Challenging behaviour in looked after young people, feelings of parental self-efficacy and psychological well-being in foster carers

Previous research into the parenting task has demonstrated that behavioural difficulties in children are associated with poorer psychological well-being and less sensitive parenting on the part of birth parents. However, there has been little research examining whether this situation applies to foster carers. This study by Kate Morgan and Rachel Baron explores the relationship between looked after young people's behavioural difficulties and the stress, anxiety and depression experienced by their carers. In addition, parental self-efficacy is considered as a mediator between young people's challenging behaviour and foster carer well-being. Fifty-eight foster carers completed a series of quantitative self-report measures; subsequent hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that levels of challenging behaviour in the young people were significantly associated with increases in the stress, anxiety and depression experienced by their foster carers. Mediational analysis showed that parenting efficacy partially mediated these relationships, reducing the negative effect of challenging behaviour on carers' psychological well-being. The results are important in considering effective support for foster carers and promoting stability for looked after young people, and the clinical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.