Factors influencing caregiver strain among foster, kin, and adoptive parents

Foster Caregivers’ Parenting Stress as a Moderator of Change in Coparenting Following Relationship Education

“…In a longitudinal study of both biological families and foster families, Bergsund, Wentzel-Larsen, and Jacobsen (2019) found that long-term foster caregivers reported significantly higher levels of parenting stress at each time point measured and that their stress significantly increased over time. Further, recent research has found that foster caregivers who provided care for a child with high needs (i.e., mental health services) reported a higher level of parenting stress than foster caregivers who did not, but that levels of parenting stress did not differ for foster mothers and fathers (Leake, Wood, Bussey, & Strolin-Goltzman, 2019). Elevated levels of parenting stress may have consequences for the entire family system, including the interparental relationship (e.g., coparenting support) between foster caregivers.…”

“…Elevated levels of parenting stress may have consequences for the entire family system, including the interparental relationship (e.g., coparenting support) between foster caregivers. Further, the challenges and level of parenting stress experienced by foster caregivers may vary based on the foster caregivers’ biological relationship (i.e., non-relative vs. kinship caregivers) to the foster child (Leake et al, 2019). For the purpose of the current study, we focus on non-relative foster caregivers.…”

Material hardship and parenting stress among grandparent kinship providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of grandparents’ mental health

“…Moreover, Ross and Aday (2006) found that 92 % of custodial grandparents identified clinically significant levels of parenting stress among African American grandparents. Previous studies identified some risk factors associated with parenting stress among grandparent kinship providers, which included lack of economic resources ( Butler & Zakari, 2005 ; Minkler & Fuller-Thomson, 2005 ), unmet family needs ( Lee et al, 2016 ), poor health and emotional well-being of caregivers ( Gerard, Landry-Meyer, & Guzell Roe, 2006 ; Leder, Grinstead, & Torres, 2007 ; Lee et al, 2016 ), grandchildren’s behavioral problems ( Gerard et al, 2006 ; Leake, Wood, Bussey, & Strolin-Goltzman, 2019 ; Smith & Palmieri, 2007 ), lack of social support ( Butler & Zakari, 2005 ; Leder et al, 2007 ; Sands & Goldberg‐Glen, 2000 ; Sharda, Sutherby, Cavanaugh, Hughes, & Woodward, 2019 ), lack of family competence (e.g., family’s inability to solve problems, express emotions, and facilitate individual autonomy; Gleeson, Hsieh, & Cryer-Coupet, 2016 ), and the transition to become primary caregivers for grandchildren ( Landry-Meyer & Newman, 2004 ; Orb & Davey, 2005 ). Prior research has indicated that a high level of caregivers’ parenting stress is associated with an increased likelihood of child abuse and neglect ( Holden & Banez, 1996 ).…”

“My genitals have nothing to do with my parenting”: A qualitative study of trans adoption

“…Counseling and mental health services are a primary need among adoptive families (Barnett et al, 2018;Hartinger-Saunders, 2015a). When service providers are trauma-informed and adoption-competent, adoptive parents experience less caregiving strain which helps families thrive (Leake et al, 2019). Given that children available for adoption have trauma, competent mental health providers can guide parents in understanding their children's behaviors and attachment-building (McKirdy et al, 2019).…”