Exploring foster and adoptive parent stressors and resources: a mixed method study
Date
2019
Authors
Polly-Almanza, Abby Audrey, author
Barrett, Karen, advisor
Daunhauer, Lisa, committee member
Orsi, Rebecca, committee member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
At any given time over half a million children are in foster care and over 50,000 of these children are adopted each year in the United States. The majority of these children have been exposed to trauma. Parents may not have the resources needed to effectively parent their foster/adoptive children and the experience of parenting a child with a significant trauma history may be stressful. In the current study, we conducted 8 focus groups with 25 foster and adoptive families to learn more about the relationship between child behavior and parenting stress and whether resources moderate this relationship. Secondly, we explored parent resources through qualitative analysis. Results indicated emotion symptoms and conduct problems respectively, resources, and their interaction significantly predicted total parenting stress. Moreover, both emotion symptoms and conduct problems variables significantly predicted total parenting stress but these effects were not moderated by support. Parents reported trainings and social support were generally helpful but that other supports such as respite, positive relationships with schools, and helpful professionals were important. Parents expressed frustration over a lack of resources after initial foster parent training or adoption, negative interactions with professionals, and judgement from friends and family. The current study suggests a need for larger studies on the types of support that would be most helpful to this population, as well as how support fits into the space between child behavior and parent stress in, order to create effective interventions for this population.