Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
Child Abuse Negl. 2018 May;79:325-338. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.02.009. Epub 2018 Mar 20.
In Germany, almost 70 000 children are living in foster families (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2016). Many foster children show mental health problems as they were exposed to an accumulation of risk factors. Hence, foster parents are often faced with challenging parenting situations. The current study focuses on the predictors of foster parents' stress and examines longitudinally whether parenting stress is associated with foster parents' sensitivity. The sample consisted of 55 children (aged from 1 to 6 years) and their foster caregivers. Foster parents' sensitivity was observed during home visits. Caregiver reports were used to assess parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index) as well as foster children's externalizing behavior problems (Child Behavior Checklist). For main caregivers' stress at the beginning of placement, regression analyses revealed both, foster children's externalizing problems as well as partners' stress as predictive. For main caregivers' stress one year after, only initial parenting stress and partners' stress were predictive. Foster parents' sensitivity was correlated with their parenting stress one year after placement. Regression analyses revealed no longitudinal effects of initial parenting stress on overall sensitivity. However, supportive presence was predicted by initial supportive presence and by the interaction between parenting stress and children's externalizing problems at placement. The findings highlight the role of the partner in experiencing parenting stress when taking care of a foster child. Furthermore, they emphasize that foster parents who care for children with behavior problems need adequate support that can buffer initial parenting stress and thereby promote sensitive caregiving.
在德国，有近 70000 名儿童生活在寄养家庭中（联邦统计局，2016 年）。许多寄养儿童表现出心理健康问题，因为他们暴露于一系列风险因素中。因此，寄养父母经常面临具有挑战性的育儿情况。本研究重点关注寄养父母压力的预测因素，并纵向检查育儿压力是否与寄养父母的敏感性有关。样本包括 55 名儿童（年龄在 1 至 6 岁之间）及其寄养照顾者。在家庭访问期间观察寄养父母的敏感性。使用照顾者报告评估育儿压力（父母压力指数）以及寄养儿童的外化行为问题（儿童行为检查表）。对于安置开始时主要照顾者的压力，回归分析显示，寄养儿童的外化问题以及伴侣的压力都是预测因素。对于主要照顾者在安置一年后的压力，只有初始育儿压力和伴侣的压力是预测因素。寄养父母的敏感性与他们在安置一年后的育儿压力相关。回归分析显示，初始育儿压力对整体敏感性没有纵向影响。然而，支持性存在可以由初始的支持性存在以及在安置时育儿压力与儿童外化问题之间的相互作用来预测。研究结果强调了伴侣在照顾寄养儿童时体验育儿压力的作用。此外，它们还强调，照顾有行为问题的儿童的寄养父母需要得到足够的支持，这可以缓冲初始的育儿压力，从而促进敏感的养育。
