Family Foster Care (FFC) and Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) Parents' Motivation, Stress and Satisfaction with Fostering: Part 2

1
Family Foster Care (FFC) and Therapeutic Foster
Care (TFC) Parents' Motivation, Stress and
Satisfaction with Fostering Part 2
Michael Brand, Ph.D. David Bard, Ph.D. Keri
Pierce, MSW., MPH. The University of Oklahoma
Health Sciences Center
2
Background

• While the connection between foster parents
  motivation, stress and satisfaction exists in the
  literature, little attention has been given to
  differences in foster fathers and mothers
  motivation and how these similarities and
  differences may impact recruitment and retention
  of foster parents. The current study assesses
  foster fathers and mothers motivation and
  analyzes differences that exist between fathers
  and mothers motivation. The study also assess the
  influence motivation has on stress related to
  foster parenting and its relationship to
  satisfaction.

3
Participants

• In 2000 all 1,100 FFC homes and 341 randomly
  selected TFC homes were sent the Oklahoma Foster
  Family Survey (OFFS). Of these, 320 foster homes
  and 129 therapeutic foster homes responded to the
  survey. A total of 447 foster mothers and 237
  foster fathers completed the survey. The average
  age of foster mothers is 46 and 48 years for
  fathers. Over 75 of the foster parents who
  responded are white and over 70 are married. Of
  the foster parents, over 30 have a high school
  education and less than 10 have a college
  degree. Over 60 of foster fathers are employed
  full time, while 26 of foster mothers are
  employed full time and 29 are homemakers. The
  average income of respondents is less than
  40,000.00 per year.

4
Measures

• Because the majority foster families are two
  parent families, the degree to which the foster
  parents cooperates with and value each others
  parenting skills and roles is critical to
  effective family functioning. The Parental
  Alliance Inventory (PAI) was used to measure the
  degree to which each parent is invested in the
  childs welfare, the degree each parent values
  the other parents role and judgment, and the
  parents ability to communicate with one another
  (Cohen, 1985). Parental alliance is believed to
  be related to motivation for foster parenting and
  stress.

5
Measures

• The issues of motivation and expectations of
  foster parents may significantly impact their
  experience as foster parents, the outcome of the
  placement and the longevity of a foster parent.
  The Motivation for Foster Parenting Inventory
  (MFPI) was developed for the OFFS. Items for the
  inventory were derived from experiences of the
  researchers with foster parents, variables
  identified in foster care literature and the Why
  I Became A Foster Parent (1992) survey developed
  by the Casey Family Program, Seattle, Washington.

6
Measures

• In order to assess the stress foster parents
  experience, how it is manifested, and the
  responses foster parents generally employ to
  alleviate stress the Occupational Stress
  Inventory (OSI) was included. The Occupational
  Stress Inventory was developed by Ospiow
  Spokane in 1987. OSI is a concise measure of
  three stress related domains occupational
  stress, psychological strain, and coping
  resources. For each of these domains, detailed
  information is provided by scales measuring
  specific attributes of the environment or
  individual that represents important facets of
  the domains. Two sections of the OSI were
  adapted for use in the OFFS Personal Strain
  Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Personal Resources
  Questionnaire (PRQ).
• Personal Strain Questions (PSQ) The PSQ measures
  the domain of psychological strain and is
  comprised of three subscales Psychological
  Strain (PSY), Interpersonal Strain (IS), Physical
  Strain (PHS). Personal Resources Questions (PRQ)
  The PRQ is composed of four subscales include
  Recreation (RE), Self-care (SC), Social Support
  (SS), and Rational/Cognitive Coping (RC).

7
Measures

• Foster parent satisfaction with a foster care
  agency is an important variable which can
  directly affect the quality of both the foster
  children and foster parents experience. The
  Agency Satisfaction Inventory (ASI) was developed
  for this study to assess agency variables that
  may affect foster parent functioning and
  effectiveness. Items developed for ASI were
  underpinned by foster care literature,
  researchers experiences with foster care, and
  other agency instruments which assess
  satisfaction of clients with agency services.

8
Background

• While the connection between foster parents
  motivation, stress and satisfaction exists in the
  literature, little attention has been given to
  differences in foster fathers and mothers
  motivation and how these similarities and
  differences may impact recruitment and retention
  of foster parents. The current study assesses
  foster fathers and mothers motivation and
  analyzes differences that exist between fathers
  and mothers motivation. The study also assess the
  influence motivation has on stress related to
  foster parenting and its relationship to
  satisfaction.

9
Participants

• In 2000 all 1,100 FFC homes and 341 randomly
  selected TFC homes were sent the Oklahoma Foster
  Family Survey (OFFS). Of these, 320 foster homes
  and 129 therapeutic foster homes responded to the
  survey. A total of 447 foster mothers and 237
  foster fathers completed the survey. The average
  age of foster mothers is 46 and 48 years for
  fathers. Over 75 of the foster parents who
  responded are white and over 70 are married. Of
  the foster parents, over 30 have a high school
  education and less than 10 have a college
  degree. Over 60 of foster fathers are employed
  full time, while 26 of foster mothers are
  employed full time and 29 are homemakers. The
  average income of respondents is less than
  40,000.00 per year.

10
Measures

• Because the majority foster families are two
  parent families, the degree to which the foster
  parents cooperates with and value each others
  parenting skills and roles is critical to
  effective family functioning. The Parental
  Alliance Inventory (PAI) was used to measure the
  degree to which each parent is invested in the
  childs welfare, the degree each parent values
  the other parents role and judgment, and the
  parents ability to communicate with one another
  (Cohen, 1985). Parental alliance is believed to
  be related to motivation for foster parenting and
  stress.

11
Measures

• The issues of motivation and expectations of
  foster parents may significantly impact their
  experience as foster parents, the outcome of the
  placement and the longevity of a foster parent.
  The Motivation for Foster Parenting Inventory
  (MFPI) was developed for the OFFS. Items for the
  inventory were derived from experiences of the
  researchers with foster parents, variables
  identified in foster care literature and the Why
  I Became A Foster Parent (1992) survey developed
  by the Casey Family Program, Seattle, Washington.

12
Measures

• In order to assess the stress foster parents
  experience, how it is manifested, and the
  responses foster parents generally employ to
  alleviate stress the Occupational Stress
  Inventory (OSI) was included. The Occupational
  Stress Inventory was developed by Ospiow
  Spokane in 1987. OSI is a concise measure of
  three stress related domains occupational
  stress, psychological strain, and coping
  resources. For each of these domains, detailed
  information is provided by scales measuring
  specific attributes of the environment or
  individual that represents important facets of
  the domains. Two sections of the OSI were
  adapted for use in the OFFS Personal Strain
  Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Personal Resources
  Questionnaire (PRQ).
• Personal Strain Questions (PSQ) The PSQ measures
  the domain of psychological strain and is
  comprised of three subscales Psychological
  Strain (PSY), Interpersonal Strain (IS), Physical
  Strain (PHS). Personal Resources Questions (PRQ)
  The PRQ is composed of four subscales include
  Recreation (RE), Self-care (SC), Social Support
  (SS), and Rational/Cognitive Coping (RC).

13
Measures

• Foster parent satisfaction with a foster care
  agency is an important variable which can
  directly affect the quality of both the foster
  children and foster parents experience. The
  Agency Satisfaction Inventory (ASI) was developed
  for this study to assess agency variables that
  may affect foster parent functioning and
  effectiveness. Items developed for ASI were
  underpinned by foster care literature,
  researchers experiences with foster care, and
  other agency instruments which assess
  satisfaction of clients with agency services.