LESS THAN KIN, MORE THAN KIND: THE ROLE OF POSITIVE PARENTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING AMONG YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE

The present study examined the importance of parental nurturance, parentchild cohesion, and parent-child relationship quality in the prediction of social functioning and internalizing and externalizing problems among youth in foster care. Data came from 257 youth in foster care, aged 10-18 years old, and from their primary caregivers, as part of an annual interview required of youth in the Ontario child welfare system. Parentand youth-reports of parenting and of youth outcomes were obtained as part of this interview. Results were inconsistent across age groups, however, higher parent ratings of nurturance generally predicted fewer internalizing problems in youth, and better youth ratings of parent-child relationship quality predicted increased youth prosocial behaviour and fewer internalizing problems. Inconsistency of results may be related to variables of particular importance to the foster-parent child context that were not accounted for in the present study (i.e., attachment).