Foster children’s attachment security and behavior problems in the first six months of placement: associations with foster parents’ stress and sensitivity

Abstract

Both traumatic experiences in their birth families and multiple placement histories lead to increased mental health problems in foster children. The formation of secure attachments to new caregivers could be a protective factor for foster children. The current study focused on the associations between foster parents' sensitivity, parenting stress and foster children's attachment behavior as well as behavior problems. The sample consists of 48 children (aged from 1 to 6 years) and their foster caregivers. Attachment behavior and sensitivity were observed during home visits. Furthermore, caregiver reports were used to assess parenting stress and children's behavior problems. Compared to normative data, foster children showed lower levels of attachment security and more behavior problems. Foster children's attachment security and behavior problems were predicted significantly or marginally by foster parents' stress and supportive presence.

Early Adverse Caregiving Experiences and Preschoolers' Current Attachment Affect Brain Responses during Facial Familiarity Processing: An ERP Study

“…The current study is part of a larger project named “Attachment and Psychosocial Adjustment of Foster Children: Individual and Social Factors of Influence” (Spangler et al, 2009 ) that aimed to investigate preschool-aged foster children during the transition into the foster home. A detailed description of the longitudinal study as well as its findings can be found in other publications focusing on the development of attachment (Gabler et al, 2014 ; Lang et al, 2016 ) and attachment disorders (Zimmermann, 2015 ).…”

“…When being placed into more benign environments, however, many children are capable of forming secure attachments to their foster parents (Dozier et al, 2001 ; Stovall-McClough and Dozier, 2004 ; Cole, 2005 ; Oosterman and Schuengel, 2008 ; Ponciano, 2010 ; Jacobsen et al, 2014 , see Caharel et al, 2005 for meta-analytic data). More precisely, attachment security has been found to significantly increase during the first year of placement (Gabler et al, 2014 ; Lang et al, 2016 ). Still, foster children have been found to lack an age-appropriate reticence around strangers, also referred to as disinhibited social engagement (Zeanah et al, 2004 ; Oosterman and Schuengel, 2008 ; Pears et al, 2010 ; Van Den Dries et al, 2012 ; Jonkman et al, 2014 ; Lawler et al, 2014 ), which tends to persist despite improvements in attachment security (Chisholm, 1998 ; Smyke et al, 2002 ; O'Connor et al, 2003 ; Rutter et al, 2007 ; Zimmermann, 2015 ).…”

Foster Caregivers' Marital and Coparenting Relationship Experiences: A Dyadic Perspective

“…For example, foster mothers of children with behavioral problems are more likely to experience parenting stress than a comparison group of nonfoster mothers (Vanderfaeillie, Van Holen, Trough, & Andries, 2012;Vanschoonlandt, Vanderfaeillie, Van Holen, De Maeyer, & Robberechts, 2013). When foster-parenting stress is high, foster children are less likely to form a secure attachment to their foster caregiver and also display more behavioral problems (Gabler et al, 2014), which may negatively influence placement stability (i.e., child remains in the home until case goals, such as reunification, are met) as well as the caregivers' marital and coparenting relationships.…”

Parenting Stress: The Roles of Attachment States of Mind and Parenting Alliance in the Context of Adoption

“…Parenting stress is considered an environmental risk factor (Neece, Green, & Baker, 2012) that increases parents' depression, couple conflicts, physical disease rates, intrafamily violence (see Eisenhower, Baker, & Blacher, 2009;Hasting, Daley, Burns, & Beck, 2006;Kersh, Hedvat, Hauser-Cram, & Warfield, 2006;Stith et al, 2009), and children's social-emotional and behavioral problems (Tharner et al, 2012). Parenting stress is also associated with insecure attachment in foster children (Gabler et al, 2014). Given that parenting stress negatively influences children's development and family well-being, it is worthwhile to identify variables that may increase or prevent parenting stress, to sustain parents in the rewarding yet challenging role of providing care.…”