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A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Children in foster care: a vulnerable population at risk
1Pacific Northwest Alumni of Foster Care, Tacoma, WA, USA.
Insights
Children in foster care often face emotional distress due to maltreatment and separation. Early intervention and systemic orientation are crucial for improving developmental and mental health outcomes for these vulnerable children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Social Work
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Over 542,000 children are in the U.S. foster care system.
- Neglect is the most common form of maltreatment leading to foster care.
- Trauma from maltreatment and removal impacts child development and mental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- Synthesize foster care experiences and outcomes.
- Explore concepts of oppression and domination in foster care.
- Examine the impact of foster care on child well-being.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of published research.
- Analysis of clinical practice.
Main Results:
- Children in foster care commonly experience confusion, fear, loss, sadness, anxiety, and stress.
- These emotional responses are linked to poor developmental and mental health outcomes.
- Foster care experiences can negatively affect educational attainment and adult life quality.
Conclusions:
- Addressing emotional distress early is vital for mitigating negative outcomes.
- Systemic orientation for new foster care entrants is proposed as a preventative intervention.
- Early support can improve long-term developmental and mental health trajectories for children in foster care.
Topic:
Nationally, 542,000 children are in foster care. Many of these children have prior histories of maltreatment such as abuse and neglect, with neglect being the most common form of maltreatment and the reason for many children requiring foster care services. Painful experiences associated with maltreatment and the trauma of being removed from one's parents (foster care) may affect the developmental and mental health of children.
Purpose:
This paper synthesizes the experiences associated with foster care and reveals foster care outcomes obtained through a literature search of published research. Specifically, the notions of oppression and domination defined by Young (1990) experienced by children in foster are explored.
Sources:
Review of the literature and clinical practice.
Conclusions:
Most children in foster care, if not all, experience feelings of confusion, fear, apprehension of the unknown, loss, sadness, anxiety, and stress. Such feelings and experiences must be addressed and treated early to prevent or decrease poor developmental and mental health outcomes that ultimately affect a child's educational experience and the quality of adulthood. Systemic orientation for all children entering foster care is proposed as a preventative intervention that addresses associated experiences of children in foster care.
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