Preventive intervention for maltreated preschool children: impact on children's behavior, neuroendocrine activity, and foster parent functioning.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes the results of a pilot study that evaluated the effectiveness of the Early Intervention Foster Care (EIFC) program in the period immediately following a child's placement in a new foster home.


METHODS
Data were collected from an EIFC group, a regular foster care group, and a community comparison group-each with 10 participants-via questionnaires for children and their caretakers and salivary cortisol sampling.


RESULTS
EIFC foster parents adopted and maintained positive parenting strategies, EIFC children's behavioral adjustment improved, and changes occurred in several salivary cortisol measures. Moreover, regular foster care children exhibited decrements in functioning in several areas over the same time period.


CONCLUSIONS
Results are discussed with regard to how such research fits into a larger program of prevention research for high-risk preschool children.
Fisher
P A
PA
Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene 97401-2426, USA. philf@oslc.org
Gunnar
M R
MR
Chamberlain
P
P
Reid
J B
JB
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009922:Oregon; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology
D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone