Citation

Harris LG, Higgins DJ, Willis ML, Lawrence D, Mathews B, Thomas HJ, Malacova E, Pacella R, Scott JG, Finkelhor D, Meinck F, Erskine HE, Haslam DM. Child Maltreat. 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/10775595241246534

PMID

38627990

Abstract

This study aimed to explore key characteristics of the out-of-home care subgroup of a nationally representative Australian sample. To ensure that mental health services are appropriately targeted, it is critical that we understand the differential impacts of childhood experiences for this cohort. Using the Australian Child Maltreatment Study (N = 8503), we explored patterns of childhood maltreatment and adversity of participants who reported ever being placed in out-of-home care, such as foster care or kinship care. In addition, the prevalence of current and lifetime diagnosis of four mental health disorders were explored.

RESULTS showed that the care experienced subgroup reported more types of maltreatment and adverse experiences than the control group. They were also more likely to meet diagnostic threshold for post-traumatic stress disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder than the control group. These findings can be used to guide mental health practitioners to target interventions more effectively within the out-of-home care cohort.

Language: en

Keywords

child adversity; child maltreatment; depression; foster care; population; posttraumatic stress disorder