The impact of out-of-home placement characteristics with regard to suicidal risk among adult survivors of childhood abuse

Background: Childhood abuse is associated with increased lifetime suicidal risk (SR). Among victims of abuse, children in out-of-home care are also at risk. Out-of-home placement is aimed at stopping further exposure to maltreatment and at providing the necessary security for proper development. Research suggests that placement arrangements may impact children’s mental health outcomes. Objective: The study was aimed at examining (1) the direct effects of different placement characteristics (i.e. age at first placement, number of placements, placement disruptions, total time in care, contact with biological parents, contact with siblings, placement with siblings) on SR and (2) whether these characteristics moderate the link between maltreatment and SR. Participants: The sample consisted of 77 adults (52 women; 25 men; mean age: 26.6 years) who received out-of-home care during childhood. Method: Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (for SR). Participants’ records were used to determine placement characteristics and maltreatment. Results: PLS-PM analyses suggest a significant role of risk (age at first placement, number of placements, placement disruptions, contact with biological parents) and protective factors (contact with siblings, foster home placement) on SR. Risk factors also moderate the link between maltreatment and SR. Conclusions: Interventions aimed at limiting risk factors during placement seem important to reduce SR.

Strengthening Foster Parent–Adolescent Relationships Through Filial Therapy

The purpose of this article is to explore the application of filial therapy as a means of strengthening relationships between foster parents and adolescent foster children. Adolescents in foster care experience a number of placement disruptions and while a number of therapeutic interventions are implemented to assist adolescents in foster care, very few are aimed at strengthening the foster parent–foster child bond. Studies have repeatedly shown filial therapy as an effective method for strengthening parent–child relationships. Filial therapy is discussed as an intervention for improving the relationship between adolescents in foster care and their foster parents. A review of the literature is presented as well as a description of filial therapy and the adaptations necessary to implement filial therapy with adolescents and their foster parents.