Suchergebnisse

Abstract
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy–Plus (CBT+) has emerged as a promising intervention to address the myriad emotional and behavioral health needs of youth in the child welfare system. Existing CBT+ research has shown reductions in target clinical symptoms, but child welfare placement outcomes have not yet been assessed. The current study tested the effects of CBT+ on placement stability and psychiatric inpatient treatment use among youth in out-of-home care at one countywide CBT+ site. This study used a quasi-experimental design that compared three inverse probability-weighted groups: (1) 40 youth who received CBT+, (2) 38 youth referred for CBT+ but not served, and (3) 90 youth screened in as clinically eligible for CBT+ but not referred because they were receiving other services. Difference-in-differences estimates found that CBT+ significantly improved placement stability. Further, youth served by CBT+ had a greater reduction in psychiatric inpatient treatment use than those referred but not served, although this difference did not reach statistical significance. Findings from this study provide preliminary evidence for CBT+ effects on placement outcomes for youth in out-of-home care, contributing to the growing evidence for CBT+ as a promising intervention for child welfare–involved youth. Methodological limitations and considerations for further investigation are discussed.

Chosen Affirming Family Finding (CAFF) is a program developed and implemented by Cuyahoga County Department of Child and Family Services and Kinnect from 2019 to 2021. CAFF is a cultural adaptation of Family Finding, designed to work with LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and other diverse sexual orientations and gender identities) young people involved with the child welfare system. This study outlines the evaluation of a 5-year design and implementation of the CAFF model using mixed-methods. At the start of services, nearly all youth were living in a foster home (67%) or residential setting (25%). At the end of CAFF services, the majority of youth who completed services were living at home (33%) or in kinship care (25%). Youth expressed that CAFF specialists reinforced their authority and role in making decisions about their lives, helped prepare them for disclosure, and increased family connections through meetings.

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to assess the experiences of child welfare workers trained in Family Finding and to assess the experiences of the youth who participated in Family Finding. Findings from this study suggest the efficacy of Family Finding in establishing relational permanence for youth. Findings from qualitative analyses indicate that Family Finders modified the actual steps of the model. Both youth-recommended and Family Finders-recommended Family Finding services begin when children and youth enter child welfare. However, quantitative findings suggest there is not any significant difference in Family Finding outcomes for younger and older youth.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the correlates of child behavior change over time in a replication of the KEEP intervention. Method: The study sample was drawn from the treatment group of the Maryland replication of KEEP (n=65). Change over time was analyzed using multilevel linear mixed modeling. Results: Parents' use of positive reinforcement relative to discipline was associated with the rate of child behavior change among program participants; parents with the lowest initial levels of reinforcement reported the greatest decrease in child problem behaviors. Other participant characteristics were not associated with child behavior change during the study period. Conclusions: The results indicate the efficacy of an evidence-based foster parent training program for reducing child problem behaviors and underscore the utility of teaching parents to use more positive responses relative to discipline as a robust path to improved child outcomes.

The Professional Opinion Scale (POS) was developed to measure social work values orientation. Objective: A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the POS. Method: This cross-sectional study used a mailed survey design with a national random (simple) sample of members of the National Association of Social Workers. Results: The study validated a 28-item POS retaining the four subscales described by Abbott, and the model fit was acceptable. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the POS may be useful in assessing social work values across the social work profession.