The psychological wellbeing of parents and foster carers: the role of self-efficacy and challenging behaviours

Parenting self-efficacy has been found to play an important role in the use of positive parenting practices, parent and foster carer psychological wellbeing, and positive outcomes for children in foster care and in the care of their parents. The current study examines perceived parenting self-efficacy, psychological wellbeing and levels of challenging child behaviours in foster carers and parents. Sixty-eight foster carers and sixty-eight parents completed an online survey exploring each of these variables. Results demonstrated no significant between-group differences on depression, anxiety, self-efficacy or parent distress measures. However foster carers reported significantly higher levels of child challenging behaviours as compared to parents. Across all participants, self-efficacy was identified as a mediating factor in the relationship between challenging behaviours and psychological wellbeing (specifically parent distress and depression). These results support past research which has identified this relationship with foster carers and parents as separate groups. Please note appendices 2 and 3 are not included due to copyright.