Levels of emotional adjustment in children in foster care

This study examined the level of emotional/behavioral adjustment in 176 children in various stages and placements in foster care or receiving homebound intervention services. A standardized behavior checklist was utilized to determine adjustment levels during the one-year study period. Four separate groups were formed, reflecting different types of placement histories. One group (n = 43) involved children in individual family foster care, one group (n = 48) consisted of children placed in group foster care, and a third group (n = 42) included children receiving homebound intervention services. A fourth group consisted of 43 children who had experienced a disruption in individual family foster care due to behavior problems. Results showed that approximately half of children entering individual family or group foster care services or receiving homebound services experiences behavior/emotional problems within the clinical range. Children receiving homebound services demonstrated significantly more behavior problems than children entering group foster homes. Children placed voluntarily in group homes were found to be better adjusted than children placed involuntarily through court-ordered proceedings. Significant differences were noted in the behavioral profile of children who disrupted placement when compared with children in individual family foster homes who obtained clinically elevated behavior problem scores but did not disrupt their placement during the one-year study period. The behaviors of the group that disrupted placement were characterized by elevated scores on the delinquent, hyperactive, and aggressive scales of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). In contrast, the non disruption group demonstrated depressed and sexual acting-out behaviors and somatic complaints. Males were more disturbed than females in all settings. Children who were between ages 6 and 11 were over-represented in all but the group care setting. Length of placement, placement with siblings, history of sexual abuse, and experience of foster parents was not found to be predictive of emotional adjustment.