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Online Program

333967
Caregiver qualities and family relationships impact on adolescent mental health among adolescents engaged in the child protection system


Monday, November 2, 2015

Julie A. Cederbaum, PhD, MSW, MPH, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Amy He, LCSW, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Anthony Fulginiti, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Kathrine Sullivan, LCSW, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
background: Children and adolescents who come into contact with child welfare systems (CWS) have poorer mental health outcomes. Factors associated with these outcomes include those intrinsic to caregivers as well as the quality of the caregiver-child relationship.  This study is concerned with understanding the unique impact that caregiver and family factors may have on the mental health of these adolescents.

methods: This is a secondary analysis of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II), a national study of CWS-investigated children. Data were collected between 2008 and 2011. The final NSCAW II sample included 1,054 caregiver-adolescent (11-17 years) dyads; these analyses use baseline and 18 month follow-up data. Study sample includes 877 caregiver-adolescent dyads (those who completed baseline and 18 months). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata.

results: While caregiver depression increased the likelihood of child depression (OR: 2.35, CI=1.01, 5.45), it decreased the likelihood of externalized behavior (OR: 0.62, CI=0.41, 0.99). Caregiver closeness decreased the likelihood of negative mental health outcomes across all indicators (depression [OR: 0.36, CI: 0.18, 0.63], internalized behavior [OR: 0.46, CI: 0.28, 0.75], and externalized behavior [OR: 0.47, CI: 0.30, 0.74]). Higher levels of parental education increased the likelihood of depression (OR: 2.96, CI=1.22, 7.19) and externalized behavior (OR: 2.33, CI=1.17, 4.66).

discussion: These findings suggest that improving the quality of relationships between CWS-involved adolescents and their caregivers can impact adolescent functioning.  Policy promoting family treatment, with a focus on caregiver-child relationships, may have more impact on adolescent mental health than efforts primarily aimed at the individual level.

Learning Areas:

Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related nursing
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify the role of caregiver mental health and caregiver-child closeness on internalizing and externalizing behaviors of adolescents in families engaged with child protections systems. Discuss ways in which policy related to service provision might be modified to focused on family system vs individual level intervention.

Keyword(s): Family Involvement, Depression

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Responsible for the conceptualization of research and writing of manuscript (in process)
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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