Factors affecting adoption in Wales: Predictors of variation in time between entry to care and adoptive placement

In the UK, there has been an increasing emphasis in recent years on reducing the delay in making permanent placements for children who cannot remain living with their birth parents. Adoption is one such plan for permanence. This study examined those factors that predicted a lengthier care episode for a national sample of children recently placed for adoption. The data was drawn from the Wales Adoption Study. This is a mixed methods study that analysed information from the adoption reports of all children placed for adoption over a 13 month period during 2014 and 2015 (n = 374). Children were aged between 0 months and 6 1/2 years on entry into care. On average, the time between entering care and moving into an adoptive placement was 528 days. The results of the regression analysis showed that four child-related factors were associated with a longer wait in care before being placed for adoption. These were developmental delay, externalizing behaviour, serious and enduring health problems/disability and exposure to domestic violence. The procedural factors examined showed no association with length of time to placement. The findings from this study make a substantial contribution to further developing what is known about the timeliness of adoption within the current UK context. The implications for policy and practice are discussed.     

Contact with birth family in intercountry adoptions: Comparing families headed by sexual minority and heterosexual parents

Contact between adoptive families and birth families in the context of intercountry adoption, as well as adoption by sexual minorities (e.g., lesbians and gay men), represent understudied topics. In the current study, we examine the extent and type of contact with birth family in intercountry adoptive families headed by heterosexual and sexual minority parents. Data were drawn from the Modern Adoptive Families project, a nationwide, non-random survey of adoptive parents' beliefs and experiences that was conducted from 2012 to 2013. The current sample consisted of 479 families headed by heterosexual parents (H) and 38 families headed by sexual minority women (SM) whose oldest adopted child was younger than 18 years of age and who had been placed from another country. Although no family type difference was found in contact with birth family prior to or at the time of placement (H = 9.6%; SM = 13.2%), sexual minority respondents reported a higher level of contact with one or more members of their children”s birth families following adoptive placement than did heterosexual respondents (SM = 28.9%; H = 14.4%), as well as currently (SM = 21.1%; H 9.8%). They also reported more contact with their children”s birth mothers than did heterosexual parents, although no family type differences were found for contact with other birth family members. Policy and practice implications are discussed.     

Parent perspectives on adoption preparation: Findings from the Modern Adoptive Families project

Preparing prospective adoptive parents for receiving a child into their family is an important task for child and family professionals. This study uses data from the recent Modern Adoptive Families survey to understand parent perspectives on their preparation for adoption. Logistic regression (n = 917) and qualitative thematic analysis of adoptive parents' comments about their adoption preparation were conducted to understand aspects of the preparatory experience that were satisfactory (n = 623) or dissatisfactory (n = 283). Child emotional and behavioral problems significantly predicted parent dissatisfaction with adoption preparation. Major themes for satisfactory aspects of preadoption services included receiving information about adoption in general and, more specifically, about clinical and special populations, and parenting tools and strategies. In addition, parents identified opportunities to connect with others touched by adoption and access to specialized post-adoption services as helpful. Conversely, parents expressed dissatisfaction when information was lacking or withheld, when they had quality concerns with the worker or agency, and when there was a dearth of services and supports following adoption. Implications of these findings include the need for adoption mental health competent training for adoption professionals to better support families preparing for or experiencing adoption.     

Parenting and emotional well-being of adoptive school-aged children: The mediating role of attachment

This study focuses on the processes of adoptive parenting that affect children's emotional well-being. It aims to analyze the role of children's attachment as a mediator of the relationship between both parenting styles and parenting stress and children's positive and negative affect in adoptive families of school-aged children. The study included 322 Portuguese participants, divided into one group of adoptive parents (n = 135) and one comparison group of non-adoptive parents (n = 187); target-children were aged between 6 and 12 years. Self-report questionnaires were used to analyze the dimensions under study (parenting styles, parenting stress, children's attachment and children's emotional well-being). After conducting a preliminary analysis to identify potential differences between the adoptive and the non-adoptive parents, a mediation model was tested using the path analysis procedure. A baseline model was established, followed by a multi-group analysis in order to explore the model's invariance across the groups. Children's attachment mediated the relationship between parenting (styles and stress) and children's positive and negative affect. The multi-group analysis revealed that, for the adoptive group, both secure and anxious/ambivalent attachment mediated the association between parenting stress and negative affect; for the non-adoptive group, secure attachment was found to mediate the link between emotional warmth and positive affect. For both groups, the relationship between parenting stress and positive affect was mediated by secure attachment. Results pointed to the relevance of children's attachment in the association of parenting styles and parenting stress with children's emotional well-being. Moreover, differences concerning the mediation model emerged across the two groups, revealing that children's negative outcomes were better explained in the adoptive group. The results reinforce the importance of supporting adoptive parents after the adoption process.     

