The PedsQL Family Impact Module for Assessment of Foster and Kinship Caregiver Functioning in Pediatric Primary Care

Caregivers of children in child welfare encounter many unique challenges, increasing their potential risk for caregiver stress. To support children and their caregivers, providers must accurately assess caregiver stress before they can deliver a brief intervention or make an appropriate referral. The current study utilized the PedsQL Family Impact Module to assess foster and kinship caregiver's well-being. Method: This study assessed the construct validity of PedsQL FIM through confirmatory factor analysis, mean differences between medically complex and noncomplex children, and its correlation with child behavior problems in caregivers of children in child welfare.

Caregivers reported above-average well-being. The factor structure of PedsQL FIM did not fit the data well, and no differences in well-being were found between caregivers of medically complex and noncomplex children. Small correlations (r = 0.14-0.26) were found between caregiver well-being and child externalizing problems.

Although the PedsQL FIM has demonstrated reliability and validity within other special populations, the use of the PedsQL FIM to assess well-being of caregivers of children in child welfare needs further exploration to ensure its validity with these caregivers.