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Cited by 204Child Welfare and AdoptionHomelessness and Social IssuesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Mental health and substance use disorders among foster youth transitioning to adulthood: Past research and future directions

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Havlicek, Judy R., Garcia, Antonio R., Smith, Douglas C.·2013·Children and Youth Services Review
DOI 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.10.003PMC PMC3677527
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Abstract

At a time when there is increasing attention being given to systematically integrating the well-being of children with the goals of safety and permanence in child welfare, little is known about the psychosocial functioning of foster youth transitioning to adulthood from substitute care. This article systematically reviews 17 peer-reviewed articles and/or research reports to identify lifetime and past year prevalence rates of mental health disorders and service utilization. At ages 17 or 18, foster youth are 2 to 4 times more likely to suffer from lifetime and/or past year mental health disorders compared to transition aged youth in the general population. Findings show that mental health service use declines at ages when the prevalence rate of mental health disorders is peaking. The findings of this review suggest the need to focus future efforts in three main areas: 1) Setting a common research agenda for the study of mental health and service use; 2) Routine screening and empirically supported treatments; and 3) Integration and planning between child and adult mental health service systems.

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  • Youth in foster care have elevated mental health challenges, including 60% lifetime disorder at ages 17-18, and twice the normative rate of depression and PTSD.

    “Further, although youth in foster care have elevated mental health challenges—including 60 % lifetime disorder at ages 17–18, and twice the normative rate of depression and PTSD (Havlicek et al., 2013; Keller et al., 2010; Mcmillen et al., 2005; Salazar et al., 2013)—they are also more likely to have unmet service needs.”

    From Intervention development to improve foster youth mental health by targeting coping self-efficacy and help-seeking (2023) · cites this paper as Havlicek et al., 2013

    The Results (Lifetime Prevalence) report that 61–66% of foster youth aged 17–18 had a lifetime mental health diagnosis, supporting the approximate 60% figure. The Results (Prevalence of PTSD) say lifetime PTSD prevalence was over twice that of same-aged youth in the general population. Our copy does not establish that depression was also twice the normative rate; its Discussion identifies PTSD and conduct disorder, rather than depression, as having rates two to four times higher. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Chamberlain P Reid JB 1991 Using a specialized foster care community treatment model for children and adolescents leaving the state mental hospital Journal of Community Psychology 19 3 266 276

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Related

Authors
Havlicek, J. R., Garcia, A. R., & Smith, D. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author
Havlicek, Judy R.
ORCID
Venue
Children and Youth Services Review
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-01
Volume
35
Issue
1
Pages
194-203
ISSN
0190-7409 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.10.003
PMC
PMC3677527
OpenAlex
W2082368615
Cited by
204
References
104
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 1
FWCI
17.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Children and Youth Services Review (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (K23AA017702)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (T32MH019960)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Homelessness and Social Issues
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
foster youth, coming of age, mental illness, substance use disorders, child welfare, mental health service utilization, prevalence rates, psychosocial functioning, screening, empirically supported treatments

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