A Proposed Theoretical Framework for Understanding Placement Stability and Family Integration of Siblings in Foster Care

Introduction:The preservation of sibling bonds is an important consideration for the safety, health, and well-being of children in foster care. Kinship care is a significant predictor of placement together (Shlonsky, et.al.; Hegar, 2005), and placement together is associated with improved home integration and stability (Leathers, 2005), as well as reunification (Albert & King, 2008), guardianship, and adoption (Akin, 2011). The relationship between sibling foster care and well-being is less clear (Hegar & Rosenthal, 2011), and negative dimensions of sibling relationships are associated with higher levels of problem behaviors (Bank, et. al; Linares, et. al., 2007).

In order to preserve and support healthy bonds for siblings in foster care, research strategies are needed that are theoretically informed (Washington, 2011), address the issue of non-independence and cluster correlated observations (Webster, et. al., 2005), employ longitudinal strategies (Wulczyn, 1996), and utilize integrated measurement systems (Chamberlain & Bank, 1989).

Methods:This paper applies Bioecological (Bonfenbrenner, 2001) and Social Learning (Bandura, 1977) theory to propose and test a basic model concerning processes underlying the relationship between placement type, stability, and well-being for siblings in foster care. Data were collected from 139 dyads and 78 caregivers enrolled in a study evaluating the efficacy of a sibling relationship development intervention for foster youth. Ten youth self-report items designed to represent positive child integration were subject to PCA, yielding a five-item, one factor solution (KMO=.876, p<.000,). A five-item Foster Parent Report of Impact of Negative Behavior (FPRNB) subscale was subject to PCA and yielded a four-item, one factor solution (KMO=.725, P<.000, ). A bivariate correlation matrix was constructed to examine the relationships between these constructs and other variables related to the foster home environment, including: whether youth were placed with a sibling, kin/non-relative home, length of time in foster home at baseline, dyad gender composition, older sibling age, age difference of siblings, and an omnibus measure of sibling relationship quality (SRQ).

Findings: Positive child integration was negatively correlated with FPRNB (r=-.341, p<.01) and positively correlated with SRQ (r=.212, p<.05). FP report of negative behavior was negatively correlated with kinship home status (r=-.295, p<.01), suggesting kinship caregivers are less likely to rate negative behavior as impacting family processes. Siblings were more likely to live together in kinship homes (r=.284, p<.01) and lived in those homes for longer periods of time (r-.209, p<.05). Older children were less likely to live with their siblings (r=-.234, p<.01).

Conclusions: Bivariate correlations suggest that processes occurring within foster homes may operate differently, depending on the age and developmental stage of the children, length of time living together, and biological relatedness to caregivers. This provides an opportunity for prevention scientists to consider cognitive, relational, and behavioral points of intervention, to better understand what promotes well-being and stability for these dyads.