Home environment and outcomes of young maltreated children

Although the literature has shown that maltreated children experience more cognitive and social/emotional delays than their non-maltreated peers, the mechanisms underlying these differences are poorly understood. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between developmental outcomes and placement context by assessing children placed in out-of-home care before age 4 years old for state-verified maltreatment but who had been living in a stable placement for at least one year. Several hypotheses were proposed: (1) maltreated children will display more behavioral and emotional symptomatology and lower cognitive scores than non-maltreated children; (2) home environment variables will mediate outcomes for both maltreated and non-maltreated children, and (3) placement type will predict outcomes. Participants included 161 children, 78 maltreated and 83 non-maltreated, from ages 6 to 9 years. Results indicated that the maltreated children had lower cognitive scores, lower scores on the quality of their home environment, and more psychopathology; however, results indicated that it was elements of the home environment that accounted for some of the differences in psychopathology between these groups. Analyses within the maltreated placement groups suggest differences only on the quality of the home environment between biological/kin and adoptive placement groups. Results suggest the most important indicator of maltreated children's adjustment is the quality of their post-placement home environment. To mitigate the sequelae of maltreatment, intervention must continue beyond the placement of a child in a home and involve services aimed at building stronger family relationships and meeting basic needs that ensure healthy development.