Psicopatologia em Crianças e Jovens Portugueses em Acolhimento Residencial. Estudo da prevalência de problemas emocionais e comportamentais de saúde mental

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Psychological adjustment and language development of young children in residential care

Publication . Pereira, Joana Campos; Barbosa-Ducharne, Maria Acciaiuoli; Dias, Pedro

In Portugal, 98% children under the age of three removed from their birth families are living in Residential Care (RC) centres. The early placement of children in RC can dramatically affect their development. This study aims to: identify the frequency of internalizing, externalizing and total problems, as well as the average number of words used by young children in RC; compare the frequency of these children’s problems and their vocabulary to a Portuguese normative sample that allowed for the validation and standardization of the ASEBA Battery in Portugal; analyse differences among the children in RC according to gender, preschool integration, presence of siblings in the same RC centre, and the size of the RC centre itself and explore the correlations between the adjustment measures and language development and sociodemographic variables. One hundred and sixteen Portuguese children (56.9% female) ranging from 0 to 71 months (under 6 years) participated in this study. Data were collected using the ASEBA Battery. Results showed that these children presented a higher level of vulnerability regarding psychological adjustment and language development, when compared to children living within families, especially those separated from their siblings and living in a context which was not able to provide enough contact with other children. These findings highlight the importance of adopting measures such as family foster care (instead of RC), especially at this age, in order to give these children the chance of living in a normative and family context.

2020Journal article

Open access

Emotional and behavioral problems and psychosocial skills in adolescents in residential care

Publication . Campos, Joana; Barbosa‑Ducharne, Maria; Dias, Pedro; Rodrigues, Sónia; Martins, Ana Catarina; Leal, Mariana

Research suggests that mental health problems in adolescents in residential care (RC) are more prevalent than for youth in the community, and that psychosocial competencies are protective factors of mental health. This study compared adolescents in RC in Portugal, with a Portuguese community sample on the incidence of mental health problems and psychosocial skills, explored gender differences and the relationships between mental health problems and psychosocial competencies. Four hundred and forty-three adolescents in RC participated. Results showed that the RC adolescents had higher levels of mental health problems lower academic achievement, a poorer social support network, but were more involved in sports and hobbies, household chores than the adolescents in the normative sample. Gender differences were observed. Psychosocial skills were negatively correlated with mental health problems. These findings indicate an urgent need in Portugal for early screening of mental health problems and socio-cognitive interventions for youth in RC.

2019Journal article

Restricted access