TY - JOUR PY - 2024// TI - The prevalence and patterns of maltreatment, childhood adversity, and mental health disorders in an Australian out-of-home care sample JO - Child maltreatment A1 - Harris, Lottie G. A1 - Higgins, Daryl J. A1 - Willis, Megan L. A1 - Lawrence, David A1 - Mathews, Ben A1 - Thomas, Hannah J. A1 - Malacova, Eva A1 - Pacella, Rosana A1 - Scott, James G. A1 - Finkelhor, David A1 - Meinck, Franziska A1 - Erskine, Holly E. A1 - Haslam, Divna M. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - 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

LA - en SN - 1077-5595 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10775595241246534 ID - ref1 ER -