Polyvictimization Experiences and Depression Among Youth Living in Foster Care

Abstract

Current research indicates that violence against youth contributes to adverse psychological outcomes but has yet to focus on violence against youth while living in foster care and the associated psychosomatic changes over time. Multilevel modeling regression was used to analyze self-reported depression for a sample of 354 youth living in foster care from one Midwestern state. The present study found that changes in depression levels over time among the foster care youth who experienced polyvictimization, compared to the youth who experienced child maltreatment alone, were conditional upon gender and varied significantly by race. Policy implications are discussed.