Effects of foster parenting on the natural children of foster parents

Includes bibliographical references (pages 86-91)This is a retrospective, exploratory study on the adult natural children of foster parents, to determine what effects growing up with foster children had upon them. There is considerable research on foster children and foster parents, but little on foster parents' own children.\ud Thirty six subjects were drawn from a population of 2063 foster homes in Los Angeles County which relinquished their licenses between 1979-1981 and met the criteria established for this study. Nineteen were female and 17 were male respondents; 34 were white and two were black. Most had siblings; were in the 20-24 age bracket; were married, with children; had a high school education; and were employed in blue collar jobs.\ud Personal interviews were conducted with 33 of the respondents, employing a semi-structured questionnaire in an effort to determine the effects on them of the frequent changes and adjustments in their families, modification of birth order, crises of family members entering and leaving the home, and the repetition of loss and grief experiences. (See more in text