Foster Youths' Views of Adoption and Permanency

Chambers, Kate; Zielewski, Erica H.; Malm, Karin

doi:10.1037/e690772011-001

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Surprisingly, male youth had more positive attitudes about adoption, which is inconsistent with findings by Samuels (2009) who reported that males perceived their gender to be a barrier to adoption. Perhaps, because youth worry that adoption means losing contact with friends and family (Chambers et al . 2008), and women tend to be more concerned with social relationships, female teens may be more concerned that adoption would interfere with their current relationships.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was not surprising that younger teens had more positive attitudes about adoption than older teens based on findings that adolescents themselves report that they are too old for adoption and that families do not want to adopt teenagers (Chambers et al . 2008; Samuels 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In recent years, however, research and policy work has begun to more systematically address questions related to youth opinions about the foster care system, and more specifically, their perspectives on permanency and adoption (Freundlich et al . 2006; Fernandez 2007; Chambers et al . 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2008). Research has found that many foster youth are apprehensive and cautious about adoption, feel that they are too old for adoption, believe that people do not want to adopt teenagers, are fearful that they will lose contact with friends and family and believe that they will sacrifice freedom and autonomy if they are adopted (Chambers et al . 2008; Samuels 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Youth in foster care: developmental assets and attitudes towards adoption and mentoring

Diehl

Howse

Trivette

2010

Child &Amp; Family Social Work

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A B S T R AC TThe present study explores the relationship between the characteristics of youth in foster care and youth attitudes about mentoring and adoption. Using a positive youth development framework, the study examines the relationship between youth risk and resilience variables (youth risk scores, youth assets and youth perception of control) and youth attitudes about mentoring and adoption. Data were collected from 54 youth, ages 10 to 17 years, through intake interviews and surveys. Participants were 25 male and 29 female adolescents; 33 were Caucasian and 21 were African American. Overall, the youth had positive attitudes about both mentoring and adoption, with Caucasian youth having more positive attitudes than African American youth. A 2 ¥ 2 (Gender ¥ Race) analysis of variance revealed greater feelings of control for male and Caucasian youth. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the youths' perceptions of their strengths and assets were related to how positively they viewed mentoring and adoption.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Youth in foster care: developmental assets and attitudes towards adoption and mentoring

Diehl

Howse

Trivette

2010

Child &Amp; Family Social Work

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“…Nearly half (46.5%) of a nationally representative sample of children in foster care no longer saw their friends (Fawley-King et al, 2017). Research has highlighted that maintained friendships have served as protective factors among children in foster care (Mariscal et al, 2015; Melkman, 2015) and disruptions in friendships have been associated with distress (Berrick, 2006; Chambers et al, 2008). Children in foster care may experience disruptions in old friendships and also face the challenge of making new friends.…”

Section: Separation From Siblingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological disruptions and well-being among children in foster care.

Hindt¹,

Leon²

2022

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

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Bronfenbrenner's framework highlights the importance of considering ecological systems to understand child well-being. Children entering foster care often experience disruption across systems. Yet, prior research has focused on specific disruptions linked to outcomes. This longitudinal study examined the impact of multiple ecological disruptions (i.e., changes in or separation from siblings, friends, school, church, community) on children's internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors over time. This study included 211 children between the ages of 6 and 13 years (M = 10.23, SD = 2.37; 55.0% female; 57.3% African American). Children entered foster care for up to four reasons: Neglect (73.9%), physical abuse (29.4%), dependency (10%), and/or sexual abuse (9.5%). Most of the children experienced a change in school (64.0%), 46.9% were separated from siblings, 25.1% lost friends, 12.8% experienced community disruptions, and 10.0% were separated from church. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was employed to examine the association between ecological disruptions and longitudinal internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors, while controlling for baseline internalizing and externalizing, demographic variables (i.e., child age, gender, and race), and maltreatment severity. Maltreatment severity, along with school and community disruptions related to the presence of internalizing symptoms. Loss of friends was associated with the absence of externalizing behaviors, while community disruption was associated with the presence of externalizing behaviors. This study suggests that maintaining children's connections to their school and community is important for well-being. Under certain circumstances, separation from friends may relate to improved behavioral functioning. Future research should explore additional and interacting facets of children's ecological systems and related outcomes. Public Policy Relevance StatementChildren entering foster care often experience disruption across multiple aspects of their lives. This study suggests that maintaining children's connections to their school and community is important for well-being. Under certain circumstances, separation from friends may relate to improved behavioral functioning; still, friends play an important role in children's lives. aaa Children in foster care are separated from primary caregivers when concerns of abuse, neglect, and/or dependency arise, and they are placed with other caregivers. While separation from primary caregivers may be necessary to ensure well-being, children may also be separated from their familiar ecological system (Bruskas & Tessin, 2013;Chapman et al., 2004;Samuels, 2009;Chipungu & Bent-Goodley, 2004). Such disruptions in ecological systems may be related in part to increased mental health problems among children in foster care, including internalizing symptoms (e.g., symptoms of anxiety and depression) and externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression;Engler et al., 2020). Bronfenbrenner's (1979 ecological framework exemplifies the dynami...

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Foster care adoption recruitment methods: A review of the literature amid calls for reform in the United States

Cressman

2024

Children and Youth Services Review

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Foster Youths' Views of Adoption and Permanency

Cited by 6 publications

References 2 publications

Youth in foster care: developmental assets and attitudes towards adoption and mentoring

Youth in foster care: developmental assets and attitudes towards adoption and mentoring

Ecological disruptions and well-being among children in foster care.

Foster care adoption recruitment methods: A review of the literature amid calls for reform in the United States

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