El ajuste psicológico de los niños, niñas y adolescentes en acogimiento residencial con Familias Colaboradoras: Una evaluación multi-informante / Psychological adjustment of children and adolescents in residential care with Collaborating Families: A multi-informant assessme

En el marco del acogimiento residencial, se ha desarrollado el programa Familias Colaboradoras con el fin de que los niños, niñas y adolescentes tutelados puedan disfrutar de períodos de convivencia en un ambiente familiar positivo, que les genere beneficios y complemente su atención residencial. En este trabajo, a través del instrumento Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), estudiamos el ajuste psicológico de 37 menores de edad en acogimiento residencial con familias colaboradoras, contrastando las valoraciones de 185 informantes: los propios menores de edad, sus familias colaboradoras, los profesionales de referencia del centro, así como un grupo de comparación de iguales sin familias colaboradoras y sus profesionales de referencia. Además, analizamos si el ajuste psicológico de estas personas menores se relaciona con variables personales y la valoración que hacen de la colaboración familiar. Los resultados mostraron diferencias significativas entre el ajuste psicológico valorado por los distintos informantes. Además, los menores de edad con familias colaboradoras tendieron a mostrar un mejor ajuste psicológico frente al grupo de comparación, con tamaños de efecto considerables. Se encontraron también relaciones significativas entre el ajuste psicológico y la valoración de los menores sobre la colaboración familiar. Finalmente, se discuten algunas implicaciones prácticas para el desarrollo del programa.(AU)

In residential care, programs such as Collaborating Families have been developed so that children and adolescents can experience periods of cohabitation in a positive family environment, which generates benefits for them and complements their residential care. The present study used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ) to study the psychological ad-justment of 37 children and adolescents in residential care with collaborat-ing families, comparing the assessments of 185 informants: the children themselves, their collaborating families, their caregivers at the protection center, as well as a comparison group of peers without collaborating fami-lies and their caregivers. In addition, this study analyzed whether the psy-chological adjustment of these children is related to some of their personal variables and their experience in family collaboration. The results showed significant differences between the psychological adjustment assessed by the different informants. Also, children with collaborating families tended to present a better psychological adjustment compared to the comparison group, with considerable effect sizes. Moreover, significant relationships were found between psychological adjustment and the children’s ratings about their family collaboration. Finally, some practical implications for the development of the program are discussed.(AU)

La investigación en acogimiento familiar: de la descripción a los procesos de adaptación y desarrollo / No disponible

Este artículo presenta una revisión de algunas líneas de investigación centradas en el acogimiento familiar sobre las que sería conveniente ampliar nuestro conocimiento, particularmente en España. Para que la medida de acogimiento familiar se ajuste mejor a las necesidades de los menores es fundamental dar el salto de los estudios descriptivos al análisis de los procesos relacionados con una mejor adaptación. Con motivo de una investigación actualmente en marcha por los autores, en este artículo se repasan algunas de las áreas más relevantes para el desarrollo de los menores en acogimiento familiar que aún están escasamente estudiadas. Concretamente, las áreas revisadas son la auto-regulación, las representaciones mentales de apego, la salud mental y la familia acogedora como contexto de recuperación. En cada una de ellas se subraya su importancia en el acogimiento familiar y se repasan los estudios más relevantes. El artículo finaliza con algunas conclusiones derivadas de la revisión

The current paper is a review of some research lines on foster care in which we need a greater knowledge, particularly in Spain. If we want foster care to be better adjusted to children needs, it is essential to move beyond descriptive studies to tackle processes and mechanisms that lead to a better adjustment. This article reviews some of these relevant areas for children development that are still scarcely studied in foster care, in line with a current research project by the authors. The areas reviewed are self-regulation, mental representations of attachment, mental health and the foster family as a context for recovery. In each area, it’s emphasized its relevance for foster care, and the major studies are reviewed. The article ends with some conclusions derived from the literature review

Conductas facilitadoras del apego en las interacciones parento-filiales y función reflexiva parental en familias adoptivas / No disponible

Los procesos de desarrollo que se ponen en juego cuando los niños y niñas adoptados llegan a sus nuevas familias han sido ampliamente estudiados y analizados en la investigación hasta la actualidad. Sin embargo, son pocos los estudios que se han encargado de analizar de manera más concreta y exhaustiva las interacciones que se producen entre padres y madres adoptivos con sus hijos e hijas adoptados. En este estudio, se analizan las interacciones parento-filiales en familias adoptivas y no adoptivas, así como las relaciones entre conductas parentales facilitadoras del apego y con la función reflexiva parental, en las familias adoptivas. Para ello, se evaluó a un total de 88 díadas a través de una tarea conjunta de construcción y una entrevista a las madres y padres. Los datos mostraron que ambos grupos eran semejantes en sus interacciones, aunque en las díadas adoptivas la frecuencia de conductas promotoras del apego fue significativamente mayor. Así mismo, se encontraron correlaciones significativas entre las conductas parentales facilitadoras del apego, observadas durante las interacciones parento-filiales. Finalmente, se observó que un pensamiento reflexivo parental más positivo sobre los menores adoptados y su relación con ellos estaba asociado a un mayor número de conductas promotoras del apego durante la interacción

While research into adopted children and their new families is abundant, studies exploring interactions in their relationship are more uncommon. Few studies have specifically analyzed the interactions between adoptive parents and adopted children. This work studies parent-child interaction in a sample of adoptive and non-adoptive dyads, as well as the relationships between attachment facilitating parental behaviors and parental reflective function in adoptive families. Through a co-construction task and an interview, 88 dyads were assessed. The data showed noteworthy similarities between the two groups and a significantly greater presence of some attachment facilitating behaviors in the adoptive dyads. Also, significant correlations were found between attachment facilitating parental behaviors, observed during parent-child interactions. Finally, a more positive parental reflective thinking about the adopted children and their relationship with them appeared to be associated with a higher number of attachment facilitating behaviors in the interaction

Adversity and Adjustment in Children in Institutions, Family Foster Care, and Adoption.

