| Popis: |
On any given day in the U.S., there are approximately 540,000 children and adolescents in the foster care system. The present study examined the role of foster care placement decisions on the optimism levels and feelings of personal loss of 53 children and adolescents in care. Participants in this study reported being less optimistic than other distressed and non-distressed samples. They generally reported experiencing significant feelings of personal loss related to their placement in foster care. Experiencing supervised family visits was associated with reporting more feelings of overall personal loss. Children’s feelings of personal loss regarding their futures were negatively related to the total length of time they spent in the foster care system. Children in stable current foster care placements also reported experiencing less feelings of personal loss both overall and across several domains. Implications for program development and advocacy for children in the foster care system are discussed. |
