

2013-01-01

Trust is an important factor affecting parent-teacher relationships. In urban schools, the lack of trust between parents and teachers is exacerbated by racial and social class differences (Bryk and Schneider, 2002). This paper examines how relational trust was both fostered and inhibited between low-income parents and their children's…

Improving Communication During Cardiac ICU Multidisciplinary Rounds Through Visual Display of Patient Daily Goals.

PubMed

Justice, Lindsey B; Cooper, David S; Henderson, Carla; Brown, James; Simon, Katherine; Clark, Lindsey; Fleckenstein, Elizabeth; Benscoter, Alexis; Nelson, David P

2016-07-01

To improve communication during daily cardiac ICU multidisciplinary rounds. Quality improvement methodology. Twenty-five-bed cardiac ICUs in an academic free-standing pediatric hospital. All patients admitted to the cardiac ICU. Implementation of visual display of patient daily goals through a write-down and read-back process. The Rounds Effectiveness Assessment and Communication Tool was developed based on the previously validated Patient Knowledge Assessment Tool to evaluate comprehension of patient daily goals. Rounds were assessed for each patient by the bedside nurse, nurse practitioner or fellow, and attending physician, and answers were compared to determine percent agreement per day. At baseline, percent agreement for patient goals was only 62%. After initial implementation of the daily goal write-down/read-back process, which was written on paper by the bedside nurse, the Rounds Effectiveness Assessment and Communication Tool survey revealed no improvement. With adaptation of the intervention so goals were written on whiteboards for visual display during rounds, the percent agreement improved to 85%. Families were also asked to complete a survey (1-6 Likert scale) of their satisfaction with rounds and understanding of daily goals before and after the intervention. Family survey results improved from a mean of 4.6-5.7. Parent selection of the best possible score for each question was 19% at baseline and 75% after the intervention. Visual display of patient daily goals via a write-down/read-back process improves comprehension of goals by all team members and improves parent satisfaction. The daily goal whiteboard facilitates consistent development of a comprehensive plan of care for each patient, fosters goal-directed care, and provides a checklist for providers and parents to review throughout the day.

Preadoption adversities and postadoption mediators of mental health and school outcomes among international, foster, and private adoptees in the United States.

PubMed

Harwood, Robin; Feng, Xin; Yu, Stella

2013-06-01

Adopted children are a heterogeneous group, varying along numerous factors, including type of adoption (international, foster, private), length of exposure to preadoption adversities as indexed by age of adoption, history of preadoption maltreatment, and prenatal substance exposure. Yet, we know little about how these adversity factors are mediated by quality of postadoption parent-child relationships and/or the presence of special health care needs to produce specific child outcomes across different groups of U.S. adopted children. This study uses structural equation modeling to analyze cross-sectional data from the National Survey of Adoptive Parents to investigate differences in outcomes among three groups of U.S. adopted children: international, foster, and private. SEM results indicate that compared with privately adopted children, (a) children adopted from the foster care system were more likely to be identified with special health care needs, and (b) internationally adopted children showed on average poorer school performance as indexed by math and reading. Analyses yielded both direct and indirect paths between preadoption adversities and child outcomes, with the majority of associations mediated or partially mediated by quality of parent-child relationships and/or special health care needs status. The results of these analyses highlight the heterogeneity among different groups of adopted children within the United States and also underline the important mediating roles that the quality of parent-child relationship and children's special health care needs status have on adopted children's selected mental health and academic outcomes. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

ABCs of Being Smart: S Is for Supporting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Joanne

2014-01-01

Joanne Foster's article "R We There Yet?" was first published in "Parenting for High Potential" ("PHP") in 2006, which became the springboard for the "ABCs of Being Smart" series of columns. At that time, Foster invited "PHP" readers to think about their own versions of the "ABCs of Being…

Flexibility of Household Structure: Child Fostering Decisions in Burkina Faso

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akresh, Richard

2009-01-01

Using data I collected in Africa, this paper examines a household's decision to adjust its size through child fostering, an institution where biological parents temporarily send children to live with other families. Households experiencing negative idiosyncratic income shocks, child gender imbalances, located further from primary schools, or with…

Family Finding Evaluations: A Summary of Recent Findings. Publication #2015-01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandivere, Sharon; Malm, Karin

2015-01-01

One factor that may facilitate a successful reunification of children in foster care with their parents--or failing that, provide an alternate route to permanency through adoption or guardianship--is children's connections with extended family. However, because foster care frequently disrupts social connections, practitioners may need to take…

Preventing Behavior Problems and Health-Risking Behaviors in Girls in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chamberlain, Patricia; Leve, Leslie D.; Smith, Dana K.

2006-01-01

Transition into middle school presents complex challenges, including exposure to a larger peer group, increased expectations for time management and self-monitoring, renegotiation of rules with parents, and pubertal changes. For children in foster care, this transition is complicated by their maltreatment histories, living situation changes, and…

Mental health outcomes of cocaine-exposed children at 6 years of age.

PubMed

Linares, Teresa J; Singer, Lynn T; Kirchner, H Lester; Short, Elizabeth J; Min, Meeyoung O; Hussey, Patrick; Minnes, Sonia

2006-01-01

To assess 6-year-old cocaine- and noncocaine-exposed children's mental health outcomes controlling for potential confounders. The sample consisted of 322 children [169 cocaine exposed (CE) and 153 noncocaine exposed (NCE)] enrolled in a longitudinal study since birth. At age 6, children were assessed for mental health symptoms using the Dominic Interactive (DI), a child self-report measure, and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a caregiver report of behavioral problems. CE children were more likely to self-report symptoms in the probable clinical range for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In contrast, prenatal cocaine exposure was not related to child behavior based on the CBCL. After control for exposure, CE children in adoptive or foster care were rated as having more problems with aggression, externalizing behaviors, and total behavioral problems than NCE children and CE children in maternal or relative care. Also, CE children in adoptive or foster care self-reported more externalizing symptoms than CE children in maternal or relative care and NCE children. Findings could not be attributed to caregiver intelligence or depressive symptoms, or to the quality of the home environment. CE children report more symptoms of ODD and ADHD than nonexposed children. Adoptive or foster caregivers rated their CE children as having more behavioral problems than did maternal or relative caregivers of CE children or parents of NCE children. Although further studies are needed to understand the basis for the more negative ratings by adoptive or foster caregivers of their CE children, the self-report of CE children indicates a need for psychological interventions.

Substance Use and Delinquency Among Middle School Girls in Foster Care: A Three-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyoun K.; Leve, Leslie D.

2011-01-01

Objective The present study evaluated the efficacy of the Middle School Success intervention (MSS) for reducing substance use and delinquency among girls in foster care, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. The program was designed to fill a service gap during the summer prior to the middle school transition and to prevent delinquency, substance use, and related problems. Method One hundred girls in foster care and their caregivers were randomly assigned either to the intervention (n = 48) or to a regular foster care control (n = 52) condition. The girls completed a baseline (T1) assessment and follow-up assessments at 6 months (T2), 12 months (T3), 24 months (T4), and 36 months (T5) postbaseline. Caregivers participated in assessments from T1 through T4. This study is a follow up to Smith et al. (2011)’s study, which examined immediate outcomes at T2. Results Girls in the intervention condition showed significantly lower levels of substance use than did girls in the control condition at 36-months postbaseline. The group difference was only marginally significant for delinquency. Further analyses indicated significant indirect effects of the intervention through increased prosocial behaviors which led to decreased internalizing and externalizing symptoms and then to lower levels of substance use. The direct effect of the intervention on substance use remained significant in the presence of the indirect effects. For delinquency, the intervention had positive effects mainly through increased prosocial skills. Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of providing preventive intervention services for early adolescent girls in foster care. PMID:22004305

Effects of a Therapeutic Intervention for Foster Preschoolers on Diurnal Cortisol Activity

PubMed Central

Fisher, Philip A.; Stoolmiller, Mike; Gunnar, Megan R.; Burraston, Bert O.

2007-01-01

Atypical diurnal patterns of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity have been observed samples of individuals following early life adversity. A characteristic pattern arising from disrupted caregiving is a low early morning cortisol level that changes little from morning to evening. Less well understood is the plasticity of the HPA axis in response to subsequent supportive caregiving environments. Monthly early morning and evening cortisol levels were assessed over 12 months in a sample of 3- to 6-year-old foster children enrolled in a randomized trial of a family-based therapeutic intervention (N = 117; intervention condition n = 57; regular foster care condition n = 60), and a community comparison group of same-aged, nonmaltreated children from low-income families (n = 60). Latent growth analyses revealed stable and typical diurnal (morning-to-evening) cortisol activity among community comparison children. Foster children in the intervention condition exhibited cortisol activity that became comparable to the comparison group children over the course of the study. In contrast, children in regular foster care condition exhibited increasingly flattened morning-to-evening cortisol activity over the course of the study. In sum, improvements in caregiving following early adversity appear to have the potential to reverse or prevent disruptions in HPA axis functioning. PMID:17656028

Resilience and Impact of Children's Intellectual Disability on Indian Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajan, Anugraha Merin; John, Romate

2017-01-01

Resilience of parents in the context of raising a child with intellectual disability is gaining attention as a mechanism that addresses their inherent strengths to withstand the potential associated strain. Understanding its underlying factors has applications in fostering their resilience. The present study explored the resilience of parents and…

Fostering Parental Involvement in Writing: Development and Testing of the Program Cultivating Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camacho, Ana; Alves, Rui A.

2017-01-01

Learning to read and write efficiently is of the utmost importance in elementary school. However, writing is frequently difficult and can be demotivating for beginning writers. Fortunately these barriers can be partially alleviated with parental help. Many studies showed that parental involvement influences children's competence and motivation in…

The Balancing of Parental Support and Pressure in Fostering Collegiate Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coles, Jon

2017-01-01

Enrolling children in youth sport is an American tradition to keep children active while learning life lessons such as teamwork, commitment, and work ethic. However, youth sport is becoming extremely expensive and demanding, resulting in high parental involvement. Research shows over-involved parents cause stress, anxiety, and even burnout. The…

29 CFR 825.126 - Leave because of a qualifying exigency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... spouse, son, daughter, or parent (the “covered military member”) is on active duty or call to active duty..., parent-teacher conferences, or meetings with school counselors, for a biological, adopted, or foster... the employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or call to active duty status. (1) A...

Antecedents and Consequences of Parental Rights Termination for Abused and Neglected Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgman, Robert

1981-01-01

This study of 29 adopted children examines the consequences of parental rights termination (PRT) for neglected or abused children in relation to antecedent characteristics of children, parents, and circumstances in the foster care process. Suggests alternative plans for children whose PRT has not been followed by permanent adoptive placement.…

Increasing Our Acceptance as Parents of Children with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loewenstein, David

2007-01-01

Accepting the limitations of a child whose life was supposed to be imbued with endless possibilities requires parents to come to terms with expectations of themselves and the world around them. In this article, the author offers some helpful strategies for fostering acceptance and strengthening family relationships: (1) Remember that parenting is…

Fostering Teacher Understanding of Parent Issues when a Child Has a Disability: A Brief Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilgosh, Lorraine; Scorgie, Kate

2006-01-01

The paper reports on parent survey comments to raise awareness of teachers of children with disabilities and facilitate the parent-teacher collaborative experience. The Life Management Survey (LMS) was designed (Scorgie, Wilgosh, & McDonald, 1997) to corroborate nine themes (Scorgie, Wilgosh, & McDonald, 1996) identified through in-depth…

Parenting Stress and Child Maltreatment in Drug-Exposed Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Susan J.

1992-01-01

This study, with 48 infants and toddlers (24 of which were drug exposed), found that mothers who used drugs during pregnancy reported higher levels of total parenting stress, child-related stress, and parent-related stress than foster mothers and comparison mothers. A strong association between maternal use of drugs and serious child maltreatment…

Parenthood by design.