This study's objective was to identify the adversity profiles of children in different childcare placements, and to analyze their relationship with subsequent psychological adjustment. We studied a group of 230 children 4 to 10 years old indifferent childcare placements (international adoption, institutional care, non-kin foster care, and kinship care), as well as a control group. Information was collected from parent or caregiver interviews and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The results showed that children in the child welfare system had experienced significant adversity before their current placement, especially among institutional care cases and international adoptees. Meanwhile, children in kinship care had experienced less adversity (p .50 to d > .80). After a period of time in their respective placements, children's psychological adjustment was generally positive, but children living in institutional care exhibited the most problems and difficulties, followed by non-kin foster care cases (p .50 to d > .80). Finally, we found that children's early adversity levels (p < .05; r = .16), age of current placement (p < .01; r = .23), and duration of current placement (p < .05: r = -.19) were all tied to current psychological adjustment.

Adversity and adjustment in children in institutions, family foster care, and adoption

This study's objective was to identify the adversity profiles of children in different childcare placements, and to analyze their relationship with subsequent psychological adjustment. We studied a group of 230 children 4 to 10 years old indifferent childcare placements (international adoption, institutional care, non-kin foster care, and kinship care), as well as a control group. Information was collected from parent or caregiver interviews and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The results showed that children in the child welfare system had experienced significant adversity before their current placement, especially among institutional care cases and international adoptees. Meanwhile, children in kinship care had experienced less adversity (p < .001; size effects from d > .50 to d > .80). After a period of time in their respective placements, children's psychological adjustment was generally positive, but children living in institutional care exhibited the most problems and difficulties, followed by non-kin foster care cases (p < .001; size effects from d > .50 to d > .80). Finally, we found that children's early adversity levels (p < .05; r = .16), age of current placement (p < .01; r = .23), and duration of current placement (p < .05: r = -.19) were all tied to current psychological adjustment (AU)

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Parental stress and children adjustment in kinship foster families.

This work focuses on a multidimensional exploration of the stress experienced by kinship foster carers. This study is the first one conducted on Spanish sample, with 116 kinship foster families and foster children, between the ages of 4 and 11 years. In general, data indicate that the carer's parental stress scores are within the normative range. The existing heterogeneity among these families is also reported, highlighting a carers group with high stress levels. Parental stress correlated with children variables (initial adversity index, adaptation, evolution and behavioral adjustment); caregiver and family variables (main carer's health, no correlation was found with social support network or with economic needs) and child-carer relationship variables (acceptance-rejection, relationship with the main caregiver and with other family members). Finally, the predictive model performed shows that the more behavioral and emotional problems foster children exhibit, the more stress the carers experience. This is also true the worse the relationships with other relatives are and the poorer the health of the main carer is.

Parental stress and children adjustment in kinship foster families

This work focuses on a multidimensional exploration of the stress experienced by kinship foster carers. This study is the first one conducted on Spanish sample, with 116 kinship foster families and foster children, between the ages of 4 and 11 years. In general, data indicate that the carer’s parental stress scores are within the normative range. The existing heterogeneity among these families is also reported, highlighting a carers group with high stress levels. Parental stress correlated with children variables (initial adversity index, adaptation, evolution and behavioral adjustment); caregiver and family variables (main carer’s health, no correlation was found with social support network or with economic needs) and child-carer relationship variables (acceptance-rejection, relationship with the main caregiver and with other family members). Finally, the predictive model performed shows that the more behavioral and emotional problems foster children exhibit, the more stress the carers experience. This is also true the worse the relationships with other relatives are and the poorer the health of the main carer is (AU)

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Adaptación familiar de niños y niñas adoptados internacionalmente / Family adaptation of internationally adopted children

Este trabajo analiza la adaptación inicial de un grupo de niños y niñas procedentes de adopciones internacionales, así como el posterior ajuste tras como media tres años de convivencia con su familia adoptiva. Participaron 258 niños y niñas y sus respectivas familias residentes en cuatro comunidades del estado español que habían realizado sus adopciones en el extranjero. Padres, madres e hijos fueron visitados y entrevistados en sus propios hogares. Los resultados muestran en general una valoración muy positiva por parte de las familias respecto a su adaptación inicial, a pesar de que buena parte de los niños llegaron con problemas de desarrollo (evaluados con la escala Battelle) leves o moderados (19%) o graves (43%). Tanto el nivel de desarrollo inicial, la adaptación inicial, como los problemas de comportamientos manifestados por los menores se relacionan también con las dinámicas establecidas en estas familias como media tres años después de la adopción. Este artículo aporta datos que nos permiten insistir en la importancia del trabajo previo con las familias que van a adoptar, pero también en la importancia del apoyo y seguimiento en el tiempo una vez que las adopciones se han realizado (AU)

This paper analyzes the initial adaptation of a group of internationally adopted children and their subsequent adjustment after an average of three years living with their adoptive families. The sample consisted of 258 children adopted internationally by families living in four different regional communities in Spain. Fathers, mothers and children were visited and interviewed in their own homes. Results show very positive evaluations from families about children's initial adaptation, although most of the children arrived with mild/moderate (19%) or severe (43%) developmental problems (assessment by Battelle scale). Level of development at arrival, initial adjustment, and behavioral problems are related to the dynamics established in these families three years, on average, after adoption. This paper provides data that allow us to emphasize the importance of preparation of families who are going to adopt, but also the importance of the support and follow-up after adoption (AU)