Physical activity and nutrition program for adults with metabolic syndrome: Process evaluation

IntroductionThe Vietnam Physical Activity and Nutrition (VPAN) program aimed to improve physical activity and nutrition for adults aged 50–65 years with Metabolic Syndrome in Vietnam. The VPAN program consisted of a range of resources and strategies, including an information booklet, resistance band, face-to-face education sessions, and walking groups. This process evaluation assessed the participation, fidelity, satisfaction, and reasons for completing and not-completing the VPAN.MethodsData were collected by mixed-methods from a sample of 214 intervention participants. Quantitative data were collected via surveys (n = 163); qualitative data via face-to-face exit interviews with intervention program completers (n = 10) and non-completers (n = 10), and brief post education session discussions.ResultsMost participants (87%–96%) reported the program resources and strategies useful, assisting them to increase their physical activity level and improving their diet. The education sessions were the most preferred strategy (97%) with high attendance (>78% of participants). The main reasons for withdrawal were work commitments and being too busy.ConclusionThe evaluation indicated that the program reached and engaged the majority of participants throughout the six-month intervention. The combination of printed resources and face-to-face intervention components was a suitable approach to support lifestyle behavioural change in the Vietnamese population.     

Foster and adoptive parent training: A process and outcome investigation of the preservice PRIDE program

This study investigated the widely-used but under-researched program for training resource parents (i.e., foster, adoptive, or kinship parents) known as preservice PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education). The sample consisted of 174 participants in Ontario, Canada. Examination of the process of training showed that the participants were highly satisfied with the training and rated it as being of high quality. The participants experienced a large pretest-posttest mean gain (d = 1.17, p < 0.001) on the total score of the primary outcome measure, knowledge of the PRIDE competencies taught by the program. Training quality was a positive and statistically significantly predictor of both gains in knowledge of the PRIDE competencies and satisfaction with training. The results were discussed in terms of their implications for research and practice.     

Social competence in Russian post-institutionalized children: A comparison of adopted and non-adopted children

The study examined the social skills of 92 Russian children (males = 64) adopted by Italian families. The children, aged between 8 and 14 years, were compared with a control group of children who grew up with the biological family. Evaluation by both parents and children of the children's social competence were investigated. The results showed that, according to the parents' reports, the adopted children had more problems in social functioning than peers in the control group, along with a greater propensity to use maladaptive behaviors such as Oppositive Behavior, Rule-Breaking Behavior, Aggressive Behavior and Externalization. By contrast, according to the children's assessments, the adopted children were less aggressive and used prosocial behaviors to a greater extent than children raised in the biological family. The views of the parents and the children about the children's aggressive behavior were mutually conflicting.Finally, the influence of adoption related variables on the social competence of children was examined. Contrary to our expectations, there were no significant relationships between social competence and age of adoption, the duration of institutionalization and the time spent in the adoptive family.     

Parents,friends, and depression: A multi-country study of adolescents in South Asia

PurposeThis study investigates the association between social support networks, as measured by parental involvement and close friendships, and depression among adolescents in South Asia.MethodsNationally representative samples of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16 + years (n = 16,592) from the Global School Based Health Surveys from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Myanmar were analyzed to provide prevalence rates of depression. Additionally, differences in past year depressive symptoms were compared cross-sectionally by social support from parents and friends, separately. This was done by computing prevalence ratios adjusting for potential confounders and demographic factors.ResultsOf all adolescent respondents in the study, 14.5% met the criteria to be screened for depression, while 50% reported having three or more close friends, and 80% reported having very involved parents. Adjusted prevalence ratios indicated that those with close friendships were much less likely to be screened for depressive symptoms compared to their counterparts, as were adolescents with very involved parents. However, low and moderate levels of parent involvement were not found to be significantly associated with adolescents' propensity for being screened for depressive.ConclusionSocial support is a social determinant of adolescent mental health in South Asia that has received little scholarly attention to date. This study highlights the importance of research and interventions involving parents and close friends in building programs for adolescents that target mental health.     

