Early Indicators of Externalizing Behaviors Among Toddlers in Foster Care

Introduction: Children who have experienced maltreatment and subsequent placement in foster care are at increased risk for poor outcomes, including poor academic achievement, psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, and criminality. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on development of young children in the foster care. Increased knowledge of the early stages of development for this population may inform preventive intervention efforts to promote more positive outcomes. The present investigation sought to examine variability in externalizing behaviors among toddlers approximately 6 months after entering a new foster care placement and identify child and parenting characteristics that predicted this variability.

Methods: Ninety-one toddlers in foster care (M = 2.26 years, SD = .44 years) and their foster caregivers completed assessments upon entering a new foster care placement (Wave 1) and 6 months later (Wave 2). Children completed the Mullen Scales for Early Learning at Wave 1. Caregivers provided demographic information and completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, and Family Routines Questionnaire at Wave 1 and Wave 2. The children’s Externalizing T-score at Wave 2 was included as the outcome variable and the Early Learning Composite score, Total Stress score, Frequency of Family Routines score, and the interaction between the Total Stress score and Frequency of Family Routines score were included as predictors in a path model.

Results: Approximately 36% of the foster toddlers had Externalizing scores within the borderline clinical or clinical ranges 6 months post-placement. It was found that while the model explained 45.4% of the variance in children’s Externalizing score at Wave 2, the Early Learning Composite score (β= -.27, p=.003), an index of general cognitive development, was the only significant predictor of the Externalizing score at Wave 2, controlling for the Externalizing score at Wave 1.

Conclusion: These results suggest that a number of toddlers display clinically significant levels of externalizing behaviors and that developmental status predicts variability in these behaviors 6 months after entering a new foster care placement. These results also highlight the importance of early developmental screening of children in foster care. Such screenings may identify the children at greatest risk for subsequent externalizing behavior and most in need of preventive intervention efforts. In turn, preventive intervention may reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes and ultimately reduce costs for individuals and society.