Psychosocial treatment of children in foster care: a review.
A substantial number of children in foster care exhibit psychiatric difficulties. Recent epidemiological and historical trends in foster care, clinical findings about the adjustment of children in foster care and adult outcomes are reviewed, followed by a description of current approaches to treatment and extant empirical support. Available interventions for these children can be categorized as either symptom-focused or systemic, with empirical support for specific methods ranging from scant to substantial. Even with treatment, behavioral and emotional problems often persist into adulthood resulting in poor functional outcomes. We suggest that self-regulation may be an important mediating factor in the appearance of emotional and behavioral disturbance in these children.
Racusin
Robert
R
Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756-0001, USA.
Maerlender
Arthur C
AC
Sengupta
Anjana
A
Isquith
Peter K
PK
Straus
Martha B
MB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002667:Child Reactive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010553:Personality Development; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods