ERIC Number: EJ988272
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Dec
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9630
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Practitioner Review: Children in Foster Care--Vulnerabilities and Evidence-Based Interventions that Promote Resilience Processes
Leve, Leslie D.; Harold, Gordon T.; Chamberlain, Patricia; Landsverk, John A.; Fisher, Philip A.; Vostanis, Panos
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, v53 n12 p1197-1211 Dec 2012
Background: An increasing number of children are placed in foster care (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 United States is also needed. (Contains 1 table and 1 footnote.)
Descriptors: Evidence, Placement, Foster Care, Parents, Children, Resilience (Psychology), Intervention, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Child Neglect, Risk, Child Development, Interpersonal Relationship, Databases, Delivery Systems, Adolescents
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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