THE EXPERIENCE OF FOSTER FAMILIES OF COCAINE-EXPOSED INFANTS.
Contributors: Loyola University of Chicago.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 124
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, Individual and Family Studies.
Description: As many as 375,000 infants per year are born exposed to cocaine (US-GAO-HRD-90-135). Many of the infants require foster home placement after birth due to the drug abuse of their biological mother. The GAO (1990) predicts that by 1995, over one half million children will be in foster care. Most of the increase in demand for foster care is due to drug exposure (Soliday, McCluskey-Fawcett & Meck, 1994).

Studies of cocaine-exposed infants show that these infants may demonstrate neurological problems, feeding problems and may be born prematurely with the myriad of problems associated with prematurity. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of foster families of cocaine-exposed infants. Few studies have examined the experience of these families.

A naturalistic design was selected because of the paucity of research on the topic. Seven families caring for a total of nine foster infants participated in audiotaped interviews. The tapes were transcribed and analyzed using the methods of Lincoln and Guba (1985) and Glaser and Strauss (1967).

Results showed that foster families observed physiological and behavioral health concerns, developmental problems and noted significant variability in infants related to physiological and behavioral health, and development. Foster parents tend focus on their infant's health behaviors. Families find foster parenting both difficult and rewarding. Other themes related to the foster family included: motivation for parenting and needs for social support. They were very concerned about future development of the children as they begin to enter more social situations. Foster families report difficulties with extended family members especially when caring for infants who are racially different. Foster parents find many difficulties obtaining social services and health care for their foster infants. Foster families also reported difficulties arising from community reaction to foster parenting. Policy recommendations focus on the need for individualized assessment of these children and more attention to the needs of the foster parent by the social service system.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-01, Section: B, page: 0168.

Thesis (PH.D.)--LOYOLA UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, 1995.

School code: 0112.