The mental health of children in foster care: a comparison with community and clinical samples.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the psychiatric profile of children in foster care is more similar to clinical or community profiles.


METHODS
Caregiver and teacher ratings of DSM-III-R externalizing and internalizing symptoms were collected for 3 groups of children: children in foster care, children assessed at a children's mental health centre, and a community sample.


RESULTS
Children in foster care approximated the numbers and types of symptoms of the clinical sample. Coming from a family on social assistance, having a parent with a criminal history, and being of the male gender were correlated with higher externalizing and internalizing symptom scores independent of group membership. Group membership accounted for less than 5% of the variance in psychiatric symptom scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The high symptom burden of children in care is substantially attributable to their high-risk histories, and treatment should be designed with this in mind.
Stein
E
E
Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario.
Evans
B
B
Mazumdar
R
R
Rae-Grant
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005581:Foster Home Care; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors