A study that will appear in the March issue of Pediatrics has found that foster children who are placed in loving, stable homes have fewer issues with attention and impulsivity.

• The study was conducted through the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
• The study followed 252 children in 95 families for four years.
• Researchers talked with biological parents, foster parents, teachers and the children themselves.
• Most interesting and encouraging to researches was the affect environment had on symptoms related to ADHD  a disorder with proven biological components.

"Children whose parents reported higher parental warmth  how much do the parents like the child, how much affection the parent reports toward the child, how much time they spend together  showed fewer ADHD symptoms," HealthDay News reported, "while children whose parents reported hostility  being annoyed at the child, thinking the child a burden, being angry at the child  showed more ADHD symptoms."

Labels: attention, impulsivity, foster care

Posted By: Aspen/CRC