A comparison of foster and adoptive parent satisfaction and commitment

Sarah E. Cleary, Erin R. Barnett, Jeremy F. Huckins, Rebecca L. Butcher and Mary K. Jankowski

Children and Youth Services Review, 2018, vol. 88, issue C, 205-210

Abstract: Recruitment and retention of foster parents, as well as the potential for disruption and dissolution of adoptions, pose significant problems for child welfare systems and the well-being of children they serve. Parent satisfaction and commitment are two important constructs that have shown bearing on these outcomes for both foster and adoptive parents. Parents who identified as foster only (n = 155), adoptive only (n = 195), or foster and adoptive (n = 60) in one northeastern state were asked about their satisfaction and commitment to the children they cared for through a cross-sectional survey. Results indicated that satisfaction and commitment were significantly higher in parents who identified as adoptive, as well as those who identified as foster and adoptive, versus those who identified as foster only. No statistically significant differences in the variables were found between the adoptive only and foster and adoptive groups. Findings highlight the potential importance of strategies to help support foster parents and the need for more research in this critical area.

Keywords: Foster parents; Adoptive parents; Parenting satisfaction; Parenting commitment; Child welfare; Foster children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:88:y:2018:i:c:p:205-210

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.03.010

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