Month period. Other potential selective processes complicate this direct comparison with

Month period. Other potential selective processes complicate this direct comparison with more emotionally and behaviorally disordered children burning through kin placements (James et al., 2004); however, the inclusion of additional contextual factors into the model test hypothesized environmental qualities that contribute to differences while in contact with the system. In addition to placement type, the model includes both distal and proximal influences of youth mental health, comprising characteristics of neighborhoods, current caregiver age and health, and the combined influences of placement type and contextual factors after statistically controlling for reasons for removal from the home. Effects are tested beyond normative change in mental health symptoms over time. It is assumed that internalizing and externalizing symptoms co-occur, as commonly observed in child and adolescent psychopathology among general and foster care populations (Burns et al., 2004), and youth with higher baseline symptomatology will exhibit greater cross domain problems 18-months later. This study tests the following hypotheses: Hypothesis I. Among African Americans, LosmapimodMedChemExpress SB856553 kinship foster care will be associated with decreases in internalizing and externalizing outcomes when compared to youth in other nonkinship out-of-home foster care after statistically controlling for demographics, change in out-of-home placement between assessments, and reason for removal from the home. Hypothesis II. The relationship between kinship foster care and both internalizing and externalizing outcomes will be moderated by family resources, as indicated by neighborhood, caregiver age, and caregiver physical health, such that there will be increases in internalizing outcomes when a) families live in high-risk neighborhoods, b) caregivers are older, and c) caregivers are in poor health.J Soc Serv Res. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2016 February 25.Rufa and FowlerPageHypothesis III. A significant interaction between placement type and caregiver age on internalizing and externalizing outcomes will be further moderated by the caregiver’s reported physical health.Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptMethodParticipants The present study used data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), a nationally representative longitudinal study of 5501 children whose families were investigated by child welfare services between October 1999 and December 2000 (NSCAW Research Group, 2002). The present study conducted secondary analysis of data from the baseline and 18 month follow-up assessments for African American youth aged four to 14 years whose child welfare investigation resulted in removal from the home after initial investigation at baseline. Figure 1 displays the sampling hierarchy. Participants who had complete data at baseline assessment included 225 caregivers and youth. Two PD0325901MedChemExpress PD0325901 fifths of youth resided in kinship settings, with the remaining youth living in other out-of-home placement settings, such as nonkinship foster homes and group therapy homes. Measures Emotional and behavioral problems–Behavior problems were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991). Items are on a 3-point Likert scale (not true, somewhat or sometimes true, very true or often true). There are 113 items for children ages 4 to 18. Behaviors are categorized as Externalizing or Internalizing, and there is also a Total Problems scale,.Month period. Other potential selective processes complicate this direct comparison with more emotionally and behaviorally disordered children burning through kin placements (James et al., 2004); however, the inclusion of additional contextual factors into the model test hypothesized environmental qualities that contribute to differences while in contact with the system. In addition to placement type, the model includes both distal and proximal influences of youth mental health, comprising characteristics of neighborhoods, current caregiver age and health, and the combined influences of placement type and contextual factors after statistically controlling for reasons for removal from the home. Effects are tested beyond normative change in mental health symptoms over time. It is assumed that internalizing and externalizing symptoms co-occur, as commonly observed in child and adolescent psychopathology among general and foster care populations (Burns et al., 2004), and youth with higher baseline symptomatology will exhibit greater cross domain problems 18-months later. This study tests the following hypotheses: Hypothesis I. Among African Americans, kinship foster care will be associated with decreases in internalizing and externalizing outcomes when compared to youth in other nonkinship out-of-home foster care after statistically controlling for demographics, change in out-of-home placement between assessments, and reason for removal from the home. Hypothesis II. The relationship between kinship foster care and both internalizing and externalizing outcomes will be moderated by family resources, as indicated by neighborhood, caregiver age, and caregiver physical health, such that there will be increases in internalizing outcomes when a) families live in high-risk neighborhoods, b) caregivers are older, and c) caregivers are in poor health.J Soc Serv Res. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2016 February 25.Rufa and FowlerPageHypothesis III. A significant interaction between placement type and caregiver age on internalizing and externalizing outcomes will be further moderated by the caregiver’s reported physical health.Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptMethodParticipants The present study used data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), a nationally representative longitudinal study of 5501 children whose families were investigated by child welfare services between October 1999 and December 2000 (NSCAW Research Group, 2002). The present study conducted secondary analysis of data from the baseline and 18 month follow-up assessments for African American youth aged four to 14 years whose child welfare investigation resulted in removal from the home after initial investigation at baseline. Figure 1 displays the sampling hierarchy. Participants who had complete data at baseline assessment included 225 caregivers and youth. Two fifths of youth resided in kinship settings, with the remaining youth living in other out-of-home placement settings, such as nonkinship foster homes and group therapy homes. Measures Emotional and behavioral problems–Behavior problems were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991). Items are on a 3-point Likert scale (not true, somewhat or sometimes true, very true or often true). There are 113 items for children ages 4 to 18. Behaviors are categorized as Externalizing or Internalizing, and there is also a Total Problems scale,.