Samoprocjene ponašanja mladih u dječjim domovima i udomiteljskim obiteljima u Hrvatskoj
Youth Self-Report of Children in Children's Homes and Foster Families in Croatia

Summary/Abstract: In this paper an analysis of problems and emotions of children who live in children's homes and foster care as well as their correlates is presented. The research was carried out on 263 children who live in children's homes, 112 children living in foster families and 200 children who live in their own families. Behavioral problems were assessed by the internationally recognized questionnaire Youth Self-Report by T. M. Achenbach. The data have shown that there is no statistically significant difference between children who live in foster families and those who live in biological families, but that the children who live in children's homes show more behavioral and emotional problems in comparison with the other two subgroups. In both samples of children that have been removed from their families, the female sex is significantly related with a higher level of internalized problems in behavior and feelings (withdrawal, anxiety, depression and somatic disorders). Changing different residences after the removal from the family is also significantly correlated with a higher level of internalized difficulties. The level of internalized difficulties or externalized problems is not significantly related to the index of stress before removal from the family, but it is connected with current daily stress, perceived poor social support, school failure and poor adjustment. The data acquired here are in support of the tendency of deinstitutionalization of child care within the social system.

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