The mental health of children in foster care: a comparison with community and clinical samples

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether the psychiatric profile of children in foster care is more similar to clinical or community profiles.

Method: 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.