Psychotropic medication use among children in foster care: relationship to severe psychiatric disorders

This study sought to describe the level of psychotropic medication use and its relationship to severe psychiatric disorders among school-aged children in foster care.

Home interviews with 302 foster parents and children aged 6 to 12 years and 266 follow-up clinical evaluations were conducted.

Thirteen percent of the children had taken psychotropic medication in the previous year, and 52% of those whose clinical status merited a medication evaluation had not received medication in the previous year.

As the efficacy of psychotropic medication treatment for severe child psychiatric disorders becomes more established, research on the appropriateness of such care can begin.