[Gender-specific Differences in the Degree of Burden on Children and Adolescents Taken into Custody]. / Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede im Belastungsausmaß bei in Obhut genommenen Kindern und Jugendlichen (§42, SGB VIII).

Gender-specific Differences in the Degree of Burden on Children and Adolescents Taken into Custody Children and adolescents who were taken into care are a high-risk group for mental disorders such as externalizing problems or conduct disorders. 95 children and adolescents who were taken into care were tested with the Screening Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument 2 (MAYSI-2). In a large proportion of those children and adolescents emotional and physical neglect and abuse was identified. There were sex differences in suicidal thoughts, somatoform disorders, and emotional abuse. The knowledge of mental disorders as well as the gender-specific characteristics is important for specialists of inhospital institutions, in order to optimize their quality of care.

[Resilient or Risk Group? Psychological Burden at Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) in Germany]. / Resilient oder Risikogruppe?

Resilient or Risk Group? Psychological Burden at Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) in Germany Unaccompanied minors (umA in German) are considered as a risk group for psychological disorders. In international studies a high prevalence for trauma, anxiety, and depression were reported. A sample of N = 52 unaccompanied minors living in Germany was questioned on symptom severity as well as stress experience with the Refugee Health Screening-15. More than each second unaccompanied minor shows clinically relevant symptom severity and stress experience. In age-specific analyses the highest stress levels were found among the youngest unaccompanied minors. Therefore, specifically adapted settings for care should be applied for this high-risk group.

[Relationship Between Child Behavior and Emotional Problems and School Based Effort Avoidance]. / Zusammenhang zwischen Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bei Kindern und der schulbezogenen Anstrengungsvermeidung/ Relationship Between Child Behavior and Emotional Problems and School Based Effort Avoidance.

The present study has examined the relationship between school based effort avoidance tendencies and problem behavior in children aged 9 to 16 years. Effort avoidance tendencies were assessed in 367 children with and without child care. Teachers and social workers rated children on behavioral and emotional problems with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results confirmed significant but low correlations between teacher ratings of behavior and emotional problems in children and selected subscales of self-reported effort avoidance in school, especially for children in child care institutions. For them "conduct problems" were significantly correlated with three of the four subscales and the total sum score of effort avoidance whereas "hyperactivity" was the only scale which was significantly associated with the fourth subscale. In the school sample only "hyperactivity" and "peer problems" were significantly correlated with one subscale of school-based effort avoidance. The findings suggest that more problem behavior is in relation to more school based effort avoidance tendencies.

[Participation of traumatized children and adolescents affected by provisional safeguards (removal and custody of children ace. to Para. 42 SGB VIII)_]. / Partizipation traumatisierter Kinder und Jugendlicher bei vorläufigen Schutzmaßnahmen (Inobhutnahme, §42 SGB VIII).

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzes important variables of settings of children taken into state custody and records trauma exposure. METHOD: 52 children and adolescents with e~periences of removal and custody were questioned online in the social network Facebook. Traumatic stressors before removal and custody were assessed as well as the reasons that lead .to removal and custody and the subsequent burdens. RESULTS: In more than every other case the children and adolescents reported that they were not involved in important decisions during removal and custody. After termination of the removal and custody process, 50% did not want to return to their parents. Compared to children wanting to return to their parents, children who did not want to return home display signs of severe physical and emotional neglect as well as extreme physical abuse. Even though they have no desire to return, they are often sent back to their parents against their will. CONCLUSIONS: Children who are removed and put in state custody should be included when deciding important questions. Whether or not they wish to return to their parents should be taken into consideration more strongly. Children who are sent back to theirparents against their will suffer from on going traumatization.

[Age-specific effects at the beginning of in-/out-/day patient welfare measures]. / Altersspezifische Effekte am Beginn teilstationärer Jugendhilfemassnahmen.

The study presented examines age-specific differences in emotional and behaviour problems as well as resources at the beginning of in-, out- and day-patient youth welfare measures. Additionally, parenting-skills were investigated. A sample of N = 126 was divided by the median (10.1 years) thus leading to two groups: ages six to ten (version for parents) versus eleven to sixteen (self-completion). Children and adolescents were evaluated with the SDQ, parenting skills with the DEAPQ-EL-GS. Values of both groups were compared cross-sectionally with multivariate, one-factorial variance analysis. Parents of younger children achieve significantly better results for parenting-skills. Compared to the older ones, younger children show significantly greater behaviour problems. Younger children belong to the group especially affected in youth welfare measures. Therefore, measures should be specifically adapted for this group to reduce symptoms.

[Educational competence of parents with children participating in youth welfare measures]. / Erziehungskompetenz von eltern mit kindern in jugendhilfe-maßnahmen.

OBJECTIVE: The study examines the influence of specific risks on parenting at the beginning of youth welfare measures. METHOD: Family risk factors as well as parental behaviour styles of N = 74 parents were assessed with standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: The results were evaluated cross-sectionally with one-way factor analysis. Three groups were formed according to degree of risk factors. Families with special risks, i.e., material needs, physically ill parents, or single parents, show a significantly lower level of parenting competence. Differences in negative parenting features are not found to be under the influence of specific risks. CONCLUSIONS: Parents of children in youth welfare measures who are specifically stressed may need special training to increase their parenting skills, especially when pre-post comparisons show lower parenting quality in the group with specific risk factors at the end of an intervention.