PubMed

Sleep, J

1986-02-01

Parenthood by design involves realistic preparation for practical aspects of parenting as well as the romantic illusions fostered by relatives, social pressure, and the media. The ideals do not mention the physical discomfort, exhaustion, jealousy, anger and frustration encountered in a normal puerperium. Many women have not returned to normal sexual activity, work and sports even by 6 weeks after delivery. Perineal discomfort is still experienced by 70% after 10 days, especially in cases of assisted vaginal delivery. Urinary incontinence is present in 20% up to 3 months after normal vaginal delivery. Many women report fatigue as the reason for not resuming sexual intercourse. Family interactions are stressed by the newcomer: rivalry on the part of the husband or siblings is common. Modern education in the attempt to train people for vocational competence has left out parenting. In England, midwives teach classes of 20 women for 5 contact hours in late pregnancy, and are expected to cover all aspects of pregnancy, labor, delivery, baby care, postnatal adjustment and support services. The schools have sex education, fostering freedom in life styles for young people, but little emphasis on responsibility. There are some community organizations such as the La Leche League, the National Childbirth Trust and the Meet-A-Mum Association that offer support during and after pregnancy. Accidental pregnancy with education as crisis intervention is inadequate for the future; parenthood by design would permit couples to experience parenthood as a period of growth based on a fuller understanding of practical reality.

A comparative evaluation of preservice training of kinship and nonkinship foster/adoptive families.

PubMed

Christenson, Brian; McMurtry, Jerry

2007-01-01

In 2003, Idaho selected the Foster PRIDE/ Adopt PRIDE preservice training and resource family development program. PRIDE participants (n = 228) completed a pre and posttest survey based on the PRIDE training competencies in 2004-2005. Results indicate that PRIDE is an effective training and resource family development program. Providing and evaluating foster/ adoptive parent preservice training programs can assist child welfare programs in making a positive difference in the lives of families and children involved in the child welfare system while increased cost-savings by retaining foster/adoptive families over time.

The effect of a social support boosting intervention on stress, coping, and social support in caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Hansell, P S; Hughes, C B; Caliandro, G; Russo, P; Budin, W C; Hartman, B; Hernandez, O C

1998-01-01

Caring for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected child is challenging and affects the entire family system. Studies have shown that social support can mitigate caregiver stress and enhance coping; however, social support may not always result in a positive outcome for the recipient. To measure caregiver stress, coping, and social support, and to test the effect of a social support boosting intervention on levels of stress, coping, and social support among caregivers of children with HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). An experimental design was used with monthly social support boosting interventions implemented. The stratified randomized sample included 70 primary caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS. The sample strata were seropositive caregivers (biological parents) and seronegative caregivers (foster parents and extended family members). Study measures included the Derogatis Stress Profile, Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, and the Tilden Interpersonal Relationship Inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measure MANOVA. Statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups were found on changes in the dependent variables over time when caregiver strata were included as a factor in the analysis; no statistically significant results were found when caregiver strata were combined. Univariate Ftests indicated that the level of social support for caregivers who were seronegative in the experimental group was significantly different from seronegative caregivers in the control group and seropositive caregivers in both groups. No significant treatment group differences were found for seropositive caregivers. Seronegative caregivers derived substantial benefit from the social support boosting intervention. Seronegative caregivers who acquire a child with HIV/AIDS are confronted with a complex stressful situation; the critical need to enhance their social support is achievable through the intervention tested in this study.

Co-Occurrence of Parental Substance Abuse and Child Serious Emotional Disturbance: Understanding Multiple Pathways to Improve Child and Family Outcomes.

PubMed

Becci, A Akin; Brook, Jody; Lloyd, Margaret H

2015-01-01

This study is a mixed-methods examination of the prevalence and impact of parental substance abuse among families involved in foster care who have a child with a serious emotional disturbance. Data utilized for this study were both administrative and assessment data collected by case managers and parents as part of a federally funded demonstration project in a Midwestern state. At baseline, parent self-report and case manager ratings of family functioning found that parents affected by substance abuse fared worse in domains related to socioeconomics, parental trauma, parental mental health, and social supports when compared to families without parental substance abuse. Case managers and independent raters scored parents affected by substance abuse higher on effective parenting than parents not affected by substance abuse. While all children in the sample have a serious emotional disturbance, parents and case managers rated children's functioning higher among children whose families were characterized by parental substance abuse. These results suggest that, among families who have children with a serious emotional disturbance and are in foster care, those with and without substance abuse may represent two distinct service groups, each with a unique set of needs and contextual factors. For families with parental substance abuse, findings suggest that an appropriate child welfare response should attend to both children's and parent's behavioral health needs and include strategies that are well matched to the families' socioeconomic and social support needs.

Foster Children Placed with Relatives Often Receive Less Government Help: New Federalism Issues and Options for States. An Urban Institute Program To Assess Changing Social Policies, Series A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geen, Rob

Over the past 15 years, child welfare agencies have begun to rely increasingly on relatives or people who have close emotional bonds to an abused or neglected child to act as foster parents. Today, almost all child welfare agencies consider kin the first placement choice when foster care is needed, and approximately one third of all children in…

The Achieving Success Everyday Group Counseling Model: Fostering Resiliency in Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Joy; Steen, Sam

2015-01-01

This article discusses a group counseling intervention used to develop and foster resiliency in middle school students by implementing the Achieving Success Everyday (ASE) group counseling model. The authors aimed to discover what impact this group counseling intervention, which focused on resiliency characteristics, would have on students'…

Introducing an Intervention Model for Fostering Affective Involvement with Persons Who Are Congenitally Deafblind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martens, Marga A. W.; Janssen, Marleen J.; Ruijssenaars, Wied A. J. J. M.; Riksen-Walraven, J. Marianne

2014-01-01

The article presented here introduces the Intervention Model for Affective Involvement (IMAI), which was designed to train staff members (for example, teachers, caregivers, support workers) to foster affective involvement during interaction and communication with persons who have congenital deaf-blindness. The model is theoretically underpinned,…

Psychosocial Interventions for Children and Adolescents in Foster Care: Review of Research Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landsverk, John A.; Burns, Barbara J.; Stambaugh, Leyla Faw; Rolls Reutz, Jennifer A.

2009-01-01

Between one-half and three-fourths of children entering foster care exhibit behavioral or social-emotional problems warranting mental health care. This paper, condensed and updated from a technical report prepared for Casey Family Programs in 2005, reviews evidence-based and promising interventions for the most prevalent mental conditions found…

Watch Me Move: A Program For Parents of Young Children With Gross-Motor Delays.

PubMed

Natrasony, Candice; Teitelbaum, Debra

2016-11-01

Watch Me Move (WMM) is a 6-week parent education program for caregivers of children with gross-motor delays. The aims are to improve parent-child interaction in a gross-motor context, increase parents' knowledge of behavioral cues and gross-motor development, and decrease perceived parental stress. Forty mothers of children, 6 months to 3 years of age, with a gross-motor delay participated in a randomized control trial comparing parents who received the WMM program plus standard of care physiotherapy (n = 24) with parents whose children received standard of care physiotherapy (n = 16). Mothers who received the WMM program had significantly higher change scores on two subscales of the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCATS; i.e., cognitive growth fostering, and responsiveness to caregiver) and on the Parent Knowledge Questionnaire assessing knowledge of behavioral cues and gross-motor development. There were no significant group differences on the other four NCATS subscales (i.e., sensitivity to cues, response to child's distress, social emotional growth fostering, and clarity of cues) or the Parenting Stress Index. The addition of WMM to traditional physiotherapy improved aspects of mothers' ability to interact with their children and their knowledge of behavioral cues and gross-motor development.

Perceptions of childcare staff for preventing overweight in Mexican preschool children: A SWOT analysis.

PubMed

Ortega-Altamirano, Doris Verónica; Rodríguez-Oliveros, Guadalupe; González-Unzaga, Marco Aurelio; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia

2018-01-01

To identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) perceived by childcare staff for preventing childhood overweight. Qualitative study using an interpretative phenomenological approach; 18 in-depth, semi-structured interviews and 12 focus groups with 89 key informants working in six Mexican public childcare centers (CCC) were conducted. Through content and SWOT analyses, experts further ranked fifty-nine recurrent perceptions regarding healthy feeding and physical activity (PA), using the Delphi method. Strengths: Acknowledgement of the CCC's responsibility in fostering healthy feeding, availability of organizational regulations, and access to PA infrastructure/indoor activities. Weaknesses: Disregard of preschool overweight as a health problem, nu- tritional misperceptions, and perceived risk of child injuries while conducting PA. Opportunities: Willingness to reduce children's access to junk foods, and parental active play with children during weekends. Threats: Limited family nutritional education, and restricted parental time/economic constraints/access to safe public spaces for PA. The identified SWOT must be considered when developing obesityprevention interventions targeted at CCC.

The Children's Sleep Comic: Psychometrics of a Self-rating Instrument for Childhood Insomnia.

PubMed

Schwerdtle, Barbara; Kanis, Julia; Kübler, Andrea; Schlarb, Angelika A

2016-02-01

The Children's Sleep Comic is a standardized self-report questionnaire for assessing insomnia in children ages 5-11 years. The goal of the present study is to introduce a revised version of this measure and to present psychometrics and a cut-off score. Therefore, the revised Children's Sleep Comic, the Sleep Self Report, the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire, and the Child Behavior Checklist were applied to a sample of 393 children and their parents. Of the parents who participated voluntarily, a subsample (n = 176) was interviewed on the phone to diagnose their children with sleep disorders according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, if applicable. The results indicated that the Children's Sleep Comic is a reliable self-rating instrument for diagnosing childhood insomnia. Internal consistency was α = 0.83; and convergent and divergent validity were adequate. The child-friendly format can foster a good therapeutic relationship, and thus establish the basis for successful intervention.

For Parents Particularly: Lessons in Moral Behavior. A Few Heroes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Stewart

1993-01-01

Discusses ways for parents (and educators) to use the life stories of heroes, such as individuals who rescued Jews from the Holocaust, to foster children's moral courage, sense of right and wrong, and commitment to others. (MDM)

Screen-related sedentary behaviours: Children’s and parents’ attitudes, motivations, and practices

PubMed Central

He, Meizi; Piché, Leonard; Beynon, Charlene; Harris, Stewart

2016-01-01

Objective To investigate school-aged children’s and parents’ attitudes, social influences, and intentions toward excessive screen-related sedentary behaviour (S-RSB). Design A cross-sectional study using a survey methodology. Setting Elementary schools in London, Ontario, Canada. Participants All grades five and six students, their parents and teachers in the participating schools were invited to voluntarily participate; 508 student-parent pairs completed the surveys. Main Outcome Measure Children’s screen-related behaviours. Analysis Data were analyzed using the Independent Student t-test to compare differences of continuous variables and the Chi-Square test to test for differences of categorical variables. Results Children spent 3.3 ± 0.15 (standard error) hours per day engaged in screen-related activities. Entertainment, spending time with family, and boredom were cited as the top three reasons for television viewing and video game playing. Compared to “low-screen-users” (i.e. < 2hours/day), “high-screen-users” (i.e. ≥2hours/day) held less negative attitudes toward excessive S-RSB and perceived loosened parental rules on screen use. Parents of “high-screen-users” held less negative attitudes towards children’s S-RSB, had fewer rules about their children’s screen use, and were more likely to be sedentary themselves. Conclusions and Implications Intervention strategies aimed at reducing S-RSB should involve both parents and children and should focus on fostering behavioural changes and promoting parental role-modeling. PMID:19914872

Pathways to Preventing Substance Use Among Youth in Foster Care.

PubMed

Kim, Hyoun K; Buchanan, Rohanna; Price, Joseph M

2017-07-01

Substance use problems are highly prevalent among youth in foster care. Such problems in adolescence have long-lasting implications for subsequent adjustment throughout adulthood and even across generations. Although several programs have demonstrated positive results in reducing substance use in at-risk youth, few studies have systemically examined how such programs work for foster youth and whether they are effective for both genders. This study examined the efficacy of KEEP SAFE, a family-based and skill-focused program designed to prevent substance use and other related health risking behaviors among youth in foster care. We hypothesized that improving the caregiver-youth relationship would lead to later reductions in youths' involvement with deviant peers, which subsequently would lead to less substance use, and that this mechanism would work comparably for both genders. A sample of 259 youth (154 girls, ages 11-17 years) in foster care and their caregivers participated in a randomized controlled trial and was followed for 18 months post-baseline. Results indicated that the intervention significantly reduced substance use in foster youth at 18 months post-baseline and that the intervention influenced substance use through two processes: youths' improved quality of relationships with caregivers at 6 months post-baseline and fewer associations with deviant peers at 12 months post-baseline. This suggests that these two processes may be fruitful immediate targets in substance use prevention programs for foster youth. We also found little gender differences in direct and mediating effects of the intervention, suggesting KEEP SAFE may be effective for both genders in foster care.

