| 1. |
- Björkenstam, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Cumulative childhood adversity, adolescent psychiatric disorder and violent offending in young adulthood
- 2019
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Ingår i: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 29:5, s. 855-861
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundChildhood adversity (CA) is a risk indicator for psychiatric morbidity. Although CA has been linked to violent offending, limited research has considered adolescent psychiatric disorder as a mediating factor. The current study examined whether adolescent psychiatric disorder mediates the association between CA and violent offending.MethodsWe used a cohort of 476 103 individuals born in 1984–1988 in Sweden. Register-based CAs included parental death, substance abuse and psychiatric disorder, parental criminal offending, parental separation, public assistance, child welfare intervention and residential instability. Adolescent psychiatric disorder was defined as being treated with a psychiatric diagnosis prior to age 20. Estimates of risk of violent offending after age 20 were calculated as incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Mediation was tested with the bootstrap method.ResultsExposure to CA was positively associated with violent offending, especially when accumulated. Individuals exposed to 4+ CAs who were also treated for psychiatric disorder had a 12-fold elevated risk for violent offending (adjusted IRR 12.2, 95% CI 10.6–14.0). Corresponding IRR among 4+ CA youth with no psychiatric disorder was 5.1 (95% CI 4.5–5.6). Psychiatric disorder mediated the association between CA and violent offending.ConclusionCA is associated with elevated risk for violent offending in early adulthood, and the association is partly mediated by adolescent psychiatric disorder. Individuals exposed to cumulative CA who also develop adolescent psychopathology should be regarded as a high-risk group for violent offending, by professionals in social and health services that come into contact with this group.
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| 2. |
- Berlin, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Educational outcomes of children from long-term foster care : Does foster parents’ educational attainment matter?
- 2019
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Ingår i: Developmental Child Welfare. - : SAGE Publications. - 2516-1032 .- 2516-1040. ; 1:4, s. 344-359
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Parental education is a robust predictor of children’s educational outcomes in general population studies, yet little is known about the intergenerational transmission of educational outcomes in alternative family settings such as children growing up in foster care. Using Swedish longitudinal register data on 2,167 children with experience of long-term foster care, this study explores the hypothesized mediating role of foster parents’ educational attainment on foster children’s educational outcomes, here conceptualized as having poor school performance at age 15 and only primary education at age 26. Results from gender-stratified regression analyses suggest that there was an association between foster parental educational attainment and foster children’s educational outcomes but that the educational transmission was weak and inconsistent and differed somewhat between males and females. For males, lower educational attainment in foster parents was associated with poor school performance but was not associated with educational attainment at age 26. The reverse pattern was found among females: the educational gradient was inconsistent for poor school performance but appeared in educational attainment. The results indicate that supported interventions for improving foster children’s educational achievements are needed, even when placements are relatively stable and foster parents have a long formal education.
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| 3. |
- Forsman, Hilma, 1985-
(författare)
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Addressing poor educational outcomes among children with out-of-home care experience : Studies on impact, pathways, and interventions
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Children with out-of-home care (OHC; foster family/residential care) experience is a high-risk group for future adverse outcomes. With an ambition of supporting the design of effective preventive child welfare measures targeting children in OHC, the overall aim of this thesis is to examine education as a possible intervention path for improving their development and overall life chances.The thesis consists of four interrelated empirical studies that address different aspects of poor educational outcomes among children with OHC experience by means of analyses of longitudinal survey and register data, and evaluations of two interventions aimed at improving their basic academic skills.Study I examined the hypothesized causal effect of poor school performance on adverse outcomes in young adulthood among children with OHC experience. The results showed that poor school performance has an impact on later psychosocial problems net of observed and unobserved factors, suggesting that the estimated effects allow for causal interpretations.Study II explored educational outcomes at different stages in the educational career, and pathways to varied educational outcomes for children with OHC experience and their peers. The results showed that the OHC group had lower educational outcomes across the life course. Yet, by large, their educational pathways did not differ significantly from their peers – cognitive ability and previous school performance had the largest associations with the outcomes in both groups. However, the influence of these factors were weaker in the OHC group whilst the influence of the birth family’s attitude towards higher education was stronger.Study III aimed at furthering our understanding of the book-gifting program the Letterbox Club’s potential impact on foster family children’s reading skills. The results showed that participation in the program was associated with small improvements. In general, the program was well received by children and carers, and could result in increased reading. The study furthermore suggested that promotion of carer involvement may improve its potential impact.Study IV explored the process of conducting a structured paired reading intervention involving foster family children and their carers. Findings showed that it is possible to engage carers in interventions targeting the education of children in OHC, but that this is no automatic process – carers need a rationale for getting involved, and support in delivering the intervention.In sum, this thesis shows that improving the educational outcomes of children in OHC may be a viable intervention path in supporting their life course development, a path that historically has been overlooked. The thesis furthermore shows examples of promising interventions which may improve the basic academic skills of children in OHC. The results also point out that the child welfare system should provide early and continuous educational support, and highlight the importance of addressing adults’ attitudes, expectations, and involvement in these children’s education.
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| 4. |
- Hjern, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Outcomes in adulthood of adoption after long-term foster care : a sibling study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Developmental Child Welfare. - : SAGE Publications. - 2516-1032 .- 2516-1040. ; 1:1, s. 61-75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prior research has reported a positive impact of adoption on developmental outcomes for children with experience of foster care. To inform decisions about permanent care arrangements, we used Swedish national population registers to create a sibling population consisting of 194 children born 1973–1982 who had been in out-of-home care (OHC) at least 5 years before adolescence but were never adopted (50% boys) and their 177 maternal birth siblings who also had been in OHC at least 5 years before their teens but were adopted before adolescence (52.5% boys). We constructed 14 outcome variables spanning social, educational, and health outcomes in adult age with information from Swedish national registers. Based on multilevel logistic random effects and fixed effects regression models (supplemented with a sensitivity analysis assessing the potential impact of unobserved confounding), results showed that adopted siblings tended to have considerably better outcomes in adult age in educational achievement, income, criminality, disability, and suicidality. Outcomes related to mental health and substance abuse were more similar, but differences pointed in the same direction. Implications for child welfare policy and practice are discussed.
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