NCJ Number
213078
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2006 Pages: 95-109
Date Published
January 2006
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article develops an integrated, multidimensional model for assessing the risk and protective factors of sibling violence among foster children and presents results from an evaluation of the model.
Abstract
Evaluation of the model identified exposure to sibling violence (both perpetration and victimization), child mental disorder, and placement characteristics as risk factors for impaired psychological functioning and disruption in school competence. Protective factors were identified as sibling positivity, quality of foster care, and foster rejecting care. Other evaluation findings indicated intense sibling bonds, with siblings demonstrating positivity in greater frequency than negativity. Psychological conflict was found among 68 percent of the siblings. Conflict, warmth, and differential warmth all independently contributed to an increase in sibling problems. Significant associations were found between conflict, positivity, foster care quality, depressive symptoms, child problems, and school competence. These preliminary evaluation results provide support for the multidimensional model of sibling violence among foster care children and offer a starting point for family violence intervention programs. Preliminary evaluation of the model involved data collection from 120 sibling dyads during the first 3 months of their initial foster care placement. Variables under analysis included exposure to past family violence, placement conditions, parenting measures, psychiatric symptoms, and psychological functioning. Figure, tables, references