School climate, family structure, and academic achievement: a study of moderation effects.

PubMed

O'Malley, Meagan; Voight, Adam; Renshaw, Tyler L; Eklund, Katie

2015-03-01

School climate has been lauded for its relationship to a host of desirable academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes for youth. The present study tested the hypothesis that school climate counteracts youths' home-school risk by examining the moderating effects of students' school climate perceptions on the relationship between family structure (i.e., two-parent, one-parent, foster-care, and homeless households), and academic performance (i.e., self-reported [grade point average] GPA). The present sample consisted of 902 California public high schools, including responses from over 490,000 students in Grades 9 and 11. Results indicated that, regardless of family structure, students with more positive school climate perceptions self-reported higher GPAs. Youths with two-parent, one-parent, and homeless family structures displayed stepwise, linear improvements in self-reported GPA as perceptions of climate improved. Foster-care students' positive school climate perceptions had a weaker effect on their self-reported GPA compared with students living in other family structures. A unique curvilinear trend was found for homeless students, as the relationship between their school climate perceptions and self-reported GPA was stronger at lower levels. Overall, the moderation effect of positive school climate perceptions on self-reported GPA was strongest for homeless youth and youth from one-parent homes, suggesting that school climate has a protective effect for students living in these family structures. A protective effect was not found for youth in foster-care. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Using GIS to Enhance Programs Serving Emancipated Youth Leaving Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batsche, Catherine J.; Reader, Steven

2012-01-01

This article describes a GIS prototype designed to assist with the identification and evaluation of housing that is affordable, safe, and effective in supporting the educational goals and parental status of youth transitioning from foster care following emancipation. Spatial analysis was used to identify rental properties based on three inclusion…

Children with Problematic Sexualized Behaviors in the Child Welfare System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Amy J. L.; Gries, Len; Schneiderman, Mel; Parker, Rob; Archer, Marc; Friedrich, Bill

2008-01-01

This study assessed the utility of the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI) in a child welfare sample. In this study, 97 children from ages 10 to 12 from either foster boarding homes or a residential treatment center participated. Researchers interviewed foster parents or primary therapists about children's sexual behavior, traumatic events,…

Fostering Bilingualism in Early Childhood in an English-Speaking Home.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westerlund, Elaine

The decision of parents whose native language is English to raise their child bilingually prompted a review of the literature concerning approaches to fostering infant bilingualism. The review focuses on (1) language strategies most often adopted by the bilingual family, such as dichotomy and alteration; (2) other family variables; (3) the…

Pediatric Health Assessments of Young Children in Child Welfare by Placement Type

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneiderman, Janet U.; Leslie, Laurel K.; Arnold-Clark, Janet S.; McDaniel, Dawn; Xie, Bin

2011-01-01

Objectives: To describe health-related problems across placement types (unrelated foster, kin foster, in-home with birth parent); to examine the association of placement and demographic/child welfare variables (child gender, age, race/ethnicity; caregiver language; type of maltreatment, and length of time receiving services from child welfare)…

Fostering Collaboration with Families of Children with Disabilities: Online Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Margo; Kingsley, Karla V.; Ovitt, Brigid; Lin, Yi-Ling; Romero Benavidez, Juliette

2017-01-01

Technology has reshaped conceptions of professional development by increasing access to information, enabling sustained follow-up efforts, and fostering teacher reflection and collaboration. Drawing on theoretical models of parent involvement and an ethic of caring, this study examined the perceptions and attitudes of educators toward…

Psychological Characteristics of Adolescents Orphans with Different Experience of Living in a Family

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shulga, Tatyana I.; Savchenko, Daria D.; Filinkova, Evgeniya B.

2016-01-01

The complexity of settling adolescents-orphans in foster families and significant number of break-downs in these families are the problems which determine the relevance of current research. Many adolescent orphans get in social institutions repeatedly, because their psychological features lead to difficulties that their foster parents are unable…

Foster Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldman, H. Barry; Perlman, Steven P.; Lederman, Cindy S.

2007-01-01

Children and youth in foster care are a vulnerable population. They are at risk for abuse, neglect, and permanent separation from birth parents and have a greater incidence of emotional and behavioral difficulties. This is not surprising because these children are abused, neglected, or abandoned by the very people who are supposed to love and care…

Prior trauma exposure and serious illness at end of life: A national study of children in the US foster care system from 2005 to 2015.

PubMed

Lindley, Lisa C; Slayter, Elspeth M

2018-06-08

Children in foster care suffer with serious illness at end of life. However, the relationship between prior trauma exposure and serious illness has received little empirical attention. The objectives were to examine the prevalence and type of trauma exposure, and investigate the relationship between prior trauma and serious illness among foster children at end of life. We used national longitudinal foster care data. We included children who were less than 18 years with residence in the United States. Serious illness (i.e., physical health, mental/behavioral health, developmental disabilities) was measured via the foster care files. Three measures of prior trauma exposure (i.e., maltreatment, drug/alcohol exposure, psychosocial stressors) were created. Using multivariate logistic regressions, we evaluated the influence of prior trauma on serious illness at end of life, while controlling for demographic, geographic, and foster care support characteristics. Sixty-eight percent of children experienced maltreatment, 28% exposure to parental drug/alcohol misuse, and 39% psychosocial stressors prior to entering foster care. Maltreatment was positively associated with physical health and developmental disabilities, while parental drug/alcohol exposure was inversely related to developmental disabilities. Psychosocial stressors contributed to the prediction of poor physical, mental, and developmental health. These findings suggest that trauma-informed end-of-life care may be a critical need among children in foster care with serious illness. Future directions are discussed, including collaboration between end-of-life clinicians and social service workers and the importance of future research to understand and improve the quality of health at end of life for this underserved population. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The role of social buffering on chronic disruptions in quality of care: evidence from caregiver-based interventions in foster children.

PubMed

Flannery, Jessica E; Beauchamp, Kathryn G; Fisher, Philip A

2017-02-01

There is growing evidence that social support can buffer the physiological stress response, specifically cortisol reactivity. We use a developmental framework to review the importance of social buffering in early childhood, a period of heightened plasticity for programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The social environment, in which parents play the largest role in early life, is a critical agent in the developmental trajectory of the HPA axis. A prevailing model of social buffering primarily focuses on the role of social support in the context of acute stressors and cortisol response. This review expands this model to provide evidence of the mechanism of social buffering, or lack thereof, across periods of chronic stress by applying the social buffer model to children involved in the child welfare system. We also highlight current interventions that capitalize on the mechanism of social buffering to modify HPA axis functioning across childhood. Last, we synthesize our findings using the social buffering framework to inform future targeted interventions.

The Oregon Model of Behavior Family Therapy: From Intervention Design to Promoting Large-Scale System Change

PubMed Central

Dishion, Thomas; Forgatch, Marion; Chamberlain, Patricia; Pelham, William E.

2017-01-01

This paper reviews the evolution of the Oregon model of family behavior therapy over the past four decades. Inspired by basic research on family interaction and innovation in behavior change theory, a set of intervention strategies were developed that were effective for reducing multiple forms of problem behavior in children (e.g., Patterson, Chamberlain, & Reid, 1982). Over the ensuing decades, the behavior family therapy principles were applied and adapted to promote children’s adjustment to address family formation and adaptation (Family Check-Up model), family disruption and maladaptation (Parent Management Training–Oregon model), and family attenuation and dissolution (Treatment Foster Care–Oregon model). We provide a brief overview of each intervention model and summarize randomized trials of intervention effectiveness. We review evidence on the viability of effective implementation, as well as barriers and solutions to adopting these evidence-based practices. We conclude by proposing an integrated family support system for the three models applied to the goal of reducing the prevalence of severe problem behavior, addiction, and mental problems for children and families, as well as reducing the need for costly and largely ineffective residential placements. PMID:27993335

The Impact of Bibliotherapy Superheroes on Youth Who Experience Parental Absence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betzalel, Nurit; Shechtman, Zipora

2017-01-01

As one key element of establishing a superhero persona, many superhero myths are based on the principle of experiencing parental loss at an early age. This study examined the impact of group bibliotherapy using superhero stories with children and adolescents who have experienced parental absence. The 187 participants who resided in foster care…

[A New Approach to Fostering Socio-Emotional Communication and Development in the Earliest Years of Life].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenichel, Emily, Ed.

1996-01-01

The five articles in this newsletter theme issue focus on the development of socioemotional and communication skills in infants and toddlers through the Partners in Parenting Education (PIPE) program. The first article, "The Partners in Parenting Education Program: A New Option in Parent Education" (Perry M. Butterfield), describes the program's…

45 CFR 1308.21 - Parent participation and transition of children into Head Start and from Head Start to public...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... entering from infant/toddler programs. (2) Provide information to parents on how to foster the development... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Parent participation and transition of children... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH...

45 CFR 1308.21 - Parent participation and transition of children into Head Start and from Head Start to public...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... entering from infant/toddler programs. (2) Provide information to parents on how to foster the development... 45 Public Welfare 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Parent participation and transition of children... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH...

45 CFR 1308.21 - Parent participation and transition of children into Head Start and from Head Start to public...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... entering from infant/toddler programs. (2) Provide information to parents on how to foster the development... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Parent participation and transition of children... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH...

45 CFR 1308.21 - Parent participation and transition of children into Head Start and from Head Start to public...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... entering from infant/toddler programs. (2) Provide information to parents on how to foster the development... 45 Public Welfare 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Parent participation and transition of children... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH...

45 CFR 1308.21 - Parent participation and transition of children into Head Start and from Head Start to public...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... entering from infant/toddler programs. (2) Provide information to parents on how to foster the development... 45 Public Welfare 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Parent participation and transition of children... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH...

Parent-Child Moments of Meeting in Art-Making with Collage, iPad, Tuxpaint and Crayons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakr, Mona; Kucirkova, Natalia

2017-01-01

Previous research suggests that parent-child art making can foster opportunities for closeness between children and parents. Most studies however, have focused on art-making that involves paint and paper, or non-digital drawing technologies. There is a need for researchers to consider how a wider range of technologies, including digital…

Motivating Cord Blood Donation with Information and Behavioral Nudges.

PubMed

Grieco, Daniela; Lacetera, Nicola; Macis, Mario; Di Martino, Daniela

2018-01-10

Umbilical cord blood is a source of hematopoietic stem cells essential to treat life-threatening diseases, such as leukemia and lymphoma. However, only a very small percentage of parents donate upon delivery. The decision to donate the cord blood occurs at a very specific time and when parents likely experience emotional, informational, and decisional overloads; these features of cord blood donation make it different from other pro-social activities. In collaboration with an OB-GYN clinic in Milan, Italy, we conducted the first randomized controlled trial that applies tools from behavioral science to foster cord blood donation, and quantified the gains that informational and behavioral "nudges" can achieve. We found that information and "soft" commitments increased donations; approaching expecting parents closer to the delivery date and providing them with multiple reminders, moreover, had the strongest impact. However, a significant portion of women who expressed consent to donate could not do so because of organizational constraints. We conclude that simple, non-invasive behavioral interventions that address information gaps and procrastination, and that increase the salience of the activity can substantially enhance altruistic donations of cord blood, especially when coupled with organizational support.

Association of family background with adolescent smoking and regular use of illicit substances among underage psychiatric in-patients.

PubMed

Laukkanen, Matti; Hakko, Helinä; Riala, Kaisa; Räsänen, Pirkko

2008-01-01

This study investigated whether adolescent's family type was associated with regular smoking or the use of illicit substances (cannabis or hard drugs) among underage adolescent psychiatric in-patients. The sample consisted of 471 adolescents aged 12-17 years admitted to psychiatric hospital between April 2001 and March 2006 at Oulu University Hospital, Finland. The information on family factors and substance use was based on the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime interview and the European modification of the Addiction Severity Index questionnaire. Compared to adolescent boys from two-parent families, those from child welfare placement were more likely to regularly use both cannabis (odds ratio [OR]=4.4; 95%confidence interval [CI]=1.4-13.7; P=.012) and hard drugs (OR=8.4; 95% CI=1.7-42.1; P=.01).Among girls, no association was found between family type and the use of illicit substances. Two-parent or foster family units may protect adolescents from involvement with illicit substances. In clinical adolescent psychiatric practice more attention should be paid to family interventions and parental support.

