Study: Many teens who have kinship caregivers develop behavioral problems

By Staff Writer

A new report in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reveals that children who stay with kinship caregivers are more likely to develop problems than if they lived with foster parents.

The study, which was conducted by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center, examined the behavior of adolescents who were separated from their parents because of mistreatment. They examined this topic because while most children are placed in foster care, an increasing number of kids are being placed with relatives.

The team based its report in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, which included 1,308 children - 572 with kinship caregivers and 736 in foster care. They found that kids who were placed with relatives were twice as likely than foster teens to develop substance abuse problems. In addition, adolescent girls who were living with relatives were seven times more likely to become pregnant than participants with foster parents.

The study's lead author said that kinship caretakers are more likely to be single, unemployed and poor. While most foster guardians thoroughly prepare for parenthood ahead of time, many relatives are unequipped for the responsibilities of taking care of children. He suggested that more financial aid and parent-training classes should be provided to kinship caregivers.

Problem teens who abuse drugs and alcohol may benefit from boarding schools, which provide a safe, healthy environment for troubled adolescents.