부산대학교 도서관

Background: Mixed results in the literature related to type of permanent placement and developmental outcomes of maltreated children suggest differences in postmaltreatment placement environments may be an important mechanism to consider. Objective: The goal of this study was to identify how home environment variables mediate risk in maltreated children in different types of placements. Methods: Participants included 71 maltreated and 70 non-maltreated (mean age = 7.14). Child outcomes were caregiver report of behavior problems (Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL) and cognitive assessment (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, PPVT, and Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, KBIT). The home environment was examined using the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). Results: The maltreated and non-maltreated groups differed significantly on cognitive scores, F(6, 268) = 3.05, p less than 0.01, behavior problems, F(18, 258) = 2.64, p less than 0.001, and their home environments, F(14, 264) = 6.01, p less than 0.001. Partial "F" tests predicting cognitive scores by group after controlling for HOME academic resources revealed mediation of cognitive scores for the bio-kin group only and mediation of CBCL Withdrawal, Social Problems, and Attention Problems by HOME emotional resources within the bio-kin group only. After controlling for SES in meditational analyses, within group differences were only found for the bio-kin group and Attention problems. Conclusions: Results suggest that maltreated children returned to biological parents or placed with relatives may have greater need for continued parenting support and academic resources; enhancing home environments so that they are both stimulating and cohesive is necessary.