Predictors for resolution of antisocial behavior among foster care youth receiving community-based services

a r t i c l e i n f o Youth in the foster care system are more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness than those in the general population. Within this system, youth with antisocial behavior (e.g., aggressive, oppositional) are overrepresented. The challenges youth with antisocial behavior present to foster care systems make understanding the factors that predict remission in this population important for improving placement stability. Using Optimal Data Analysis (ODA), this study examines potential moderating effects of various individual, social, and strength variables on clinically significant decreases antisocial behavior in a sample of foster care youth over time. Results revealed positive improvements in youths' wellbeing to be the optimal predictor of resolution, followed by positive changes in family functioning and positive changes in adjustment to trauma (i.e., symptoms of PTSD). These results indicate that clinically significant decreases over time in antisocial behavior were associated with concurrent improvement in individual and environmental variables. Implications for service providers working with this population are discussed. Not surprisingly, youth in the foster care system are more likely to experience psychological problems compared to those in the general population (Burns et al., 2004; Landsverk & Garland, 1999). Youth with antisocial behavior are particularly overrepresented in the foster care population (Pilowsky & Wu, 2006). For example, White, Havalchak, Jackson, O'Brien, and Pecora (2007) found that 20% of youth in a foster care sample they studied had a diagnosis of Conduct Disorder, compared to only 7% in the general population. The presence of antisocial behavior presents a unique challenge to stakeholders in the foster care system, since it leads to more negative and severe long-term outcomes, including chronic deviant behavior such as theft, alcohol abuse, and sociopathy (Offord & Bennett, 1994). Further, these youth experience more challenges with placement in foster homes Youth with antisocial behavior in the foster care population are also at an increased risk of stepping up in care, due to difficulty managing their behavior issues in a community setting (Hussey & Guo, 2005). Further, the most significant predictors of stepping up to higher levels of care include a history of criminal and/or delinquent behavior, elopement risk, and inappropriate sexual behavior, all which are included under the umbrella of antisocial behavior (Park, Jordan, Epstien, Mandell, & Lyons, 2009). Congregate care placement is particularly problematic for youth with antisocial behavior. Iatrogenic effects have been reported for youth in group-based care …