[Follow-up support measures as parameters for the effectiveness of day-care measures in youth welfare - a comparative study]. / Anschlusshilfen als Parameter für die Wirksamkeit teilstationärer Jugendhilfe-Massnahmen. Eine Vergleichsstudie.

OBJECTIVE: Educational support measures aim at reducing strain on families in precarious life situations. In children and adolescents, measures usually focus on reducing conduct problems and promoting competencies; parents are supported in order to improve their parenting competencies. But youth welfare measures have different effects on children, adolescents, and their parents, and a national comparison reveals that most families require follow-up support measures afterwards. This study compares different courses of youth assistance measures in families with or without follow-up support measures. METHODS: A total of 89 families received day-care educational support for an average period of 2 years. Subsequently, 26 families required further support. In order to identify predictors for follow-up support measures, we systematically assessed problem areas indicating a need for further support prior to and after youth help measures, and contrasted them in a pre-post-design. RESULTS: Children in need of further support displayed significantly more symptoms of strain and less improvement in their competencies after the end of youth help measures. However, the most distinctive differences resulted for ineffective parenting. These groups differed significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of youth welfare measures strongly depends on an improvement of parenting competencies. A lack thereof points toward further need for support, even after intensive educational support measures.

[Youth welfare and therapy: effects of youth welfare alone and youth welfare combined with additional therapy]. / Jugendhilfe und Therapie: Effekte aus kombinierten Massnahmen in der Gegenüberstellung mit Hilfen ohne Therapieangebot.

Around 17% of children and adolescents suffer from some form of psychological disorder. Compared to this rate, the prevalence among families seeking youth welfare assistance is substantially higher: 60 to 80% of children in day care and residential educational settings meet the criteria of an ICD-10-diagnosis. While effective psychotherapeutic interventions are available, only a fraction of those children affected receive such help. This study assesses whether the effectiveness of educational day care support can be increased by offering additional treatment. To this end, 89 families were assessed who received an average of two years of day care assistance. One group (n = 23) received additional therapeutic treatment. In order to assess the effectiveness of combined youth welfare and therapeutic intervention, indicative problem areas were evaluated using a pre-post-design. Effect measures indicate small advantages of the combined treatment. The group receiving additional therapeutic treatment suffered from fewer risk factors. They also showed some long term effects and fewer families needed follow-up support. Overall, combined treatment was more effective. However, differences between the two groups were less pronounced than expected, due to the effectiveness of day care groups.

[Ambulant and outpatient youth welfare: long-term effectiveness]. / Ambulante und teilstationäre Jugendhilfe-Maßnahmen.

OBJECTIVE: This study concerns the long-term effects of ambulant and outpatient youth provisions. Progress was examined regarding the impact of stress, extensive conduct problems, emotional problems, as well as available resources. In addition, we included data on adolescents' educational status, legal problems, and substance use in the analysis. METHOD: Using quantitative data from three surveys, we analysed the development in children and adolescents and their families, all of whom were engaged in youth welfare services (N = 59). RESULTS: At the onset of youth welfare services involvement, there were three groups that different significantly regarding the stress impact (low, moderate, high). It was hypothesized that children with low stress impact would benefit most from youth welfare services. Even 3 years after the welfare service had come to an end children and adolescents with a high level of problems at service onset still showed significantly higher impact levels and more familial problems. However, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding behavioral problems. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates the long-term effects of youth welfare services, independent of the initial extent of general impact.

[Differential effectiveness of youth welfare measures: a comparative study on the effectiveness of day care measures]. / Differenzielle Wirksamkeit der Jugendhilfe: Traditionelle und zerbrochene Familien im Vergleich.

Single parent families not only differ from traditional families regarding socioeconomic problems and missing a parent, but also concerning the duration of using youth welfare measures, psychological problems in single parents, and the way youth welfare measures are ended. Due to different basic parameters in these two family settings, this study investigates the differential effectiveness of youth day care measures. In total, 55 children and adolescents (aged 6 to 14 years) and their parents were involved. Using axis I, II and V, ICD-10 multiaxial presentation, data on the general burden of problems, externalizing problems, emotional problems, and parenting skills were recorded before care measures began and again after they had ended. Although day care measures were very effective in both family settings, traditional families showed a significantly stronger decline of externalizing problems than single parent families, exceptions being emotional problems and burdens.

[Effectiveness of day care youth welfare measures]. / Zur Wirksamkeit ambulanter und teilstationärer Jugendhilfemassnahmen.

OBJECTIVE: In order to provide optimal support to families living in precarious circumstances, empirically sound findings on the adequacy of the educational-therapeutic concepts that are being implemented in the context of these measures are required. Our study investigates to what extent service-users benefit from youth welfare measures between the measures between start and finish. METHOD: Altogether, 50 adolescents have participated in educational measures for a period of two years on average. Problem areas constituting an indication for an educational measure were assessed systematically at the beginning and after termination of the measure (pre-post-comparison). RESULTS: The primary goals of day care in particular were clearly reached. Compared to their level at the beginning of the measure, problems concerning social behaviour had clearly improved at the measure's termination. Further, school achievement problems were clearly reduced during the educational measure. In cooperation with the parents it was possible to significantly reduce deficits in parenting skills inherent in the family system. CONCLUSIONS: Results underscore the high effectiveness of educational measures in reducing strain and problem behaviour.