Child Protection Service interference in childhood and the relation with mental health problems and delinquency in young adulthood: a latent class analysis study

Abstract

BackgroundMost multi-problem young adults (18–27 years old) have been exposed to childhood maltreatment and/or have been involved in juvenile delinquency and, therefore, could have had Child Protection Service (CPS) interference during childhood. The extent to which their childhood problems persist and evolve into young adulthood may differ substantially among cases. This might indicate heterogeneous profiles of CPS risk factors. These profiles may identify combinations of closely interrelated childhood problems which may warrant specific approaches for problem recognition and intervention in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to retrospectively identify distinct statistical classes based on CPS data of multi-problem young adults in The Netherlands and to explore whether these classes were related to current psychological dysfunctioning and delinquent behaviour.MethodsAge at first CPS interference, numbers and types of investigations, age at first offence, mention of child maltreatment, and family supervision order measures (Dutch: ondertoezichtstelling; OTS) were extracted from the CPS records of 390 multi-problem young adult males aged 18–27 (mean age 21.7). A latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted and one-way analyses of variance and post-hoc t-tests examined whether LCA class membership was related to current self-reported psychological dysfunctioning and delinquent behaviour.ResultsFour latent classes were identified: (1) late CPS/penal investigation group (44.9%), (2) early CPS/multiple investigation group (30.8%), (3) late CPS interference without investigation group (14.6%), and (4) early CPS/family investigation group (9.7%). The early CPS/family investigation group reported the highest mean anxiousness/depression and substance use scores in young adulthood. No differences were found between class membership and current delinquent behaviour.ConclusionsThis study extends the concept that distinct pathways are present in multi-problem young adults who underwent CPS interference in their youth. Insight into the distinct combinations of CPS risk factors in the identified subgroups may guide interventions to tailor their treatment to the specific needs of these children. Specifically, treatment of internalizing problems in children with an early onset of severe family problems and for which CPS interference is carried out should receive priority from both policy makers and clinical practice.

The role of adverse childhood experiences and mental health care use in psychological dysfunction of male multi-problem young adults

“…The current study focused on a very specific population of high-risk men (aged 18–27 years) who grew up in socially disadvantaged circumstances and, during their youth, developed severe and intertwined problems in several important life domains (‘multi-problem young adults’). A previous study performed on this sample of multi-problem young adults showed that 87% belonged to an ethnic minority group, 63% reported severe family problems during their youth, and 66% had experienced at least one Child Protection Services (CPS) contact during their youth, mainly for judicial reasons [32]. An ethnic minority background and juvenile delinquency are both strongly related to childhood poverty, deprivation and developmental problems [33, 34].…”

Neurocognitive predictors of treatment completion and daytime activities at follow-up in multiproblem young adults

“…One explanation for the difference in results on error processing might be the difference in patient population. The current heterogeneous population suffered from a plethora of problems of varying severity, including, but not limited to, history of delinquency, behavioral and psychological problems, no daytime activities, frequent substance use, and no or low income (Luijks et al, 2017 ; van Duin et al, 2017 ; van Duin et al, 2018 ; Zijlmans et al, 2019 ; Zijlmans et al, 2018 ). It is possible that aberrant error processing reflects a deficit in substance users and thus efficiently discriminates between substance abusers and nonabusers in treatment outcome, but this effect does not apply to heterogeneous populations such as the current sample.…”

“…The multimodal day treatment program at DNK was specifically designed to treat young male adults (18–27 years) with severe, multiple problems (e.g., drug use, psychological problems, antisocial behavior, financial problems; van Duin et al, 2017 ). By applying cognitive behavioral techniques, practical support, as well as education including sports, DNK aims to improve various facets of the participants life.…”

“…A sample of male multiproblem young adults is included at the start of multimodal (that is, involving a combination of approaches) day treatment program De Nieuwe Kans (DNK; translated as “New Opportunities”). DNK provides a multimodal day treatment program for young adults facing a range of problems—for example, a history of delinquency, behavioral and psychological problems, no daytime activities (e.g., no work, education, other full-time activities), frequent substance use, and no or low income (Luijks et al, 2017 ; van Duin et al, 2017 ; van Duin et al, 2018 ; Zijlmans et al, 2019 ). The main goal of DNK is to reintegrate participants into society by facilitating and retaining successful integration into education or employment and to increase self-sufficiency, and to subsequently reduce delinquency.…”

Thematic series CAPMH “Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 2017”

“…Next, Van Duin et al [ 6 ] explored the transition phase from adolescence to emerging adulthood retrospectively in a sample of multi-problem young adults. As many of these young adults have been exposed to childhood maltreatment or displayed adolescent offending behaviour, they might have come into contact with the Child Protection Service (CPS).…”