Depression among Alumni of Foster Care: Decreasing Rates
                    Through Improvement of Experiences in Care

White, Catherine Roller; O’Brien, Kirk; Pecora, Peter J.; English, Diana J.; Williams, Jason; Phillips, Chereese M.

doi:10.4135/9781452230689.n8

Cited by 8 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…One study found that many youth benefited from mentoring programs that assisted them in acquiring skills and resources necessary for this transition (Osterling & Hines, 2006). An adequate amount of preparation for leaving foster care can also reduce subsequent risk of depressive symptoms (White, 2009). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With regard to enhanced self-efficacy in foster care youth, studies have found that a self-reported higher level of preparation for leaving foster care resulted in the largest reduction in the estimated probability of retrospective depression (e.g., White, 2009). Thus, youth who perceive enhanced self-efficacy as a result of struggling with adversity may feel more confident in their ability to manage additional stressors, which may buffer against the feelings of helplessness and depressive reactions as youth near their exit from foster care.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Positive change following adversity and psychological adjustment over time in abused foster youth

Valdez¹,

Lim²,

Parker³

2015

Child Abuse & Neglect

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Many foster youth experience maltreatment in their family-of-origin and additional maltreatment while in foster care. Not surprisingly, rates of depression are higher in foster youth than the general population, and peak during ages 17 to 19 during the stressful transition into adulthood. However, no known studies have reported on whether foster youth perceive positive changes following such adversity, and whether positive change facilitates psychological adjustment over time. The current study examined components of positive change (i.e., compassion for others and self-efficacy) with depression severity from age 17 to 18 as youth prepared to exit foster care. Participants were youth from the Mental Health Service Use of Youth Leaving Foster Care study who endorsed child maltreatment. Components of positive change and severity of abuse were measured initially. Depression was measured initially and every three months over the following year. Latent growth curve modeling was used to examine the course of depression as a function of initial levels of positive change and severity of abuse. Results revealed that decreases in depression followed an inverse quadratic function in which the steepest declines occurred in the first three months and leveled off after that. Severity of abuse was positively correlated with higher initial levels of depression and negatively correlated with decreases in depression. Greater self-efficacy was negatively associated with initial levels of depression and predicted decreases in depression over the year, whereas compassion for others was neither associated with initial depression nor changes in depression. Implications for intervention, theory, and research are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive change following adversity and psychological adjustment over time in abused foster youth

Valdez¹,

Lim²,

Parker³

2015

Child Abuse & Neglect

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“…Mandatory savings plans can be established for youth in foster care, so they will have financial resources available when they leave care. The Northwest Alumni Study documented the importance of having resources when leaving care (i.e., a driver's license, $250 in cash, and dishes and utensils) (Pecora et al, 2005;White et al, 2009). While all youth preparing to leave care should have these concrete resources, it is likely that these three items are a proxy for better preparation for leaving care; therefore, simply providing these items to youth when they leave care would likely be ineffective.…”

Section: Reducing Homelessnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship Between Homelessness and Mental Health Among Alumni of Foster Care: Results From the Casey Young Adult Survey

White

Gallegos

O’Brien

et al. 2011

Journal of Public Child Welfare

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This study examined the relationship between history of homelessness and current mental health symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among 542 alumni of foster care (ages 19, 22, and 25 years). Approximately one in five (19.8%) alumni of foster care experienced homelessness since leaving care, and alumni experienced symptoms of psychological disorders associated with PTSD at rates significantly higher than the general population. Alumni who had experienced homelessness had significantly higher rates of PTSD-related symptoms compared with those

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“…Placement disruption has been associated with problem behavior, depression, and employment problems after the transition to independence (McMillen and Tucker 1999;White et al 2009). Pecora et al (2006) found that fewer placement changes were associated with increased likelihood of graduating from high school.…”

Section: Moderators For Adjustment In and After Carementioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary Perspectives on Adolescence

Weisfeld¹,

Dillon²

2011

Encyclopedia of Adolescence

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Depression among Alumni of Foster Care: Decreasing Rates Through Improvement of Experiences in Care

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Positive change following adversity and psychological adjustment over time in abused foster youth

Positive change following adversity and psychological adjustment over time in abused foster youth

The Relationship Between Homelessness and Mental Health Among Alumni of Foster Care: Results From the Casey Young Adult Survey

Evolutionary Perspectives on Adolescence

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