title: Development and feasibility of a sibling intervention for youth in foster care.
abstract: Due to their ubiquity and possible influence on youth mental health, academic, and other outcomes, sibling-focused intervention strategies may be important for the development and implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in child welfare. However, there is no rigorous evidence as to either the best methods for, or feasibility of, incorporating the sibling link within existing clinical treatments for foster youth. This paper applies the literature on evidence-based practices (EBP) and implementation research in child welfare to sibling-focused intervention; and presents data concerning the development, delivery, cost, and feasibility of a novel sibling-focused intervention program, Supporting Siblings in Foster Care (SIBS-FC). Results suggest that despite the challenges and costs involved with delivering SIBS-FC, the program catered to the diverse needs of pre-adolescent and adolescent siblings living together and apart, was viewed positively by youth, and was implemented with a high degree of fidelity. These findings underscore the importance of attending to the early-stage development of psychosocial interventions in child welfare and highlight the role of interagency collaboration, program planning, staff training and supervision, and fidelity tracking for EBP development in child welfare. Implications for prevention research and sibling-focused intervention programming in child welfare are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University-Cascades, 2600 NW College Way, Bend, OR 97701, United States. Electronic address: kotharib@onid.oregonstate.edu.
authors.forename: Brianne H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kothari
authors.affiliation: Portland State University, School of Social Work, 1600 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 400, Portland, OR 97201, United States; Oregon Social Learning Center, 10 Shelton McMurphey Blvd., Eugene, OR 97401, United States.
authors.forename: Bowen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McBeath
authors.affiliation: Portland State University, School of Social Work, 1600 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 400, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lamson-Siu
authors.affiliation: Portland State University, School of Social Work, 1600 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 400, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
authors.forename: Sara Jade
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: Portland State University, School of Social Work, 1600 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 400, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorenson
authors.affiliation: Portland State University, School of Social Work, 1600 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 400, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.affiliation: Portland State University, School of Social Work, 1600 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 400, Portland, OR 97201, United States.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waid
authors.affiliation: Portland State University, School of Social Work, 1600 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 400, Portland, OR 97201, United States; Oregon Social Learning Center, 10 Shelton McMurphey Blvd., Eugene, OR 97401, United States.
authors.forename: Lew
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bank
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving; D015397:Program Evaluation; D044469:Racial Groups; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Child welfare; Costs; Early stage implementation; Feasibility; Sibling intervention