Caregiver burden and sibling relationships in families raising children with disabilities and typically developing children.

PubMed

Roper, Susanne Olsen; Allred, Diane W; Mandleco, Barbara; Freeborn, Donna; Dyches, Tina

2014-06-01

Using family systems theory as a theoretical framework, we investigated direct and indirect associations between type of disability, caregiver burden, and sibling relationships with structural equation modeling. We recruited 172 families raising typically developing children or a child with a disability. Participants volunteered at meetings and workshops for families of children with disabilities and were also recruited through snowball sampling. Mothers and fathers independently completed self-report questionnaires on caregiver burden and perceptions of the sibling relationship. Mothers experienced higher levels of caregiver burden than fathers. Parents of children with autism reported higher levels of caregiver burden than parents of typically developing children. Mothers of children with Down syndrome and multiple disabilities reported more positive sibling relationships than mothers of typically developing children. Mothers' and fathers' perceptions of caregiver burden were negatively related to their perceptions of the sibling relationship. Caregiver burden mediated the relationship between having a child with autism and positive sibling relationships. Results indicate the benefits of using a systems framework in examining families raising children with disabilities. Future research should focus on interventions for families of children with disabilities that help alleviate parental burden and foster positive sibling relationships.

RCT of a Mentoring and Skills Group Program: Placement and Permanency Outcomes for Foster Youth

PubMed Central

Culhane, Sara E.; Garrido, Edward; Knudtson, Michael D.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of a mentoring and skills group intervention for preadolescent children in foster care on placement stability and permanence at 1-year postintervention. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 9- to 11-year-old children who were maltreated and placed in foster care (n = 54 control; n = 56 intervention). State child welfare records provided information on number of placement changes, placement in residential treatment, and case closure (ie, permanency). Rates of adoption and reunification were also examined. Analysis was by intention to treat. RESULTS: After controlling for baseline functioning and preintervention placement history, intervention youth were 71% less likely to be placed in residential treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09–0.98). There were no significant treatment differences in predicting placement changes or permanency for the total sample. Among a subsample of children living in nonrelative foster care at baseline, intervention youth had 44% fewer placement changes (incidence ratio = 0.56, 95% CI 0.34–0.93), were 82% less likely to be placed in a residential treatment center (OR = 0.18, 95% CI 0.03–0.96), and were 5 times more likely to have attained permanency at 1 year postintervention (OR = 5.14, 95% CI 1.55–17.07). More intervention youth had reunified 1-year postintervention [χ2(1, N = 78) = 3.99; P < .05], and the pattern of findings suggested that intervention youth had higher rates of adoption. A significant interaction [χ2(1, N = 110) = 5.43; P = .02] demonstrated that the intervention attenuated the impact of baseline behavior problems on placement changes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that participation in a 9-month mentoring and skills group intervention leads to greater placement stability and permanence, especially for children in nonrelative foster care. PMID:22689870

Reshaping Child Welfare's Response to Trauma: Assessment, Evidence-Based Intervention, and New Research Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ai, Amy L.; Jackson Foster, Lovie J.; Pecora, Peter J.; Delaney, Nancy; Rodriguez, Wenceslao

2013-01-01

Growing evidence has linked early trauma with severe psychiatric consequences. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a potentially debilitating mental health condition found among some youth in foster care and foster care alumni. However, the current child welfare practice response has not met the demands in both assessment and intervention.…

A model parent group for enhancing aggressive children's social competence in Taiwan.

PubMed

Li, Ming-Hui

2009-07-01

This paper presents a semi-structured psychoeducational model of group work for parents of aggressive children based on concepts of co-parenting and bidirectionality. The group was developed for enhancing five Taiwanese aggressive children's social competence by promoting positive interactions within family. Topics covered in the group included identifying parenting styles, forming parental alliances, fostering parent-child mutual initiations/mutual compliances, establishing parent-child co-regulation, and responding to aggressive children's negative emotions. Pre- and post-group comparisons suggested the effectiveness of the group model.

Transitioning to Adulthood from Foster Care.

PubMed

Lee, Terry; Morgan, Wynne

2017-04-01

Transitional age foster youth do not typically receive the types of family supports their nonfoster peers enjoy. Many foster youth experience multiple adversities and often fare worse than nonfoster peers on long-term functional outcomes. Governments increasingly recognize their responsibility to act as parents for state dependents transitioning to adulthood and the need to provide services to address social/emotional supports, living skills, finances, housing, education, employment, and physical and mental health. More research is needed to inform the development of effective programs. Transitional age foster youth benefit from policies promoting a developmentally appropriate, comprehensive, and integrated transition system of care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Engaging Parents to Promote Children's Nutrition and Health.

PubMed

Dev, Dipti A; Byrd-Williams, Courtney; Ramsay, Samantha; McBride, Brent; Srivastava, Deepa; Murriel, Ashleigh; Arcan, Chrisa; Adachi-Mejia, Anna M

2017-03-01

Using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics benchmarks as a framework, this study examined childcare providers' (Head Start [HS], Child and Adult Care Food Program [CACFP] funded, and non-CACFP) perspectives regarding communicating with parents about nutrition to promote children's health. Qualitative. State-licensed center-based childcare programs. Full-time childcare providers (n = 18) caring for children 2 to 5 years old from varying childcare contexts (HS, CACFP funded, and non-CACFP), race, education, and years of experience. In-person interviews using semi-structured interview protocol until saturation were achieved. Thematic analysis was conducted. Two overarching themes were barriers and strategies to communicate with parents about children's nutrition. Barriers to communication included-(a) parents are too busy to talk with providers, (b) parents offer unhealthy foods, (c) parents prioritize talking about child food issues over nutrition, (d) providers are unsure of how to communicate about nutrition without offending parents, and (e) providers are concerned if parents are receptive to nutrition education materials. Strategies for communication included-(a) recognize the benefits of communicating with parents about nutrition to support child health, (b) build a partnership with parents through education, (c) leverage policy (federal and state) to communicate positively and avoid conflict, (d) implement center-level practices to reinforce policy, and (e) foster a respectful relationship between providers and parents. Policy and environmental changes were recommended for fostering a respectful relationship and building a bridge between providers and parents to improve communication about children's nutrition and health.

Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Guide for Foster and Adoptive Parents

MedlinePlus

... victim.” Child sexual abuse is defined in Federal law by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act ( ... Abuse and Neglect : https: / / www. childwelfare. gov/ systemwide/ laws_ policies/ statutes/ define. cfm Signs of Sexual Abuse ...

Effect of Foster Care on Young Children's Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windsor, Jennifer; Benigno, Joann P.; Wing, Christine A.; Carroll, Patrick J.; Koga, Sebastian F.; Nelson, Charles A., III; Fox, Nathan A.; Zeanah, Charles H.

2011-01-01

This report examines 174 young children's language outcomes in the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, the first randomized trial of foster placement after institutional care. Age of foster placement was highly correlated with language outcomes. Placement by 15 months led to similar expressive and receptive language test scores as typical age…

Baby-Led Introduction to SolidS (BLISS) study: a randomised controlled trial of a baby-led approach to complementary feeding.

PubMed

Daniels, Lisa; Heath, Anne-Louise M; Williams, Sheila M; Cameron, Sonya L; Fleming, Elizabeth A; Taylor, Barry J; Wheeler, Ben J; Gibson, Rosalind S; Taylor, Rachael W

2015-11-12

In 2002, the World Health Organization recommended that the age for starting complementary feeding should be changed from 4 to 6 months of age to 6 months. Although this change in age has generated substantial debate, surprisingly little attention has been paid to whether advice on how to introduce complementary foods should also be changed. It has been proposed that by 6 months of age most infants will have developed sufficient motor skills to be able to feed themselves rather than needing to be spoon-fed by an adult. This has the potential to predispose infants to better growth by fostering better energy self-regulation, however no randomised controlled trials have been conducted to determine the benefits and risks of such a "baby-led" approach to complementary feeding. This is of particular interest given the widespread use of "Baby-Led Weaning" by parents internationally. The Baby-Led Introduction to SolidS (BLISS) study aims to assess the efficacy and acceptability of a modified version of Baby-Led Weaning that has been altered to address potential concerns with iron status, choking and growth faltering. The BLISS study will recruit 200 families from Dunedin, New Zealand, who book into the region's only maternity hospital. Parents will be randomised into an intervention (BLISS) or control group for a 12-month intervention with further follow-up at 24 months of age. Both groups will receive the standard Well Child care provided to all parents in New Zealand. The intervention group will receive additional parent contacts (n = 8) for support and education on BLISS from before birth to 12 months of age. Outcomes of interest include body mass index at 12 months of age (primary outcome), energy self-regulation, iron and zinc intake and status, diet quality, choking, growth faltering and acceptability to parents. This study is expected to provide insight into the feasibility of a baby-led approach to complementary feeding and the extent to which this method of feeding affects infant body weight, diet quality and iron and zinc status. Results of this study will provide important information for health care professionals, parents and health policy makers. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612001133820 .

Intervention on early-onset conduct problems as indicated prevention for substance use: A seven-year follow up.

PubMed

Romero, Estrella; Rodríguez, Concepción; Villar, Paula; Gómez-Fraguela, X Antón

2017-06-28

The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term effects of a manualised program which intervenes on children with early-onset conduct problems, their families and teachers. The program evaluation involved 14 primary schools which were randomly assigned to the intervention (45 participating families) and control (30 families) conditions during 2007-2008. After a screening process which identified children with significant conduct problems both at home with their family and at school, the program was implemented in eight schools. Seven years later, 58 families (37 from the intervention group and 21 from the control group), with characteristics equivalent to those of the study's entire initial group, were contacted again. With measures administered to the children and their parents, comparisons through multivariate analyses of variance between intervention and control groups supported the program's efficacy in reducing both conduct problems and relations with antisocial peers. Furthermore, the program fostered social and communication skills. As regards drug use, the intervention group showed less favourable attitudes towards drugs, lower intention of drug use, lower frequency of tobacco use and lower intensity of alcohol use. These results support the usefulness of multicomponent programs for conduct problems as a way to prevent, in the long term, unfavourable developmental trajectories, where drug use is a key element.

Together and Equal: Fostering Cooperative Play and Promoting Gender Equity in Early Childhood Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlank, Carol Hilgartner; Metzger, Barbara

Noting the need to promote gender equity and foster cooperative play between boys and girls in early childhood programs, this guide presents ways that teachers and parents of young children can help all children realize their potential, regardless of gender, and help children learn to work and play together. Chapter 1, "Teaching for…

Risk and Protective Factors Influencing Life Skills among Youths in Long-Term Foster Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nollan, K. A.; Pecora, P. J.; Nurius, P. N.; Whittaker, J. K.

2002-01-01

Examined through mail surveys of youth, parents, and social workers the predictive value of selected risk and protective factors in explaining self-sufficiency skills of 219 ethnically diverse 12- to 15-year-olds in foster care. Found that protective factors related to greater self-sufficiency skills, and risk factors were negatively associated.…

How Can We as Parents and Educators Foster Metacognitive Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovac-Cerovic, Tunde

This Yugoslavian study aimed to describe the ways in which mothers are (or are not) using the opportunity, created by interacting with their children on tasks which are in the child's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), to foster the child's metacognitive development. The underlying assumption of this study on metacognition is derived from the…

In the Child's Best Interest: Terminating the Rights of Fathers with Children in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olmstead, Spencer B.; McWey, Lenore M.; Henderson, Tammy

2011-01-01

The authors conducted a content analysis of appellate court foster care cases in which fathers appealed the termination of their parental rights. Applying the Responsible Fathering framework to organize the contextual issues that impede men from responsibly fathering, the authors sought to learn what factors affect decisions regarding the…

Abused and Neglected Children in the Juvenile and Family Courts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Patricia J.

1994-01-01

Considers dilemma of juvenile and family court judges who decide whether it is in best interest of abused and neglected children to remain with parents or whether foster care or other substitute placement is necessary. Discusses changes in federal and state legislation over past decade. Includes views of children who have been in foster care. (NB)

IQ at age 12 following a history of institutional care: Findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project

PubMed Central

Almas, Alisa N.; Degnan, Kathryn A.; Nelson, Charles A.; Zeanah, Charles H.; Fox, Nathan A.

2016-01-01

Young children removed from institutions and placed into foster care or adoptive homes have been shown to experience significant gains in IQ relative to children who remain in institutions. Less is known about the long-term impact of severe early deprivation on development in late childhood. Data are presented from a follow-up of children at 12 years of age in the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized clinical trial of foster care for institutionally reared children. One hundred and seven of the original 136 children in the study were tested with the WISC IV. Results revealed continued benefit from the intervention through age 12, with 12-year-old children placed in foster care scoring significantly higher on full scale IQ compared to their peers who received prolonged institutional care. Longitudinal IQ data revealed two IQ profiles from early to late childhood. Attachment security emerged as a significant predictor of a profile of stable, typical IQ scores over time. We demonstrate the continued importance of foster care intervention and the negative effects of severe, early psychosocial deprivation on IQ into late childhood. PMID:27709994

IQ at age 12 following a history of institutional care: Findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project.

PubMed

Almas, Alisa N; Degnan, Kathryn A; Nelson, Charles A; Zeanah, Charles H; Fox, Nathan A

2016-11-01

Young children removed from institutions and placed into foster care or adoptive homes have been shown to experience significant gains in IQ relative to children who remain in institutions. Less is known about the long-term impact of severe early deprivation on development in late childhood. Data are presented from a follow-up of children at 12 years of age in the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized clinical trial of foster care for institutionally reared children. Of the original 136 children in the study, 107 were tested with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV. Results revealed continued benefit from the intervention through age 12, with 12-year-old children placed in foster care scoring significantly higher on full-scale IQ compared to their peers who received prolonged institutional care. Longitudinal IQ data revealed 2 IQ profiles from early to late childhood. Attachment security emerged as a significant predictor of a profile of stable, typical IQ scores over time. We demonstrate the continued importance of foster care intervention and the negative effects of severe, early psychosocial deprivation on IQ into late childhood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Parental Choice of Schools and Parents' Perceptions of Multicultural and Co-Existence Education: The Case of the Israeli Palestinian-Jewish Bilingual Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bekerman, Zvi; Tatar, Moshe

2009-01-01

The present research effort aims to better understand parental choice of the Israeli Palestinian-Jewish bilingual primary schools and its implications in contributing (or not) to fostering multicultural and co-existence educational efforts in conflict-ridden societies. The manuscript offers a short description of the educational initiative under…

The Actions of Headmasters and Headmistresses in Fostering Parent & Family Involvement in Low-Income Schools in Tamil Nadu, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shekar, Anupama

2013-01-01

Decades of research has examined the contribution of parent involvement to children's educational outcomes. Research has also attempted to identify meaningful involvement practices, taking place at home or in school and, as a result, measuring its effects on school, school staff and parents themselves. Despite the extensive research base, very…

[Enhancing development of children at risk and their parents by video counselling according to the Marte Meo method].

PubMed

Bünder, Peter

2011-01-01

Marte Meo is a low-intensity programme of counselling parents and other persons significantly involved with children which aims to foster parenting capacity and facilitate child development. The article describes a preliminary pilot study with the aim of identifying variables for the future evaluation of efficacy and effectiveness of the Marte Meo method.

Do Sensitive Parents Foster Kind Children, or Vice Versa? Bidirectional Influences between Children's Prosocial Behavior and Parental Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newton, Emily K.; Laible, Deborah; Carlo, Gustavo; Steele, Joel S.; McGinley, Meredith

2014-01-01

Bidirectional theories of social development have been around for over 40 years (Bell, 1968), yet they have been applied primarily to the study of antisocial development. In the present study, the reciprocal relationship between parenting behavior and children's socially competent behaviors were examined. Using the National Institute of Child…

Looking Backward and Framing the Future for Parents' Aspirations for Their Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turnbull, Rud; Turnbull, Ann

2015-01-01

This article frames the past and future role of the parents of children with disabilities within the context of special education. We highlight their past aspirations: to organize nationally to assert that their children could learn, to codify into law their children's right to an education, and to foster trust-based parent--professional…

Increasing Parent and Caregiver Understanding of the Power of Positive Interactions in Promoting Prosocial Behaviour in Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Pamela

The goal of the project presented in the practicum was to help parents develop competencies in interacting with their children in ways which foster self esteem and cooperative behavior. The objectives of the practicum included, first, increasing parents' knowledge of: (1) the factors leading to high self esteem and cooperative behavior; (2) the…

Mind-mindedness in parents of looked-after children.

PubMed

Fishburn, Sarah; Meins, Elizabeth; Greenhow, Sarah; Jones, Christine; Hackett, Simon; Biehal, Nina; Baldwin, Helen; Cusworth, Linda; Wade, Jim

2017-10-01

The studies reported here aimed to test the proposal that mind-mindedness is a quality of personal relationships by assessing mind-mindedness in caregiver-child dyads in which the relationship has not spanned the child's life or in which the relationship has been judged dysfunctional. Studies 1 and 2 investigated differences in mind-mindedness between adoptive parents (ns = 89, 36) and biological parents from the general population (ns = 54, 114). Both studies found lower mind-mindedness in adoptive compared with biological parents. The results of Study 2 showed that this group difference was independent of parental mental health and could not fully be explained in terms of children's behavioral difficulties. Study 3 investigated differences in mind-mindedness in foster carers (n = 122), parents whose children had been the subject of a child protection plan (n = 172), and a community sample of biological parents (n = 128). The level of mind-mindedness in foster carers and parents who were involved with child protection services was identical and lower than that in the community sample; children's behavioral difficulties could not account for the difference between the 2 groups of biological parents. In all 3 studies, nonbiological carers' tendency to describe their children with reference to preadoption or placement experiences was negatively related to mind-mindedness. These findings are in line with mind-mindedness being a relational construct. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Bringing Instructional Strategies Home: Reaching Families Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtiss, Sarah L.; Pearson, Jamie N.; Akamoglu, Yusuf; Fisher, Kim W.; Snodgrass, Melinda R.; Meyer, Lori E.; Meadan, Hedda; Halle, James W.

2016-01-01

Online family education can be challenging but rewarding for both families and practitioners. Parents of children with disabilities are integral in fostering children's early development and in promoting independence across the life span. Practitioners and parents working collaboratively can enhance this development. Collaboration between parents…

Financial Fraud and Child Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Allison Dare

2014-01-01

A modern form of abuse of children by parents and foster parents is to use the identity of children in their care for their own financial benefit, such as accessing their unused social security numbers to secure credit. This article reviews examples and implications of this identity theft.

28 CFR 570.42 - Non-medical escorted trips.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... member of an inmate's immediate family. For purposes of this rule, immediate family refers to mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, children, step-parents, and foster parents. (2) Non-emergency, non... persons (e.g., attending physician, hospital staff, funeral home staff, family members, U.S. Probation...

Intimate Relationship Challenges in Early Parenthood among Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Couples Adopting via the Child Welfare System

PubMed Central

Goldberg, Abbie E.; Kinkler, Lori A.; Moyer, April M.; Weber, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Little research has examined the transition to parenthood among couples who adopt through the child welfare system. The current qualitative study of 84 individuals within 42 couples (17 lesbian, 13 gay, and 12 heterosexual), who were placed with a child via foster care three months earlier, examined perceived changes in their intimate relationship. Findings indicated that, like heterosexual biological-parent couples, some adoptive parents perceived the loss of their partner’s undivided attention as stressful to the relationship. Adoption-specific stressors were also identified, including the need to find state-approved child care to facilitate “couple time” and the legal insecurity of foster-to-adopt placements. Although our findings were similar for heterosexual, lesbian, and gay adoptive parents, same-sex couples cited some additional stressors related to their sexual minority status. Findings have implications for individual, couple, and family practitioners who work with lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents, particularly during their transition to parenthood. PMID:25177080

Influence of parental education, childhood adversities, and current living conditions on daily smoking in early adulthood.

PubMed

Kestilä, Laura; Koskinen, Seppo; Martelin, Tuija; Rahkonen, Ossi; Pensola, Tiina; Pirkola, Sami; Patja, Kristiina; Aromaa, Arpo

2006-12-01

To assess the association of parental education, childhood living conditions and adversities with daily smoking in early adulthood and to analyse the effect of the respondent's own education, main economic activity, and current family structure on these associations. The study is based on a representative two-stage cluster sample (N = 1894, participation rate 79%) of young adults aged 18-29, in 2000, in Finland. The outcome measure is daily smoking. Parental smoking and the respondent's own education had the strongest effects on daily smoking. If both parents of the respondent were smokers, then the respondent was most likely to be a smoker too (for men OR (odds ratio) = 3.01, for women OR = 2.41 after all adjustments). Young adults in the lowest educational category had a much higher risk of daily smoking than those in the highest category (OR = 5.88 for women, 4.48 for men). For women parental divorce (OR = 2.31) and current family structure also determined daily smoking. Parental education had a strong gradient in daily smoking and the effect appeared to be mediated largely by the respondent's own educational level. Childhood living conditions are strong determinants of daily smoking. Much of their influence seems to be mediated through current living conditions, which are also determined by childhood conditions. Determinants of smoking behaviour are developed throughout the life course. The findings stress the importance of the respondent's education and parental smoking as determinants of smoking behaviour. Our results support the notion that intervention on smoking initiation and cessation should be considered throughout the life course. Parental involvement in fostering non-smoking would be important.

Engaging Adolescent Youth in Foster Care through Photography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Karen; Girvin, Heather; Primak, Sarah

2014-01-01

Older youth in foster care are particularly vulnerable because they are poorly prepared for the transition from foster care to independent adulthood. Interventions designed to assist in this transition rarely engage youth directly; plans are made for youth rather than with them. Photographs can serve as an externalised medium for the expression of…

Portraiture of constructivist parental involvement: A model to develop a community of practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dignam, Christopher Anthony

This qualitative research study addressed the problem of the lack of parental involvement in secondary school science. Increasing parental involvement is vital in supporting student academic achievement and social growth. The purpose of this emergent phenomenological study was to identify conditions required to successfully construct a supportive learning environment to form partnerships between students, parents, and educators. The overall research question in this study investigated the conditions necessary to successfully enlist parental participation with students during science inquiry investigations at the secondary school level. One hundred thirteen pairs of parents and students engaged in a 6-week scientific inquiry activity and recorded attitudinal data in dialogue journals, questionnaires, open-ended surveys, and during one-one-one interviews conducted by the researcher between individual parents and students. Comparisons and cross-interpretations of inter-rater, codified, triangulated data were utilized for identifying emergent themes. Data analysis revealed the active involvement of parents in researching with their child during inquiry investigations, engaging in journaling, and assessing student performance fostered partnerships among students, parents, and educators and supported students' social skills development. The resulting model, employing constructivist leadership and enlisting parent involvement, provides conditions and strategies required to develop a community of practice that can help effect social change. The active involvement of parents fostered improved efficacy and a holistic mindset to develop in parents, students, and teachers. Based on these findings, the interactive collaboration of parents in science learning activities can proactively facilitate a community of practice that will assist educators in facilitating social change.

Cultivating Resilience in Families Who Foster: Understanding How Families Cope and Adapt Over Time.

PubMed

Lietz, Cynthia A; Julien-Chinn, Francie J; Geiger, Jennifer M; Hayes Piel, Megan

2016-12-01

Families who foster offer essential care for children and youth when their own parents are unable to provide for their safety and well-being. Foster caregivers face many challenges including increased workload, emotional distress, and the difficulties associated with health and mental health problems that are more common in children in foster care. Despite these stressors, many families are able to sustain fostering while maintaining or enhancing functioning of their unit. This qualitative study applied an adaptational process model of family resilience that emerged in previous studies to examine narratives of persistent, long-term, and multiple fostering experiences. Data corroborated previous research in two ways. Family resilience was again described as a transactional process of coping and adaptation that evolves over time. This process was cultivated through the activation of 10 family strengths that are important in different ways, during varied phases. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Systematic review of the efficacy of parenting interventions for children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Whittingham, K; Wee, D; Boyd, R

2011-07-01

This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of parenting interventions (i.e. behavioural family intervention and parent training) with parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) on child behavioural outcomes and parenting style/skill outcomes. The following databases were searched: Medline (1950-April 2010), PubMed (1951-April 2010), PsycINFO (1840-April 2010), CINAHL (1982-April 2010) and Web of Science (1900-April 2010). No randomized clinical trials of parenting interventions with parents of children with CP were identified. Three studies were identified that involved the examination of a targeted parenting intervention via a pre-post design. Interventions utilized included the implementation of parenting interventions in conjunction with behavioural intervention and oral motor exercises for children with CP and feeding difficulties, the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk programme and a Functional Communication Training programme for parents. All studies found changes in relevant child behavioural outcomes. The studies reviewed suggest that parenting interventions may be an effective intervention for parents of children with CP. However, the current research is limited to pre-post designs of targeted parenting interventions (e.g. parenting interventions focused upon communication). A randomized controlled trial of parenting interventions for families of children with CP is urgently needed to address this paucity in the literature and provide families of children with CP with an evidence-based intervention to address child behavioural and emotional problems as well as parenting challenges. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Value Added?: Teachers' Investments in and Orientations toward Parent Involvement in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schecter, Sandra R.; Sherri, Dana L.

2009-01-01

Research suggests that community-referenced pedagogy initiatives foster academic inclusion for minority students. However, we know little about such engagements' benefits for teachers. This study provides insights into teachers' dispositions toward school-based parent involvement in education based on ethnographic data collected through…

Parents, Participation, Partnership: Problematising New Zealand Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Angel; Ritchie, Jenny

2016-01-01

This article interrogates notions of teacher "partnership with parents" within early childhood care and education settings in the context of Aotearoa (New Zealand). "Te Whariki," the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, clearly positions children's learning and development as being fostered when their families' cultures and…

In search of connection: The foster youth and caregiver relationship

PubMed Central

Storer, Heather L.; Barkan, Susan E.; Stenhouse, Linnea L.; Eichenlaub, Caroline; Mallillin, Anastasia; Haggerty, Kevin P.

2015-01-01

Placement instability is an ongoing challenge for the 125,000 foster youth aged 14 – 18 that are living in foster care, with youth living in approximately 3 placements before aging out of the system. Despite the importance caring adult relationships can play in promoting positive youth development and resiliency, there has been limited inquiry into the characteristics of the foster youth and caregiver relationship. The goal of this paper is to provide a descriptive account of the foster youth and caregiver relationship, and explore what qualities and experiences foster youth desire from their caregivers. Qualitative data were gathered from 9 focus groups. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis approaches. Foster youth, caregivers, and child welfare staff described relationships lacking in formative bonds and connection, where youth didn’t “fit in”, and chaotic homes marked by reactivity and judgment. Characteristics of supportive foster homes include a sense of belonging, structure, guidance, and consistency. This research underscores the important role positive relationships can play in foster youth’s feelings of well-being and points to the need for foster parent training to include tangible strategies to develop stronger bonds. PMID:26052173

Evaluation of an Intervention to Foster Time Perspective and Career Decidedness in a Group of Italian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrari, Lea; Nota, Laura; Soresi, Salvatore

2012-01-01

A structured 10-didactic unit intervention was devised to foster adolescents' time perspective and career decidedness. The study was conducted with 50 adolescents who were selected from a group of 624; 25 of the participants were randomly assigned to the control group and 25 were assigned to the experimental group. They were selected according to…

A systematic review of parenting interventions for traumatic brain injury: child and parent outcomes.

PubMed

Brown, Felicity Louise; Whittingham, Koa; Boyd, Roslyn; Sofronoff, Kate

2013-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of parenting interventions on child and parent behavioral and emotional outcomes for parents of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Systematic searches of 5 databases. Included studies were assessed for quality, and relevant data were extracted and collated. Eight articles met inclusion criteria, reporting 6 trials of interventions involving parent training for parents of children with TBI. Only 1 pre-post study trialed a version of a traditional parenting intervention. The remaining studies involved a multicomponent family problem-solving intervention. Each trial found a statistically significant intervention effect for at least 1 outcome measure. Interventions that train parents may be a useful approach to alleviate behavioral and emotional disturbances after pediatric TBI. Some evidence suggests that these interventions may help to improve parenting skill and adjustment. However, all identified studies included interventions with multiple treatment components, so the effects attributable to parent training alone remain undetermined. Further quality trials are needed to assess the unique effectiveness of parenting interventions in this population.

Parental Rights and the Foster Care System: A Glimpse of Decision Making in Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McWey, Lenore M.; Henderson, Tammy L.; Alexander, Jenny Burroughs

2008-01-01

Using ecological theory and a mixed-methods approach, the authors examined family-court interactions for foster care decisions made in Virginia across three policy periods: 1980 to 1993, 1994 to 1997, and 1997 to present (N = 95). For the first and last policy periods, quantitative analyses revealed significant differences in the rates at which…

The Effects of a Contingency Contracting Program on the Nocturnal Enuresis of Three Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stover, Anthony C.; Dunlap, Glen; Neff, Bryon

2008-01-01

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a contingency contracting program to eliminate nocturnal enuresis of three children ages 5 to 12. Methods: The program was implemented by the children's primary caregivers, two of whom were foster parents and the third a case worker in the foster care system. The program was a package…

Fostering resilience in National Guard and Reserve families: A contextual adaptation of an evidence-based parenting program.

PubMed

Pinna, Keri L M; Hanson, Sheila; Zhang, Na; Gewirtz, Abigail H

2017-01-01

Military deployment of a parent is a risk factor for children's internalizing and externalizing problems. This risk may be heightened in National Guard and Reserve (NG/R) families who tend to be isolated from other NG/R families and do not benefit from the centralized support system available to active duty families living on military bases. Isolation and trauma-related disorders may complicate the adjustment of military families during reintegration. An evidence-based parent training intervention was modified to meet the unique needs of recently deployed NG/R parents and their spouses, and the modified program was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. The current study examines engagement and satisfaction with the program. Modifications such as employment of military-connected facilitators sought to maximize engagement in and satisfaction with the program. Engagement and satisfaction were examined between mothers and fathers, as well as between groups led by a military-connected facilitator and those led by civilian facilitators. Significantly greater engagement was noted for groups that were led by a military-connected facilitator (p = .01). There were no differences between genders in attendance rates, though greater positive group experiences were reported by mothers versus fathers (p = .01). Results are discussed in the context of engagement and satisfaction reported for similar programs. Implications for working with military families are also considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Social, cultural and environmental influences on child activity and eating in Australian migrant communities.

PubMed

Green, J; Waters, E; Haikerwal, A; O'Neill, C; Raman, S; Booth, M L; Gibbons, K

2003-11-01

This study set out to examine the socio-cultural, familial and environmental factors influencing health, eating habits and patterns of physical activity contributing to child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Semi-structured, community-based interviews were conducted with contrasting key informant three-generation families; and generation by generation focus groups of grandparents, parents and children from four cultural communities in the state of Victoria, Australia. Purposive sampling occurred from Turkish, Greek, Indian and Chinese communities that have migrated to Australia within the last three generations (n = 160, eight families, 47 children aged 5-15 years, 29 parents, 42 grandparents). Evidence of two-way influences on eating and physical activity across three generations was evident, with children reporting the greatest cross-cultural diversity. A range of dietary restrictions was reported across all cultural groups. Efforts to foster healthy eating and lifestyle patterns within communities were evident. Parents, as a generation in particular, felt the need for more access to education and support regarding healthy limits for pre-puberty and puberty stages. There is a dynamic influence of culture on many aspects of family lifestyle across three generations. To achieve successful intervention design, childhood obesity researchers need to collaborate with diverse groups and communities. Considering the role and influence of extended family, a multigenerational, whole-of-community approach beyond that of parent and child populations ought to be considered.

Children Living with Substance-Dependent or Substance-Abusing Parents: 2002 to 2007. The NSDUH Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2009

2009-01-01

This issue of "The NSDUH Report" examines the number of children living with substance-dependent or substance-abusing parents. It focuses on biological, step-, adoptive, and foster children under 18 years of age who were living with one or both parents at the time of the survey interview. All findings are based on annual averages from the…

The Relationship between Parental Involvement, Self-Regulated Learning, and Reading Achievement of Fifth Graders: A Path Analysis Using the ECLS-K Database

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Min; Kushner Benson, Susan N.; Mudrey-Camino, Renee; Steiner, Richard P.

2010-01-01

This study examined the relationship between parental involvement, self-regulated learning (SRL), and reading achievement through analyzing the fifth grade data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K). The results identified six dimensions of parental involvement that are likely to foster SRL of fifth…

Developmental Outcomes of Foster Children: A Meta-Analytic Comparison With Children From the General Population and Children at Risk Who Remained at Home.

PubMed

Goemans, Anouk; van Geel, Mitch; van Beem, Merel; Vedder, Paul

2016-08-01

Foster care is often preferred to other placement options for children in the child welfare system. However, it is not clear how the developmental outcomes of foster children relate to children in other living arrangements. In this study, a series of meta-analyses are performed to compare the cognitive, adaptive, and behavioral functioning of children placed in foster care (n = 2,305) with children at risk who remained with their biological parents (n = 4,335) and children from the general population (n = 4,971). A systematic literature search in PsycINFO, Medline, ERIC, and ProQuest identified 31 studies suitable for inclusion (N = 11,611). Results showed that foster children had generally lower levels of functioning than children from the general population. No clear differences were found between foster children and children at risk who remained at home, but both groups experienced developmental problems. Improving the quality of foster care and future research to identify which children are best served by either foster care or in-home services are recommended. © The Author(s) 2016.

25 CFR 23.71 - Recordkeeping and information availability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... the age of 18, the adoptive or foster parents of an Indian child, or an Indian tribe, the Division of... enrollment information relating to an adopted Indian child where the biological parents have by affidavit... 23.71 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN CHILD...

25 CFR 23.71 - Recordkeeping and information availability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the age of 18, the adoptive or foster parents of an Indian child, or an Indian tribe, the Division of... enrollment information relating to an adopted Indian child where the biological parents have by affidavit... 23.71 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN CHILD...

25 CFR 23.71 - Recordkeeping and information availability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the age of 18, the adoptive or foster parents of an Indian child, or an Indian tribe, the Division of... enrollment information relating to an adopted Indian child where the biological parents have by affidavit... 23.71 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN CHILD...

25 CFR 23.71 - Recordkeeping and information availability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... the age of 18, the adoptive or foster parents of an Indian child, or an Indian tribe, the Division of... enrollment information relating to an adopted Indian child where the biological parents have by affidavit... 23.71 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN CHILD...

25 CFR 23.71 - Recordkeeping and information availability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... the age of 18, the adoptive or foster parents of an Indian child, or an Indian tribe, the Division of... enrollment information relating to an adopted Indian child where the biological parents have by affidavit... 23.71 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN CHILD...

Sibling Socialization: The Effects of Stressful Life Events and Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conger, Katherine J.; Stocker, Clare; McGuire, Shirley

2009-01-01

Stressful life events and experiences may disrupt the typical day-to-day interactions between sisters and brothers that provide the foundation of sibling socialization. This chapter examines four experiences that may affect patterns of sibling interaction: parental marital conflict, parental divorce and remarriage, foster care placement, and a…

Montana Kindergarten Handbook: Self Concept through Developmentally Appropriate Practices. 1991 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malo, Eve; Bullard, Julie

This handbook was developed to assist educators and parents in fostering children's self-concept through developmentally appropriate kindergarten experiences. Guidelines for parental involvement, classroom volunteers, and families under stress are included. The handbook describes basic characteristics of children from ages 3-8 in terms of…

Testing aspects of Carl Rogers's theory of creative environments: child-rearing antecedents of creative potential in young adolescents.

PubMed

Harrington, D M; Block, J H; Block, J

1987-04-01

Longitudinal data involving 106 children and their parents were used to test preschool child-rearing implications of Carl Rogers's theory of creativity-fostering environments (Rogers, 1954). Indices were developed for each parent and for each mother-father combination that reflected the degree to which the parents' child-rearing practices and interactions with their preschool children matched the recommendations implicit in Rogers's description of a creativity-fostering environment. The three indices of Rogers-prescribed child-rearing practices each correlated positively (rs = .38 to .46) and significantly (all ps less than .001) with a composite index of creative potential in early adolescence, 7 to 11 years later. Rogers-prescribed preschool child-rearing practices also emerged as significant antecedents of adolescent creative potential in regression/path analyses that held constant the influence of sex, preschool intelligence, and preschool creative potential. Theoretical and methodological aspects of the study are discussed.

Does Neglect Moderate the Impact of an Efficacious Preventive Intervention for Maltreated Children in Foster Care?

PubMed Central

Taussig, Heather N.; Culhane, Sara E.; Garrido, Edward; Knudtson, Michael D.; Petrenko, Christie L. M.

2015-01-01

Physically neglected youth are at increased risk for mental health problems, but there are few interventions that have demonstrated efficacy in reducing mental health symptoms for this vulnerable population. The Fostering Healthy Futures (FHF) program, which consists of mentoring and skills groups, was developed for preadolescent youth in foster care. In a published randomized controlled trial with 156 youth, FHF demonstrated positive impacts on mental health functioning. The current study sought to determine whether FHF might be particularly effective in ameliorating the impact of neglectful family environments. Because it was not possible to isolate a neglected-only subgroup, as most children with physical neglect histories had experienced other types of maltreatment, we tested the hypothesis that intervention effects would be stronger among children with more severe physical neglect. Findings did not support this hypothesis, however, as severity of physical neglect did not significantly moderate the impact of the intervention on psychosocial outcomes PMID:23076837

Parents' psychological adjustment in families of children with Spina Bifida: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Vermaes, Ignace PR; Janssens, Jan MAM; Bosman, Anna MT; Gerris, Jan RM

2005-01-01

Background Spina Bifida (SB) is the second most common birth defect worldwide. Since the chances of survival in children with severe SB-forms have increased, medical care has shifted its emphasis from life-saving interventions to fostering the quality of life for these children and their families. Little is known, however, about the impact of SB on family adjustment. Reviewers have struggled to synthesize the few contradictory studies available. In this systematic review a new attempt was made to summarize the findings by using meta-analysis and by delimiting the scope of review to one concept of family adjustment: Parents' psychological adjustment. The questions addressed were: (a) do parents of children with SB have more psychological distress than controls? (b) do mothers and fathers differ? and (c) which factors correlate with variations in psychological adjustment? Methods PsycInfo, Medline, and reference lists were scanned. Thirty-three relevant studies were identified of which 15 were eligible for meta-analysis. Results SB had a negative medium-large effect on parents' psychological adjustment. The effect was more heterogeneous for mothers than for fathers. In the reviewed studies child factors (age, conduct problems, emotional problems, and mental retardation), parent factors (SES, hope, appraised stress, coping, and parenting competence), family factors (family income, partner relationship, and family climate), and environmental factors (social support) were found to be associated with variations in parents' psychological adjustment. Conclusion Meta-analysis proved to be helpful in organizing studies. Clinical implications indicate a need to be especially alert to psychological suffering in mothers of children with SB. Future research should increase sample sizes through multi-center collaborations. PMID:16120229

Relationship Themes Present between Parents and Children in Recovery Homes

PubMed Central

Isler, Brandon; Mineau, Megan; Hunter, Bronwyn; Callahan, Sarah; Gelfman, Noah; Bustos, Yvita; Dovale, Isabel; Peterson, Andrew; Jason, Leonard A.

2017-01-01

Approximately 12.5% of children have a parent with a substance use disorder. These children are likely to experience developmental delays, especially if they are placed into foster care. Oxford House recovery homes provide a useful setting that allows children to live with their parents after treatment for substance use. A sample of parents and their children who lived in Oxford Houses were interviewed, using mixed methods, and the outcomes suggest that Oxford Houses may provide a stable and supportive setting for parents and their children. PMID:28839346

“Everyone just keeps their eyes closed and their fingers crossed”: Sexual health communication among black parents and children in Nova Scotia, Canada

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Black Canadian youth remain disproportionally affected by an array of social and health issues, including sexually transmitted infections. While research exists in support of the involvement of parents as a key means to prevent or modify harmful behaviours among youth, less is known about how parent–child communication can serve as a prevention intervention strategy within Black families in Canada. This study explores sexual health communication between Black parents and youth in Nova Scotia and identifies facilitators, obstacles and issues that families face in dialoguing about sexual health. Methods Focus groups and in-depth interview sessions were held with a diverse sample of parents of Black youth, health and education professionals, and Black youth in Nova Scotia, as part of a larger study aimed at exploring parent–child communication on sexual health and HIV. The research team worked in partnership with and received feedback from key informants and a community advisory committee throughout the various stages of this study. All sessions were audio-taped with permission and thematic analysis was carried out on the verbatim transcripts. Results Six key themes emerged from the data analysis in relation to parent–child communication within Black families in Nova Scotia: 1. the gendered nature of [sexual] health communication; 2. fear and uncertainty as obstacles; 3. open and honest dialogue from an early age as a facilitator; 4. media as both a catalyst and a barrier; 5. peers as a catalyst; and 6. time constraints as an obstacle. Conclusions The findings of this study reveal that parent–child communication regarding sexual health promotion within Black families in Nova Scotia remains varied and is heavily affected by a myriad of intersecting determinants of health faced by Black youth and their parents. Health promotion interventions aimed at fostering and supporting parent–child communication on sexual health must simultaneously target both parents and youth and further, such efforts must engage a high level of cultural competency in order to better meet the needs of this population. PMID:23876177

Mexican American female adolescents' perceptions of relationships and dating violence.

PubMed

Haglund, Kristin; Belknap, Ruth Ann; Garcia, Juanita Terrie

2012-09-01

This study fills a gap regarding the perspectives of Mexican American female adolescents on dating relationships and dating violence (DV). This was a qualitative descriptive study. Focus groups included 20 Mexican American young women, primarily first and second generation, mean age 14.5 years (SD= 2.5). Data were analyzed with categorical analysis. Participants described key components of DV and identified cultural aspects that may serve to promote healthy dating relationships. Family-based interventions to promote exploration of gender roles and parent-child communication may foster biculturalism as well as promote healthy dating relationships and prevent violence within this cultural group. In the United States, 10% to 40% of teens experience DV. Hispanic females experience more physical DV than their White peers. © 2012 Sigma Theta Tau International.

"Don't Sell Them Dreams without the Foundations": Collaboration for the Transitional Needs of Foster Care Adolescents with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palladino, John

2006-01-01

The 1999 Revisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA), confirmed the legal role of foster parents in special education decision making on behalf of the youth in their care. The present study responded with a multiple case study of seven…

Intervention studies to foster resilience - A systematic review and proposal for a resilience framework in future intervention studies.

PubMed

Chmitorz, A; Kunzler, A; Helmreich, I; Tüscher, O; Kalisch, R; Kubiak, T; Wessa, M; Lieb, K

2018-02-01

Psychological resilience refers to the phenomenon that many people are able to adapt to the challenges of life and maintain mental health despite exposure to adversity. This has stimulated research on training programs to foster psychological resilience. We evaluated concepts, methods and designs of 43 randomized controlled trials published between 1979 and 2014 which assessed the efficacy of such training programs and propose standards for future intervention research based on recent developments in the field. We found that concepts, methods and designs in current resilience intervention studies are of limited use to properly assess efficacy of interventions to foster resilience. Major problems are the use of definitions of resilience as trait or a composite of resilience factors, the use of unsuited assessment instruments, and inappropriate study designs. To overcome these challenges, we propose 1) an outcome-oriented definition of resilience, 2) an outcome-oriented assessment of resilience as change in mental health in relation to stressor load, and 3) methodological standards for suitable study designs of future intervention studies. Our proposals may contribute to an improved quality of resilience intervention studies and may stimulate further progress in this growing research field. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Who Mothers Mommy? Factors That Contribute to Mothers’ Well-Being

PubMed Central

Luthar, Suniya S.; Ciciolla, Lucia

2015-01-01

Developmental science is replete with studies on the impact of mothers on their children, but little is known about what might best help caregivers to function well themselves. In an initial effort to address this gap, we conducted an internet-based study of over 2,000 mostly well-educated mothers, seeking to illuminate salient risk and protective processes associated with their personal well-being. When women's feelings in the parenting role were considered along with dimensions of personal support as predictors, the latter set explained at least as much variance -- and often much more -- across dimensions of mothers’ personal well-being. Within the latter set of personal support predictors, findings showed that four had particularly robust links with mothers’ personal adjustment: Their feeling unconditionally loved, feeling comforted when in distress, authenticity in relationships, and satisfaction with friendships. Partner satisfaction had some associations with personal adjustment outcomes, but being married in itself had negligible effects. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for future research, and for interventions aimed at fostering resilience among mothers facing high level of stress in their role as parents. PMID:26501725

Study protocol: evaluation of an online, father-inclusive, universal parenting intervention to reduce child externalising behaviours and improve parenting practices.

PubMed

Tully, Lucy A; Piotrowska, Patrycja J; Collins, Daniel A J; Mairet, Kathleen S; Hawes, David J; Kimonis, Eva R; Lenroot, Rhoshel K; Moul, Caroline; Anderson, Vicki; Frick, Paul J; Dadds, Mark R

2017-06-19

Parenting interventions that focus on enhancing the quality and consistency of parenting are effective for preventing and reducing externalising problems in children. There has been a recent shift towards online delivery of parenting interventions in order to increase their reach and impact on the population prevalence of child externalising problems. Parenting interventions have low rates of father participation yet research suggests that father involvement may be critical to the success of the intervention. Despite this, no online parenting interventions have been specifically developed to meet the needs and preferences of fathers, as well as mothers. This paper describes the protocol of a study examining the effectiveness of an online, father-inclusive parenting intervention called 'ParentWorks', which will be delivered as a universal intervention to Australian families. A single group clinical trial will be conducted to examine the effectiveness of ParentWorks for reducing child externalising problems and improving parenting, as well as to explore the impact of father engagement (in two-parent families) on child outcomes. Australian parents/caregivers with a child aged 2-16 years will be recruited. Participants will provide informed consent, complete pre-intervention measures and will then complete the intervention, which consists of five compulsory video modules and three optional modules. The primary outcomes for this study are changes in child externalising behaviour, positive and dysfunctional parenting practices and parental conflict, and the secondary outcome is changes in parental mental health. Demographic information, satisfaction with the intervention, and measures of parental engagement will also be collected. Questionnaire data will be collected at pre-intervention, post-intervention and three-month follow-up, as well as throughout the program. This paper describes the study protocol of a single group clinical trial of a national, online, father-inclusive parenting intervention. The results from this study could be used to inform public policy about providing support to parents of children with behaviour problems, and enhancing the engagement of fathers in parenting interventions. ACTRN12616001223426 , registered 05/09/2016.

[The social portrait of substitute families and modes of development of medical pedagogical monitoring].

PubMed

Aver'ianova, N I; Khanova, N A

2014-01-01

The study demonstrated that in Russia the major cause of orphanage is a social life-style of biological parents of orphan children. The substitute families are more often large with number of children from 3 to 8 and quarter of them are incomplete. The mean age of substitute parent consists 47.8 ± 1.4 years. The leading motivation to take orphan child/or education in family is the availability of kindred relationship regarding child or "deserted nest syndrome". At the initial phase of establishing of substitute family the most of substitute parents/tutors face with problems of health status and behavioral deviations of foster children. The substitute parents are unsatisfied with quality of medical monitoring of foster children. They also suffer fromdeficiency of information concerning characteristics of development, health conditions and modes of rehabilitation of children. In the judgment of substitute parents/tutors placing child into family conditions effects positively on one's development and health, behavior and emotional background. In substitute families, conditions organized for children can be named as approximated to conditions of residing in biological (home) families. The system of medical psychological and pedagogical monitoring of children of this category is needed in further development.

A matter of attachment? How adoptive parents foster post-institutionalized children's social and emotional adjustment.

PubMed

Barone, Lavinia; Lionetti, Francesca; Green, Jonathan

2017-08-01

The current study investigates the contribution of children's age at adoption (M = 46.52 months, SD = 11.52 months) and parents' attachment on post-institutionalized children's attachment and social-emotional adjustment. A total of 132 subjects, 48 post-institutionalized children aged 3-5 years, and their adoptive parents, took part in the study. One year from adoption, children's attachment distribution was as follows: 31% secure, 42% disorganized, and 27% insecure. Parents' secure attachment increased children's probability of presenting a secure attachment pattern; specifically, mothers' attachment patterns were most strongly associated with those of their adopted children, with fathers' making an additional contribution. Two years from adoption, secure children showed more adequate social competences than their insecure and disorganized peers and presented better emotional comprehension. The effect of age at adoption was delimited to a marginal association with behavioral problems. This pattern of associations suggests that attachment - both of adoptive parents and of children - substantially fosters social-emotional adjustment of post-institutionalized children who have experienced a period in emotionally neglecting environments beyond their first year of life, regardless of their age at adoption. Implications for policies and practices are discussed.

How does family drug treatment court participation affect child welfare outcomes?

PubMed

Gifford, Elizabeth Joanne; Eldred, Lindsey Morgan; Vernerey, Allison; Sloan, Frank Allen

2014-10-01

Parental substance use is a risk factor for child maltreatment. Family drug treatment courts (FDTCs) have emerged in the United States as a policy option to treat the underlying condition and promote family preservation. This study examines the effectiveness of FDTCs in North Carolina on child welfare outcomes. Data come from North Carolina records from child protection services, court system, and birth records. Three types of parental participation in a FDTC are considered: referral, enrolling, and completing an FDTC. The sample includes 566 children who were placed into foster care and whose parents participated in a FDTC program. Findings indicate that children of parents who were referred but did not enroll or who enrolled but did not complete had longer stays in foster care than children of completers. Reunification rates for children of completers were also higher. Outcomes for children in the referred and enrolled groups did not differ in the multivariate analyses. While effective substance use treatment services for parents may help preserve families, future research should examine factors for improving participation and completion rates as well as factors involved in scaling programs so that more families are served. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Case Study of Elementary School Parents as Agents for Summer Reading Gain: Fostering a Summer Leap and Holding Steady

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Lynette; Reid, Charlene

2017-01-01

This case study examines the role of parents as situationally positioned educators during summer months. It illuminates the processes employed by a public charter school to empower parents to support student learning. The study is an action research case study of one school in a small network of schools. The goal was to determine the effectiveness…

The impact of parent involvement in an effective adolescent risk reduction intervention on sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes

PubMed Central

Wang, Bo; Stanton, Bonita; Deveaux, Lynette; Li, Xiaoming; Koci, Veronica; Lunn, Sonja

2014-01-01

Parent involvement in prevention efforts targeting adolescents increases the impact of such programs. However, the majority of risk-reduction intervention programs that are implemented through schools do not include parents, in part because most existing parental interventions require significant time commitment by parents. We designed a brief parent-adolescent sexual risk communication intervention to be delivered with an effective HIV prevention intervention as part of a randomized, controlled trial among 2564 grade 10 students and their parents in The Bahamas. Mixed effects modeling analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the brief parent-adolescent communication intervention using four waves of longitudinal data. Results indicate that a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention is effective in improving parent-adolescent communication on sex-related issues and perceived parental monitoring as well as the youth's condom use skills and self-efficacy. There is a marginal effect on consistent condom use. In addition, there is an apparent dose effect of the brief parent intervention on perceived parent-adolescent sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes. These findings suggest that adolescent risk reduction interventions should include a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention which should be reinforced by periodic boosters in order to enhance the impact of adolescent HIV prevention programs. PMID:25490732

The impact of parent involvement in an effective adolescent risk reduction intervention on sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Stanton, Bonita; Deveaux, Lynette; Li, Xiaoming; Koci, Veronica; Lunn, Sonja

2014-12-01

Parent involvement in prevention efforts targeting adolescents increases the impact of such programs. However, the majority of risk-reduction intervention programs that are implemented through schools do not include parents, in part because most existing parental interventions require significant time commitment by parents. We designed a brief parent-adolescent sexual risk communication intervention to be delivered with an effective HIV prevention intervention as part of a randomized, controlled trial among 2,564 grade 10 students and their parents in the Bahamas. Mixed effects modeling analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the brief parent-adolescent communication intervention using four waves of longitudinal data. Results indicate that a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention is effective in improving parent-adolescent communication on sex-related issues and perceived parental monitoring as well as the youth's condom use skills and self-efficacy. There is a marginal effect on consistent condom use. In addition, there is an apparent dose effect of the brief parent intervention on perceived parent-adolescent sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes. These findings suggest that adolescent risk reduction interventions should include a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention that should be reinforced by periodic boosters in order to enhance the impact of adolescent HIV prevention programs.

Adverse family experiences among children in nonparental care, 2011-2012.

PubMed

Bramlett, Matthew D; Radel, Laura F

2014-05-07

This report presents estimates of the proportion of children who have experienced selected adverse family events by the number of biological parents in the household, with a focus on comparisons among subgroups of children in nonparental care defined by caregiver type. Data were drawn from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally representative telephone survey of households with children conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Children in nonparental care were 2.7 times as likely as children living with two biological parents to have had at least one adverse experience, and more than 2 times as likely as children living with one biological parent and about 30 times as likely as children living with two biological parents to have had four or more adverse experiences. More than one-half of children in foster care had experienced caregiver violence or caregiver incarceration and almost two-thirds had lived with someone with an alcohol or drug problem. Estimates for children in other nonparental care subgroups were lower than for foster care, but still elevated above those of children living with biological parents. Children in nonparental care, especially those in foster care, are particularly likely to have experienced adverse family events. These events could have occurred at any time in the child's life and could have preceded or contributed to the child's current living situation. Nevertheless, children in nonparental care may be vulnerable to poorer health and well-being outcomes that are often associated with having had adverse experiences. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Foster family care review by judicial-citizen panels: an evaluation.

PubMed

Lindsey, E W; Wodarski, J S

1986-01-01

The findings of this study are mixed. In general, after one year of judicial-citizen review, there is no clear indication that this alternative to internal case review has led to more positive outcomes for children in foster care. This finding should be heartening to public child welfare agency personnel whose motivation for accountability has been called into question by proponents of external foster care review. At least when compared with a new citizen review system, the already existing internal review system measured up quite well. Although the study did not indicate a clear pattern of more positive outcomes for the study group, there is evidence of some favorable characteristics of CRPs that may show promise for the future. With additional training in developing behaviorally measurable and time-limited parental objectives, citizen panels may be able to maintain some of their initial strength in this area. Increased involvement of juvenile court judges in cases where little or no progress is made could motivate some parents to meet specified objectives and speed up the process of terminating parental rights when no progress has been demonstrated within specified time periods. The data also indicate a need for some adjustment to the process used to involve parents in case reviews. Another potentially positive outcome was highlighted during interviews with the juvenile court judges and the DFCS staff in the three study counties. Many of these respondents believed that the process had the potential for moving children out of foster care more quickly than does the internal review process. In addition to this primary goal, however, respondents were excited about the potential for heightened community awareness and education as citizens come to understand more about the plight of foster children and family conditions that can lead to placement. Interviews with panel members themselves indicated a definite belief that the community needed to accept more responsibility for children in foster care. One panel member's comment reflects the general sentiment expressed by other respondents: "These are kids we used to call 'those kids,' but now they are 'our kids'." It is hoped that the judicial-citizen review process will help to create a community environment in which needed resources can be developed both to prevent placement and to provide more support for families and children when placement occurs. This is the sentiment of the three juvenile court judges and almost all DFCS staff members who were interviewed, when they asserted that they felt the CRP process should be continued and expanded statewide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The NOURISH randomised control trial: positive feeding practices and food preferences in early childhood - a primary prevention program for childhood obesity.

PubMed

Daniels, Lynne A; Magarey, Anthea; Battistutta, Diana; Nicholson, Jan M; Farrell, Ann; Davidson, Geoffrey; Cleghorn, Geoffrey

2009-10-14

Primary prevention of childhood overweight is an international priority. In Australia 20-25% of 2-8 year olds are already overweight. These children are at substantially increased the risk of becoming overweight adults, with attendant increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Early feeding practices determine infant exposure to food (type, amount, frequency) and include responses (eg coercion) to infant feeding behaviour (eg. food refusal). There is correlational evidence linking parenting style and early feeding practices to child eating behaviour and weight status. A focus on early feeding is consistent with the national focus on early childhood as the foundation for life-long health and well being. The NOURISH trial aims to implement and evaluate a community-based intervention to promote early feeding practices that will foster healthy food preferences and intake and preserve the innate capacity to self-regulate food intake in young children. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to recruit 820 first-time mothers and their healthy term infants. A consecutive sample of eligible mothers will be approached postnatally at major maternity hospitals in Brisbane and Adelaide. Initial consent will be for re-contact for full enrolment when the infants are 4-7 months old. Individual mother- infant dyads will be randomised to usual care or the intervention. The intervention will provide anticipatory guidance via two modules of six fortnightly parent education and peer support group sessions, each followed by six months of regular maintenance contact. The modules will commence when the infants are aged 4-7 and 13-16 months to coincide with establishment of solid feeding, and autonomy and independence, respectively. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, with follow up at nine and 18 months. These will include infant intake (type and amount of foods), food preferences, feeding behaviour and growth and self-reported maternal feeding practices and parenting practices and efficacy. Covariates will include sociodemographics, infant feeding mode and temperament, maternal weight status and weight concern and child care exposure. Despite the strong rationale to focus on parents' early feeding practices as a key determinant of child food preferences, intake and self-regulatory capacity, prospective longitudinal and intervention studies are rare. This trial will be amongst to provide Level II evidence regarding the impact of an intervention (commencing prior to age 12 months) on children's eating patterns and behaviours. ACTRN12608000056392.

A combined planning and self-efficacy intervention to promote physical activity: a multiple mediation analysis.

PubMed

Koring, Milena; Richert, Jana; Parschau, Linda; Ernsting, Anna; Lippke, Sonia; Schwarzer, Ralf

2012-01-01

Many individuals are motivated to improve their physical activity levels, but often fail to act upon their intention. Interventions fostering volitional strategies, such as action planning, coping planning, and self-efficacy beliefs, can help to translate intentions into behavior. This study examines the effectiveness and the mechanisms of a combined planning and self-efficacy intervention to promote physical activity among motivated individuals. Participants (N = 883) were randomly assigned to the intervention or to a waiting-list control condition. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the intervention resulted in significantly more physical activity, higher levels of action planning, coping planning, and volitional self-efficacy beliefs (p < 0.01). In addition, multiple mediation analysis showed that action planning, coping planning, and volitional self-efficacy mediate between the intervention and physical activity. The study shows that the intervention successfully fostered physical activity and unfolds the underlying self-regulatory mechanisms of the intervention's effectiveness.

Where All Are Winners: A Mathematics Olympics for Parents, Students, and Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koes, Mary T.; Saab, Joy Faini

1996-01-01

Presents the benefits of staging a mathematics Olympics involving parents as well as the students and teachers. Benefits include promoting a positive attitude toward the school and fostering mutual trust between homes and schools. Describes such activities as battleship, tangram exercises, juggle, fraction blackjack, Kalah, and a wheel of numbers,…

Life, Living, and Learning in the Teen Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.

This packet contains articles by and for teenagers and articles and tips sheets for educators and parents. Included are: (1) "What Teens Need from Teachers, Parents, and Other Adults" (Stephen Small); (2) "Visually Impaired, Deaf Teens Share Views"; (3) "Teens Benefit from Community Service" (Kelli Krueger); (4) "My Experience in Foster Care;" (5)…

Developing Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) for Parents of Treatment-Resistant Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Kimberly C.; Versek, Brian; Kerwin, MaryLouise E.; Meyers, Kathleen; Benishek, Lois A.; Bresani, Elena; Washio, Yukiko; Arria, Amelia; Meyers, Robert J.

2015-01-01

We describe a project focused on training parents to facilitate their treatment-resistant adolescent's treatment entry and to manage their child after entry into community-based treatment. Controlled studies show that Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is a unilateral treatment that fosters treatment entry of adults; however,…

Preadolescents' and Parents' Dietary Coping Efficacy during Behavioral Family-Based Weight Control Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theim, Kelly R.; Sinton, Meghan M.; Stein, Richard I.; Saelens, Brian E.; Thekkedam, Sucheta C.; Welch, R. Robinson; Epstein, Leonard H.; Wilfley, Denise E.

2012-01-01

Developmentally relevant high-risk dietary situations (e.g., parties where tempting foods are available) may influence overweight youth's weight control, as they increase risk for overeating. Better self-efficacy for coping with these situations--which preadolescents may learn from their parents--could foster successful weight control. Overweight…