The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Children’s adjustment over time in foster care: cross informant agreement, stability and placement disruption

Children’s adjustment over time in foster care: cross informant agreement, stability and placement disruption
Children’s adjustment over time in foster care: cross informant agreement, stability and placement disruption
This paper reports on part of a prospective study of all children entering new planned long-term foster placements in Northern Ireland within a seven month period. This part of the study charted the competencies and behaviour of the children (N=19) over time in the home and school environments. This paper aims to specifically examine three questions. First, the extent, if any, of cross-informant agreement in ratings between foster mothers, foster fathers and teachers. Secondly, the stability of rated adjustment over time. Finally, the relationship, if any, between rated adjustment early in placement and placement outcome by the two-year point. Foster mothers and foster fathers completed the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist in relation to the foster children, and teachers completed the companion Teacher's Report Form in relation to both the foster children and their classroom peers. All the adult informants completed the tests at four months and again at one year into placement. Findings from this small intensive study indicate strong agreement between foster mothers and foster fathers but not between foster carers and teachers. Stability of rated adjustment over time was found with all informants. There was some evidence that foster carers' ratings of the children's externalizing behaviour at four months predicted placement outcome at two years. Limitations of the small sample size are considered. Suggestions for further research are made.
0045-3102
91-107
McAuley, C.
0b0616db-167d-4c81-9f0a-35b7352a2aea
Trew, K.
69efd512-efa0-437b-b673-7fed87a86f60
McAuley, C.
0b0616db-167d-4c81-9f0a-35b7352a2aea
Trew, K.
69efd512-efa0-437b-b673-7fed87a86f60

McAuley, C. and Trew, K. (2000) Children’s adjustment over time in foster care: cross informant agreement, stability and placement disruption. British Journal of Social Work, 30 (1), 91-107. (doi:10.1093/bjsw/30.1.91).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper reports on part of a prospective study of all children entering new planned long-term foster placements in Northern Ireland within a seven month period. This part of the study charted the competencies and behaviour of the children (N=19) over time in the home and school environments. This paper aims to specifically examine three questions. First, the extent, if any, of cross-informant agreement in ratings between foster mothers, foster fathers and teachers. Secondly, the stability of rated adjustment over time. Finally, the relationship, if any, between rated adjustment early in placement and placement outcome by the two-year point. Foster mothers and foster fathers completed the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist in relation to the foster children, and teachers completed the companion Teacher's Report Form in relation to both the foster children and their classroom peers. All the adult informants completed the tests at four months and again at one year into placement. Findings from this small intensive study indicate strong agreement between foster mothers and foster fathers but not between foster carers and teachers. Stability of rated adjustment over time was found with all informants. There was some evidence that foster carers' ratings of the children's externalizing behaviour at four months predicted placement outcome at two years. Limitations of the small sample size are considered. Suggestions for further research are made.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: February 2000

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 51895
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/51895
ISSN: 0045-3102
PURE UUID: c593cecb-9a15-4724-ae3b-eb1b63701659

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 02 Jun 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 10:19

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: C. McAuley
Author: K. Trew

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×