‘Reach Out,Rise Up’: The efficacy of text messaging in an intervention package for anxiety and depression severity in young people

BackgroundDepression and anxiety are among the most commonly experienced mental health issues faced by young people in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Considerable barriers exist that prevent young people from engaging with face-to-face mental health services. Young people's preference for technology-based counselling mediums such as text messaging opens up new pathways for intervention.ObjectiveA pilot text message-based intervention package was trialled for use by young people to evaluate the potential efficacy of the text package as an intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms.MethodThe text package was piloted using a 10-week longitudinal cohort pilot with 21 young participants (12–24 years) who demonstrated mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression symptoms.ResultsParticipants' post-package scores were significantly lower than their pre-package scores for both anxiety (Z = − 2.83, p = .005, r = − 0.65) and depression (Z = − 2.49, p = .013, r = −.056). ‘Feeling encouraged and supported’ increased as a result of receiving support from a trained supporter (Z = − 2.06, p = .039, r = − 0.45), but not from friends/family (Z = − 1.72, p = .130, r = − 0.37). Anxiety and depression scores did not change as a result of support from either trained supporters or friends/family.ConclusionsFindings support the potential efficacy of the text package, justify wider trials of the text package, and support the use of text message-based interventions as potentially effective therapies for young people.     

A randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of the youth crime prevention program ‘New Perspectives’ (NP): Post-treatment changes and moderator effects

ObjectivesNew Perspectives (NP) aims to prevent that youth at onset of a criminal career will develop a more persistent criminal behavior pattern. The study aim was to examine whether NP was effective relative to care as usual in preventing and reducing (persistent) delinquency. Moreover, we examined improvements in secondary outcomes (e.g., peer and parent relationships and cognitive distortions) and other outcomes (e.g., substance use and self-esteem).MethodsAt-risk youth (N = 101) aged 12 to 19 years were randomly assigned to the intervention group (NP, n = 47) or control group (‘care as usual’, n = 54). The effects of the NP intensive phase (3 months after program start) and aftercare phase (6 months after program start) were analyzed.ResultsNP and care as usual did not differ on any of the outcome measures at both post-test occasions. The effects of NP were the same for boys and girls, different age groups, and ethnic groups.ConclusionsThe overall null-effects are discussed, including implications for further research, policy, and practice.     

Factors influencing the development of psychiatric disorders in the victims of sexual abuse: A study on Turkish children

The purpose of this study is to test empirically whether there are sex differences in childhood sexual abuse characteristics and psychiatric disorders, and there is an association with sexual abuse characteristics and psychiatric disorders caused by abuse. Files of 482 cases referred to the Child Surveillance Center due to sexual abuse between September 2012 and September 2014, for whom legal reports were prepared, were investigated retrospectively. Of the abused children, 82.2% (n = 396) were girls and 17.8% (n = 86) were boys. The mean age of girls was 14.1 ± 2.9 years, while that of boys was 11.6 ± 3.8 years. The most common type of abuse was sexual touching in girls, while it was anal penetration in boys. The rate of being diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder was found to be 68.9% (n = 273) in girls, while it was 38.4% (n = 33) in boys. When the abuser was from the family or someone close to the victim, when the numbers of abuse incidents and abusers were greater than one, and in cases of force and violence, the rate of being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder was found to be higher. With greater duration of time passing after the abuse, in those who became pregnant due to abuse, and in those who did not tell their parents about the incident, the rate of psychiatric diagnosis was significantly higher. In addition, it was found that when there were more than one abused people in the same event, the rate of psychiatric diagnosis was lower. Among all these variables, independent variables affecting the development of psychiatric disorders in victims were gender, number of abuse, presence of force and physical violence, and presence of more than one abuse victim in the same event. Because of high rates of psychiatric disorders in children exposed to sexual abuse, it is crucial to evaluate these children in a careful and closely manner by clinicians.     

Using a community-based participatory research approach to evaluate resident predictors of involuntary exit from permanent supportive housing

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine an association between resident characteristics at time of entry to permanent supportive housing and exit status.MethodsA community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was the guiding framework for the design, implementation and evaluation of this project. This retrospective observational study used an administrative data source from a local permanent supportive housing provider to compare resident characteristics among those who left housing voluntarily or involuntarily.ResultsThe population based sample (n = 407) was comprised of 51% males and 47% African-Americans with a mean age of 40 years (SD = 11.8). Involuntary exits (IEs) occurred in 40% of the sample (n = 166). IE was less likely with receipt of mainstream benefits, compared to employment income (O.R. = .546, p = .032). IE was more likely for residents self-identifying as African-American (O.R. = 1.56, p = .037) and when children resided in the household (O.R. = 2.03, p = .013).ConclusionsDespite limitations of community-derived data, findings suggest that supportive housing providers consider income source and family status when designing interventions to decrease IEs. A CBPR approach is a promising framework to guide evaluation efforts for supportive housing programs.     

Diabetes education program for people with type 2 diabetes: An international perspective

BackgroundIn the Palestinian community, lifestyle changes, rapid urbanization and socioeconomic development, stress, smoking, and changes in food habits has increased the risk of non-communicable diseases especially diabetes mellitus. Diabetes complications can be prevented if the glycemic status of patients with diabetes is maintained within a nearly normal range. Therefore, patient education is critical in controlling blood glucose levels within the normal range.ObjectiveThis study aimed at measuring the effect of diabetes educational intervention program for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes attending the Diabetes Clinic in Tulkarim Directorate of Health.MethodsA short duration observational study involving pre- and post-test educational intervention program was carried out on a relatively small number of type 2 diabetes patients at the Diabetes Clinic in Tulkarim Directorate of Health. In total, 215 patients attended a group-based 4 h educational intervention session about diabetes. The program included explaining diabetes mellitus-symptoms, risk factors, types, treatment and complications and main aspects of self-care of the disease (foot care, eye care, and blood glucose monitoring), main aspects of dietary management, weight reduction, blood pressure, smoking cessation, periodic investigations, home monitoring and importance of physical activity. Knowledge evaluation questionnaire were evaluated pre- and post-study. Anthropometric measurements such as body weight (WT), body mass index (BMI) and laboratory tests such as fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), cholesterol (Chol), and triglycerides (TG) were measured both at the beginning and at the end of the study. Significance of the results was assessed by paired t-test at 95% confidence interval.ResultsThe participant’s mean age was 51.07 that ranged between 31 and 70 years. For a total of 215 participants, 41.4% were males and 58.6% were females. The mean weight before educational intervention was 80.81 ± 14.95 kg (82.6 kg for males and 79.5 kg for females) that decreased to 78.9 ± 14.33 kg (81.1 kg for males and 77.3 kg for females) after educational intervention program. The BMI also decreased significantly after educational intervention. The mean fasting blood sugar was 188.65 ± 71.45 mg/dL before educational intervention that decreased to 177.7 ± 66.11 mg/dL after the educational intervention (p = 0.049). The mean glycosylated hemoglobin was 8.57 ± 1.21 before educational intervention that decreased to 7.95 ± 1.42 after educational intervention. The mean value of cholesterol before educational intervention was 183.27 ± 37.74 mg/dL that decreased to 169.57 ± 34.23 mg/dL after educational intervention. The mean triglycerides value decreased after educational intervention from 209.85 ± 171.04 mg/dL to 183.28 ± 152.4 mg/dL (p = 0.025). The mean score of knowledge questionnaire before educational intervention was 60.6 ± 20.65 that increased to 78.1 ± 13.4 after conducting educational intervention.ConclusionsDiabetes education was found to be effective on BMI, FBG, HbA1c, Chol, TG, and knowledge.RecommendationsDiabetes education is a cornerstone in the management and care of diabetes and should be an integral part of health planning involving patient’s family, diabetes care team, community, and decision makers in the education process.     

