Description
Children in foster care demonstrate higher risk for internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. What aspects of foster care might help explain these differential levels of behavioral problems found between foster and non-foster youth? Limited research exists concerning the influence of foster parenting strategies on child behavior problems and also characteristics of the foster home environment that might influence the use of certain parenting strategies over others. The primary goals of this study were to examine the relations between foster parenting strategies, child behavior problems, and family contextual variables. Participants were 335 foster/kinship parents (92.5% female; Mage = 45.44; 47.6% Kin; 40.9% Hispanic, 36.1% Caucasian, 16.4% African American, 6.6% multi/other) from San Diego County who were part of Keeping Foster Parents Trained and Supported (KEEP), a foster parent training intervention program. Data for the study were taken from baseline phone interviews, prior to intervention. Participants completed interviewer administered measures of parenting strategies, child behavior problems, and family contextual variables. Correlational and hierarchical and linear regression analyses were used to assess associations between foster parenting strategies, child behavior problems, and family contextual variables. Externalizing and internalizing child behavior problems were positively associated and controlled for in subsequent analyses. Regression analyses revealed more positive discipline was related to higher levels of externalizing behavior problems, controlling for internalizing behavior problems. Neither positive nor negative discipline explained a significant amount of variance in internalizing behavior problems, controlling for externalizing behavior problems. Non-kin caregivers used more positive reinforcement. Younger child age and fewer children in the home were related to more positive reinforcement. Higher levels of foster parent stress associated with child behavior problems was related to more positive discipline. Younger child age was associated with more positive discipline. Higher levels of foster parent stress and foster parent stress associated with child behavior problems were related to more negative discipline. Longer length of time the child spent in the home was associated with more negative discipline. Results extend the current limited research on these relations and offer implications for improving the efficacy of foster parent training interventions
