Foster children's attachment representations: the role of type of maltreatment and the relationship with birth family.

Children in foster care are at risk of developing insecure and disorganized attachment, which is problematic for establishing new relationships in foster families. However, most previous studies have focused on attachment behaviors in young children rather than on attachment representations. We compared foster children's attachment representations with those of a community group, analyzing also the contribution made by different factors to foster children's attachment representations. We assessed the attachment representations of 109 children aged between 4 and 9 years (51 children in non-kin foster care and 58 community children) in southern Spain, using a narrative story stem measure. Case records information were collected for adversity and child protection variables. Foster children had fewer security and more avoidance indicators than their community counterparts, with those who had suffered more severe maltreatment scoring lower for security and higher for disorganization. Exposure to physical and emotional abuse and birth parents' opposition to the foster placement predicted more disorganized attachment representations. Interventions with foster children should consider their heterogeneity in terms of attachment outcomes, and foster caregivers of abused children may need guidance in order to provide therapeutic caregiving.

La investigación en acogimiento familiar: de la descripción a los procesos de adaptación y desarrollo / No disponible

Este artículo presenta una revisión de algunas líneas de investigación centradas en el acogimiento familiar sobre las que sería conveniente ampliar nuestro conocimiento, particularmente en España. Para que la medida de acogimiento familiar se ajuste mejor a las necesidades de los menores es fundamental dar el salto de los estudios descriptivos al análisis de los procesos relacionados con una mejor adaptación. Con motivo de una investigación actualmente en marcha por los autores, en este artículo se repasan algunas de las áreas más relevantes para el desarrollo de los menores en acogimiento familiar que aún están escasamente estudiadas. Concretamente, las áreas revisadas son la auto-regulación, las representaciones mentales de apego, la salud mental y la familia acogedora como contexto de recuperación. En cada una de ellas se subraya su importancia en el acogimiento familiar y se repasan los estudios más relevantes. El artículo finaliza con algunas conclusiones derivadas de la revisión

The current paper is a review of some research lines on foster care in which we need a greater knowledge, particularly in Spain. If we want foster care to be better adjusted to children needs, it is essential to move beyond descriptive studies to tackle processes and mechanisms that lead to a better adjustment. This article reviews some of these relevant areas for children development that are still scarcely studied in foster care, in line with a current research project by the authors. The areas reviewed are self-regulation, mental representations of attachment, mental health and the foster family as a context for recovery. In each area, it’s emphasized its relevance for foster care, and the major studies are reviewed. The article ends with some conclusions derived from the literature review

Adopciones rotas en Andalucía: caracterización y propuestas para la intervención / No disponible

La presente investigación trata de conocer la incidencia y los principales factores de riesgo asociados a las rupturas adoptivas así como realizar algunas propuestas de mejora de cara a la intervención profesional. En el estudio se analizaron los 93 casos de ruptura detectados en Andalucía en la década de 2003-2012. La incidencia acumulada de rupturas en el periodo considerado fue de 1.32%, siendo más frecuentes en la adopción nacional que en la internacional. Así mismo, los principales factores de riesgo asociados a tales rupturas fueron la presencia de problemas de conducta en el menor, la violencia intrafamiliar y los problemas de vinculación emocional. En cuanto a la intervención profesional, lo más frecuente fueron las intervenciones de asesoramiento y tratamiento familiar al inicio de la adopción, disminuyendo su presencia en los momentos de la ruptura. La intervención profesional se caracterizó por ser esporádica y realizada por profesionales no especializados en la adopción, con una baja colaboración por parte de los adoptantes y los chicos y chicas adoptados. Entre las propuestas de mejora de la intervención profesional ante estas situaciones destaca la creación de un registro que permita identificar los casos de ruptura en el sistema de protección infantil

The present study aims to apprehend the incidence and main risk factors associated with adoption breakdown, as well as to contribute some proposals to improve professional intervention. Ninety-three breakdowns in adoption detected in Andalusia during the decade 2003-2012 were analyzed. The cumulative incidence in breakdowns during that period was 1.32% of total adoption placements, being more frequent in national than international breakdowns. In addition, the presence of behavioral problems, domestic violence, and emotional bonding problems were detected as main risk factors associated with these breakdowns. Regarding professional intervention, advice and family treatment at the beginning of adoption were the most frequent procedures. Professional interventions were sporadic and made by non-specialized professionals; also, adopters and adoptees’ collaboration with the interventions was low. Among the proposals for professional intervention improvement, stands out the creation of an official register to identify adoption breakdowns in the welfare system

Adversity and Adjustment in Children in Institutions, Family Foster Care, and Adoption.

