Psychosocial Profiles of Parents Involved in Child Welfare Investigations
Location
LSUHSC-NO
Publication Date
April 2026
Start Date
9-4-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
9-4-2026 2:00 PM
Description
Adverse childhood experiences have detrimental consequences for an individual's health and well-being (WHO, 2020}. These experiences have been strongly correlated to the risk of developing psychological illnesses and maladaptive personality traits (Felitti et al., 1998; Anda et al., 2006). These conditions can be pervasive and carry into adulthood, impacting individuals' functioning and relationships with the next generation. Child maltreatment is a complex and multifaceted issue, but research suggests that parents' exposure to trauma, substance abuse, and mental health challenges greatly contribute to acts of child maltreatment (Gilbert et al., 2009). Parents' subjective and personal experiences play a crucial role when addressing child maltreatment. Using psychological data from 32 parents of children in foster care from a suburban town in Southeastern Louisiana, this study seeks to investigate commonalities and differences in clinical, cognitive, and personality measures.
Preliminary results demonstrate a high incidence of stressful/ traumatic experiences for these parents, high rates of substance abuse problems, and cognitive profiles with significant paranoia, depression, anger, and anxiety. Results also indicated an estimated average cognitive level of 80 with low educational attainment. Further statistical analyses will assess clusters of symptoms, family outcomes in the foster care system, and the attachment experiences of these parents.
Exploring the psychological symptoms of parents involved in Child Welfare is crucial for prevention and intervention efforts. The results reveal the need for providing trauma- and cognitive-informed care for these families. Further, many of the parents in this sample experienced disrupted relationships in childhood, which indicates the importance of providing relationship-based services for families in the Child Welfare system. These treatment models emphasize ways to navigate systemic and generational difficulties. Future research should explore larger samples of parents, including diverse geographic locations, to determine the role that trauma-informed care can play in improving families' outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Haq, Sabriah and Arrant, Benjamin, "Psychosocial Profiles of Parents Involved in Child Welfare
Investigations" (2026). Dept. of Psychiatry Research Symposium. 11.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/psych_rd/2026/posters/11
Psychosocial Profiles of Parents Involved in Child Welfare Investigations
LSUHSC-NO
Adverse childhood experiences have detrimental consequences for an individual's health and well-being (WHO, 2020}. These experiences have been strongly correlated to the risk of developing psychological illnesses and maladaptive personality traits (Felitti et al., 1998; Anda et al., 2006). These conditions can be pervasive and carry into adulthood, impacting individuals' functioning and relationships with the next generation. Child maltreatment is a complex and multifaceted issue, but research suggests that parents' exposure to trauma, substance abuse, and mental health challenges greatly contribute to acts of child maltreatment (Gilbert et al., 2009). Parents' subjective and personal experiences play a crucial role when addressing child maltreatment. Using psychological data from 32 parents of children in foster care from a suburban town in Southeastern Louisiana, this study seeks to investigate commonalities and differences in clinical, cognitive, and personality measures.
Preliminary results demonstrate a high incidence of stressful/ traumatic experiences for these parents, high rates of substance abuse problems, and cognitive profiles with significant paranoia, depression, anger, and anxiety. Results also indicated an estimated average cognitive level of 80 with low educational attainment. Further statistical analyses will assess clusters of symptoms, family outcomes in the foster care system, and the attachment experiences of these parents.
Exploring the psychological symptoms of parents involved in Child Welfare is crucial for prevention and intervention efforts. The results reveal the need for providing trauma- and cognitive-informed care for these families. Further, many of the parents in this sample experienced disrupted relationships in childhood, which indicates the importance of providing relationship-based services for families in the Child Welfare system. These treatment models emphasize ways to navigate systemic and generational difficulties. Future research should explore larger samples of parents, including diverse geographic locations, to determine the role that trauma-informed care can play in improving families' outcomes.