Services use by children and parents in multiproblem families

BackgroundMultiproblem families are multi-users of psychosocial and health care services, but little is known about factors associated with their care utilization in the general population. The aim of this study was to assess which factors were associated with the overall and psychosocial care use of two members—i.e., child and parent—of each multiproblem family.MethodsDuring well-child visits or psychosocial care, we identified 354 children and their parents who had problems in several life domains (response 69.1%). We used multivariate stepwise backward logistic regression analyses to identify the factors related to their use of overall and psychosocial care.ResultsA child's overall care use was associated with greater social support from family and friends (odds ratio, OR, 95% confidence interval, CI; OR = 1.05, CI = 1.01–1.08) compared to less perceived social support; and with more psychosocial problems in the child (OR = 1.84, CI = 1.04–3.24). Child's psychosocial care use was more likely among older children (OR = 1.94, CI = 1.20–3.15); greater social support by family and friend (OR = 1.03, CI = 1.00–1.06); more psychosocial problems (OR = 1.75, CI = 1.04–2.97); and when there were more parenting concerns (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.06–1.33). Parental overall and psychosocial care use was more likely when the family experienced a higher number of life events (OR = 1.27, CI = 1.17–1.38, and OR = 1.39, CI = 1.25–1.55).ConclusionsCare use in multiproblem families is related to family factors as well as psychosocial problems. It may be possible to use these family risk factors to identify such families early, whose intensive care use is possibly explained by the relationship with inadequate use of social support.     

Societal factors impacting child welfare: Re-validating the Perceptions of Child Welfare Scale

ObjectiveThis research examines the psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Child Welfare Scale (PCWS) by seeking to understand the differences between workers' perceptions of how society views them based upon job title by revalidating the PCWS with a sample of administrators and clinicians.MethodsConfirmatory factor analysis was utilized to analyze data on 165 administrators and 153 clinical child welfare workers.ResultsThe final model consisted of three latent variables with ten indicators related to stigma, value, and respect ([X²] = 167.6, [p] = 0.00; [RMSEA] = 0.07; 90% [CI]: 0.06–0.09; [CFI] = 0.95; [TLI] = 0.95).DiscussionThe factors found in the previous study were confirmed using an entirely different sample of child welfare workers. The factors value, stigma, and respect were confirmed across the sample based upon whether the workers were administrators or clinicians. This provides reassurance that measuring how workers perceive they are viewed by those outside the child welfare system does not vary based upon job title.     

Cooks training for Faith,Activity, and Nutrition project with AME churches in SC

PurposeThis study describes the development and evaluation of a participatory training for cooks in African American churches.The 8-h training focused on providing healthy meals within the church food program. It enlisted cooks in hands-on “cooking with the chef” training and menu building exercises, and demonstrated development of flavor in foods through healthy ingredients. Cook ratings from pre- to post-training (possible range: 1–10) were evaluated with the Wilcoxon signed rank test.Results114 cooks from 57 churches over the period from 7/21/07 to 3/21/11 participated in trainings. Self-rated cooking skill increased from pre- (6.5 ± SD) to post-training (7.9 ± SD), p = 0.0001. Self-rated confidence in preparing meals also increased significantly (pre: 7.3 ± SD; post: 8.3 ± SD), p = 0001.Qualitative feedback from the cooks’ training has been positive. Two of the more frequently stated changes cooks report are using less salt and using more vegetables and fruits in menus. Lessons learned include: choosing the right church to host the training, teamwork as a key component, need for support system for church cooks, allocation of time for planning as well as shopping for healthy ingredients, and incorporation of flexibility into the training plan.     

Parental emotional warmth and psychological Suzhi as mediators between socioeconomic status and problem behaviours in Chinese children

ObjectiveThis study investigated psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between family socioeconomic status (SES) and problem behaviours in Chinese children.MethodsParticipants were 1128 children (556 females) from two Chinese elementary schools, aged 8–13 years (M = 10.82, SD = 1.26), attending the 3rd–6th grades. Children provided self-report on parental emotional warmth and psychological suzhi, whereas parents reported on SES and problem behaviours.ResultsData analyses, including structural equation modelling (SEM)—employed to test a three-path mediation effect of parental emotional warmth and psychological suzhi after controlling for gender and grade—revealed that: (1) SES, parental emotional warmth, and psychological suzhi were negatively correlated with children's problem behaviours; (2) SES indirectly affected children's psychological suzhi through parental emotional warmth; (3) psychological suzhi mediated the relation between parental emotional warmth and problem behaviours; and (4) children belonging to families with low SES were less likely to receive emotional support from their parents. This significantly predicted low psychological suzhi levels, which in turn negatively affected problem behaviours.ConclusionsStrategies that help parents provide warmth and support and those that help children improve psychological suzhi may help reduce problem behaviours in vulnerable groups.