This study's objective was to identify the adversity profiles of children in different childcare placements, and to analyze their relationship with subsequent psychological adjustment. We studied a group of 230 children 4 to 10 years old indifferent childcare placements (international adoption, institutional care, non-kin foster care, and kinship care), as well as a control group. Information was collected from parent or caregiver interviews and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The results showed that children in the child welfare system had experienced significant adversity before their current placement, especially among institutional care cases and international adoptees. Meanwhile, children in kinship care had experienced less adversity (p .50 to d > .80). After a period of time in their respective placements, children's psychological adjustment was generally positive, but children living in institutional care exhibited the most problems and difficulties, followed by non-kin foster care cases (p .50 to d > .80). Finally, we found that children's early adversity levels (p < .05; r = .16), age of current placement (p < .01; r = .23), and duration of current placement (p < .05: r = -.19) were all tied to current psychological adjustment.

Adversity and adjustment in children in institutions, family foster care, and adoption

This study's objective was to identify the adversity profiles of children in different childcare placements, and to analyze their relationship with subsequent psychological adjustment. We studied a group of 230 children 4 to 10 years old indifferent childcare placements (international adoption, institutional care, non-kin foster care, and kinship care), as well as a control group. Information was collected from parent or caregiver interviews and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The results showed that children in the child welfare system had experienced significant adversity before their current placement, especially among institutional care cases and international adoptees. Meanwhile, children in kinship care had experienced less adversity (p < .001; size effects from d > .50 to d > .80). After a period of time in their respective placements, children's psychological adjustment was generally positive, but children living in institutional care exhibited the most problems and difficulties, followed by non-kin foster care cases (p < .001; size effects from d > .50 to d > .80). Finally, we found that children's early adversity levels (p < .05; r = .16), age of current placement (p < .01; r = .23), and duration of current placement (p < .05: r = -.19) were all tied to current psychological adjustment (AU)

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La calidad de la atención educativa que reciben los menores residentes con sus madres en los centros penitenciarios españoles / No disponible

Como parte de una investigación cuyo objetivo era estudiar el desarrollo de los niños que residen con sus madres en centros penitenciarios hasta los 3 años, se evaluó la calidad de la atención educativa de las escuelas infantiles en el interior de las cuatro Unidades de Madres dependientes de la administración penitenciaria estatal. El instrumento empleado fue la Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS), de Harms, Cryer y Clifford. Los datos revelan que la calidad de la atención educativa varía notablemente de unos centros a otros: mientras en unos casos la puntuación media puede considerarse aceptable (4 sobre un máximo de 7), en otros resulta claramente insuficiente (2,2). Los aspectos que resultan mejor valorados son la interacción en el aula y las actividades de lenguaje; por su parte, los que reciben una puntuación más baja se refieren a las rutinas de cuidados personales y a las actividades de aprendizaje. Finalmente, se comparan estas puntuaciones con las de las escuelas infantiles publicas del exterior y se realizan algunas sugerencias para mejorar las condiciones en las que se ofrecen estos programas, así como la calidad de la atención educativa que reciben estos niños y niñas (AU)

In the wider context of a investigation whose objetive was to study the development of children who live with their mothers in penitentiary centres up until three-years-old, an evaluation was carried out of the quality of educational attention offered by nursery schools within the four mothers and baby units who depend on state penitentiary administration. The instrument used was the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (Harm, Cryer, & Clifford, 1990). The data reveal that the quality of educational attention notably varies from one centre to another: while in some cases the average score can be considered acceptable (4 of a possible of 7), in others it is cleary insufficient (2,2). The aspects more highly scored were classroom interaction and language activities; on the other hand, the lowest scores were for personal care routines and learning activities. Finally these punctuations are compared with those of external public nursery schools and some suggestions are made to improve the quality and conditions in which these programs are offered to the children (AU)

Las interacciones educativas de padres con hijos con deficiencias auditivas. Una revisión desde la perspectiva del estatus auditivo de los padres / No disponible

En el presente artículo se realiza una revisión de las características de las interacciones educativas de padres con hijos con deficiencias auditivas. Para ello, se distingue entre las familias en las que los padres son oyentes de aquéllas en las que los padres también padecen pérdidas de audición. El análisis de las peculiaridades de las interacciones educativas en ambos tipos de familias arroja diferencias notables, principalmente relacionadas con la calidad de la estimulación del desarrollo que se proporciona a los hijos, en líneas generales más positiva en las familias en las que padres e hijos son sordos. El factor que explica las diferencias entre ambas familias es la diferencia o similitud de estatus auditivo entre padres e hijos. Las dificultades derivadas de la diferencia de estatus auditivo se superan cuando padres e hijos disponen de un código de comunicación común que sirve como vehículo para sus interacciones (AU)

The aim of this article is to revise the characteristics of the educational interactions of parents with children with hearing loss. For it, we distinguish among the families in those that the parents are listeners of those in those that the parents also suffer audition losses. The analysis of the peculiarities of the educational interactions in both types of families throws remarkable differences, mainly related with the quality of the stimulation of the development that is provided to the children, more positive in general lines in the families in those that parents and children are deaf. The factor that explains the differences among both families is the difference or similarity of auditory status between parents and children. The difficulties derived of the difference of auditory status are overcome when parents and children have a common code of communication that is good as vehicle for their interactions (AU)