Network indicators of the social ecology of adolescents in relative and non-relative Foster households (original) (raw)
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Understanding Social Network Disruption: The Case of Youth in Foster Care Downloaded from
Relatively little existing research has examined variation in psychological distress outcomes for individuals who suddenly lose access to multiple established network ties. Adolescents placed in foster care provide a unique opportunity to examine the effects of different levels of network disruption. Some types of foster care placement provide stability and continuity while others are characterized by persistent network turnover. Using data from telephone surveys with adolescents in foster care in a midwestern state, the author compares the primary relationships of youth in foster care and in the general population, and explores relationships between psychological distress, levels of network disruption, strength of ties within three domains (the biological family, foster care, and peer networks), and other network variables. The author finds that variations in psychological distress following network disruption may be explained, in part, by the structure and strength of the resulting network. Also, increasing levels of network disruption weaken networks and ongoing or repeated instances of disruption may be particularly problematic. Strong and supportive ties with new network members may replace weak or absent ties within old network domains as a protective factor for psychological outcomes. The author advocates grounding social problems research in a solid, theoretical foundation. The social support and social networks literatures have established that personal relationships and the resources they provide have a strong impact on mental health (Berkman 1983; Kessler and McLeod 1985; Pescosolido and Levy 2002). However, relatively little existing research has examined variability in mental health outcomes for individuals who lose access to multiple established network ties. Some individuals experience severe and chronic psychological distress in the face of network disruption, but for others these effects are mild and short-lived (Gerstel, Riessman, and Rosenfield 1985). It is uncertain why there is such variation in response to network disruption, but the answer likely relates to the level of disruption and the condition of the new network (Bilge and Kaufman 1983; Gerstel et al. 1985; Menaghan 1999). Adolescents placed in foster care provide a unique opportunity to examine the effects of different levels of disruption. While all types of foster care placement involve removal from the home, some placements provide stability and continuity while others are characterized by ongoing network turnover. Using data from surveys with 154 adolescents in foster care, I explore relationships between psychological distress, network disruption, and network strength. I begin by comparing the family and peer relationships and psychological distress of youth in foster care to youth in the general population using the Add Health: National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. I then assess the impact of network disruption and the strength (closeness, supportiveness, caring) of the biological family, foster care, and peer network on the psychological distress of adolescents in foster care. Finally, I determine how variations in disruption and other related network properties affect network strength.
The Protective Effect of Kinship Involvement on the Adjustment of Youth in Foster Care
Child Maltreatment
Child maltreatment and family dysfunction (e.g., conflict) can have a long-term deleterious impact on youth well-being. Using a child welfare sample, this study examined whether dysfunction in the nuclear family of origin was associated with adjustment problems, including internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, beyond the effect of child maltreatment, and whether extended family (kinship) involvement protected against youth’s adjustment problems. Participants included 171 children and adolescents (mean age = 10.15; 50.3% female) who entered foster care due to child maltreatment. Results indicated that greater dysfunction in the nuclear family of origin and child maltreatment were independently associated with greater internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Results also showed that kinship involvement was protective against externalizing behavior problems. Moreover, kinship involvement buffered the association between dysfunction in family of origin and internal...
Assessing the Help-Seeking Behaviors of Foster Care Alumni within their Own Social Networks
This study utilizes survey data to assess the social network orientation of 66 foster care youth and alumni. Specifically, it measures the perceptions of foster care alumni concerning the efficacy of seeking help from their support system. Correlation analysis revealed that longer lengths of stays in foster care, higher numbers of placements, and a lack of permanency arrangement were all associated with being less likely to ask for and accept assistance from those in their social networks. Multivariate analysis indicates that the number of placements while in care was the only significant predictor of social network orientation. Implications for policy and practice include increased efforts by state agencies to maintain permanent and stable relationships in the lives of older youth as they transition from care and ensuring that the first placement is the best fit when out-of-home placements are suggested. There is widespread recognition of the need to improve the well-being of youth in foster care. Indeed, the experience of having been in foster care is believed to have a number of deleterious impacts on adult functioning. Studies of former foster care children as adults (foster care " alumni ")show that they have poor educational outcomes, higher involvement in the criminal justice system,
Foster Youth and Social Support
2015
Objective: Conduct secondary data analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of Massachusetts’ Adolescent Outreach Program for Youths in Intensive Foster Care (Outreach) for increasing social support (SS) among enrolled youth. Participants: 194 youth in intensive foster care under the guardianship of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families with a goal of independent living (IL) or long-term substitute care, and born between August 1985 and December 1990 (67% female, 66% White, 27% Hispanic) participated in the study between September 2004 and March 2009. Method: We hypothesized that Outreach compared to services as usual (SAU; control group) would increase participants’ SS and that there would be racial/ethnic disparities in SS as a function of the Outreach. Treatment effects were tested using mixed-effect models. Results: Outreach did not increase foster youth’s SS, compared to SAU. No racial/ethnic disparities in program effect were detected. Discussion and Applications ...
Child abuse & neglect, 2017
Sibling programming is an important part of a prevention framework, particularly for youth in foster care. After children are removed from their families and placed into foster care in the aftermath of maltreatment, the sibling relationship is often the most viable ongoing relationship available to the child, and may be critical to a youth's sense of connection, emotional support, and continuity. The promise of dyadic sibling programming in particular rests on the ability of interventions to enhance the quality of sibling relationships; yet little research exists that suggests that sibling interventions can improve relationship quality among foster youth. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the effects of a specific dyadic sibling-focused intervention for older and younger siblings on sibling relationship quality. One hundred sixty four dyads (328 youth) participated in the study, with each dyad consisting of an older sibling between 11 and 15 years of age at bas...