Examination of Child Placement, Emotional, Behavioral and Attachment Problems Among Children with Caregiver-Perpetrated Trauma Histories

Caregiver-perpetrated trauma (CPT) is associated with adverse consequences for youth, including out-of-home placement. Although promotion of kinship care placement has recently increased, effects on youth remain unclear. Psychosocial functioning of 1107 CPT-exposed youth ages 2 to 18 was compared across placement types using generalized mixed models. Youth remaining at home had increased Somatization symptoms compared to kinship (OR = .25, CI = 0.07–.88) and foster care (OR = .32, CI = 0.11–.98) youth. Both out-of-home placement types had higher odds of Attachment Problems (OR = 3.61, CI = 2.22–5.87 and 4.41, CI = 2.71–7.18 respectively). PTSD symptoms varied, youth in kinship care had increased self-reported re-experiencing symptoms (OR = 2.66, CI = 1.04–6.8), while youth in foster care had elevated clinician-rated PTSD (OR = 2.07, CI = 1.1.3–3.80). Given the limited differences between kinship and foster care, studies should continue to delineate the impact of child placement type to inform child welfare policy.