IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v30y2008i11p1318-1327.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Predictors of children in foster care being adopted: A classification tree analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Snowden, Jessica
  • Leon, Scott
  • Sieracki, Jeffrey

Abstract

When returning home is not a viable option, adoption is the primary means by which youth in substitute care achieve permanency. Therefore, understanding the factors that impact adoption is critical to both evaluating and improving the child welfare system. Prior research has mostly studied "main effects" in regard to adoption rates and has not explored the ways in which youth and foster family variables might interact in complex ways to predict adoption. This study uses a classification tree analysis approach known as Optimal Data Analysis (ODA) to predict probability of adoption in 2003 using Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data. 30,000 adopted youth and 30,000 non-adopted youth were randomly selected for participation in the study. Similar to previous studies, univariate analyses revealed that age, foster parent race/ethnicity, foster parent marital status, and number of previous placements all predicted probability of adoption. However, going further, several combinations of individual variables (multivariate ODA) improved prediction accuracy (e.g., age × structure of foster family × number of previous placements). Results also suggested that the impact of the state on adoption rates varied when essentially controlling for youth and family variables, supporting concerns regarding the crude use of AFCARS data when comparing states.

Suggested Citation

  • Snowden, Jessica & Leon, Scott & Sieracki, Jeffrey, 2008. "Predictors of children in foster care being adopted: A classification tree analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(11), pages 1318-1327, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:30:y:2008:i:11:p:1318-1327
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190-7409(08)00099-6
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Courtney, Mark E. & Yin-Ling Irene Wong, 1996. "Comparing the timing of exits from substitute care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(4-5), pages 307-334.
    2. Connell, Christian M. & Katz, Karol H. & Saunders, Leon & Tebes, Jacob Kraemer, 2006. "Leaving foster care--the influence of child and case characteristics on foster care exit rates," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(7), pages 780-798, July.
    3. Smith, Brenda D., 2003. "After Parental Rights are Terminated: Factors Associated with Exiting Foster Care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(12), pages 965-985, December.
    4. Rosenthal, James A. & Schmidt, Dolores & Conner, Jane, 1988. "Predictors of special needs adoption disruption: An exploratory study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 101-117.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Slayter, Elspeth, 2016. "Youth with disabilities in the United States Child Welfare System," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 155-165.
    2. Akin, Becci A., 2011. "Predictors of foster care exits to permanency: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 999-1011, June.
    3. Netta Barak‐Corren & Yoav Kan‐Tor & Nelson Tebbe, 2022. "Examining the effects of antidiscrimination laws on children in the foster care and adoption systems," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), pages 1003-1066, December.
    4. Brown, Jason D. & Gerritts, Julie & Ivanova, Viktoria & Mehta, Nisha & Skrodzki, Donna, 2012. "Motives of aboriginal foster parents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1298-1304.
    5. Katz, Colleen C. & Lalayants, Marina & Phillips, Jon D., 2018. "The role of out-of-home caregivers in the achievement of child welfare permanency," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 65-71.
    6. Lloyd, Margaret H. & Akin, Becci A., 2014. "The disparate impact of alcohol, methamphetamine, and other drugs on family reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 72-81.
    7. Yampolskaya, Svetlana & Sharrock, Patty & Armstrong, Mary I. & Strozier, Anne & Swanke, Jayme, 2014. "Profile of children placed in out-of-home care: Association with permanency outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 195-200.
    8. Lindner, Abigail Rose & Hanlon, Ryan, 2024. "Outcomes of youth with foster care experiences based on permanency outcome – Adoption, aging out, long-term foster care, and reunification: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    9. Yampolskaya, Svetlana & Callejas, Linda M., 2020. "The effect of child mental health service use on child safety and permanency in substance misusing families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    10. Lloyd, Margaret H. & Akin, Becci A. & Brook, Jody, 2017. "Parental drug use and permanency for young children in foster care: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 177-187.
    11. Potter, Marina Haddock & Font, Sarah A., 2021. "State contexts and foster care adoption rates," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    12. Davidson, Ryan D. & Tomlinson, Claire S. & Beck, Connie J. & Bowen, Anne M., 2019. "The revolving door of families in the child welfare system: Risk and protective factors associated with families returning," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 468-479.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Akin, Becci A., 2011. "Predictors of foster care exits to permanency: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 999-1011, June.
    2. Elgin, Dallas J. & Sushinsky, Jonathan & Johnson, Andrew & Russo, Gretchen & Sewell, Tiffany, 2015. "Factors affecting permanency for legally free children & youth: A study of Colorado's legally free population across age groups, 2008–2014," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 60-67.
    3. Lloyd, Margaret H. & Akin, Becci A. & Brook, Jody, 2017. "Parental drug use and permanency for young children in foster care: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 177-187.
    4. Foster, E. Michael & Hillemeier, Marianne M. & Bai, Yu, 2011. "Explaining the disparity in placement instability among African-American and white children in child welfare: A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 118-125, January.
    5. Connell, Christian M. & Bory, Christopher T. & Huang, Cindy Y. & Genovese, Maegan & Caron, Colleen & Tebes, Jacob Kraemer, 2019. "Caseworker assessment of child risk and functioning and their relation to service use in the child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 81-86.
    6. Lin, Ching-Hsuan, 2014. "Evaluating Services for Kinship Care Families: A Systematic Review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 32-41.
    7. Goemans, Anouk & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & Damen, Harm & Pijnenburg, Huub & Van Holen, Frank, 2016. "Reunification of foster children: Factors associated with reunification outcomes in Flanders and the Netherlands," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 284-292.
    8. Davidson, Ryan D. & Tomlinson, Claire S. & Beck, Connie J. & Bowen, Anne M., 2019. "The revolving door of families in the child welfare system: Risk and protective factors associated with families returning," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 468-479.
    9. Anyon, Yolanda, 2011. "Reducing racial disparities and disproportionalities in the child welfare system: Policy perspectives about how to serve the best interests of African American youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 242-253, February.
    10. Shipe, Stacey L. & Shaw, Terry V. & Betsinger, Sara & Farrell, Jill L., 2017. "Expanding the conceptualization of re-entry: The inter-play between child welfare and juvenile services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 256-262.
    11. Akin, Becci A. & Bryson, Stephanie A. & Testa, Mark F. & Blase, Karen A. & McDonald, Tom & Melz, Heidi, 2013. "Usability testing, initial implementation, and formative evaluation of an evidence-based intervention: Lessons from a demonstration project to reduce long-term foster care," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 19-30.
    12. Wulczyn, Fred & Gibbons, Robert & Snowden, Lonnie & Lery, Bridgette, 2013. "Poverty, social disadvantage, and the black/white placement gap," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 65-74.
    13. Lee, Daniel Hyung Jik & Huerta, Christina & Farmer, Elizabeth M.Z., 2021. "Kinship navigation: Facilitating permanency and equity for youth in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    14. Yampolskaya, Svetlana & Armstrong, Mary I. & Vargo, Amy C., 2007. "Factors associated with exiting and reentry into out-of-home care under Community-Based Care in Florida," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(10), pages 1352-1367, October.
    15. Katz, Colleen C. & Lalayants, Marina & Phillips, Jon D., 2018. "The role of out-of-home caregivers in the achievement of child welfare permanency," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 65-71.
    16. Whitaker, Tia, 2011. "Administrative case reviews: Improving outcomes for children in out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1683-1708, September.
    17. van Santen, Eric, 2010. "Predictors of exit type and length of stay in non-kinship family foster care -- The German experience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1211-1222, October.
    18. Pine, Barbara A. & Spath, Robin & Werrbach, Gail B. & Jenson, Cary E. & Kerman, Benjamin, 2009. "A better path to permanency for children in out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(10), pages 1135-1143, October.
    19. Huang, Cindy Y. & Bory, Christopher T. & Caron, Colleen & Tebes, Jacob Kraemer & Connell, Christian M., 2014. "Relationship of risk assessment to placement characteristics in a statewide child welfare population," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 85-90.
    20. Lin, Ching-Hsuan, 2012. "Children who run away from foster care: Who are the children and what are the risk factors?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 807-813.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:30:y:2008:i:11:p:1318-1327. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.