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Future Orientation of Adolescents in Foster Care: Relationship to Trauma, Mental Health, and HIV Risk Behaviors

  • Effect of Trauma on Children, Adolescent, and/or Their Caregiver
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Abstract

Future orientation has been found to protect against risky behaviors in adolescents from diverse backgrounds. However, no studies have specifically examined future orientation as a potential protective factor against HIV risk behaviors in foster care adolescents. In this study, 343 foster care adolescents were interviewed about their future orientation, mental health, trauma histories, and cognitions related to HIV risk behaviors. Results indicated variability in future orientation, but there were no significant differences by race, gender, and age. Future orientation was significantly associated with mental health, trauma, HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and number of sexual intercourse partners. Furthermore, externalizing behaviors and attitudes toward risky behaviors each partially mediated the relationship between future orientation and number of sexual intercourse partners.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Campus, Box 1196, St. Louis, MO, 63130-4899, USA

    Peter Cabrera, Wendy Auslander & Michael Polgar

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  1. Peter Cabrera
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  2. Wendy Auslander
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  3. Michael Polgar
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Correspondence to Peter Cabrera.

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Cabrera, P., Auslander, W. & Polgar, M. Future Orientation of Adolescents in Foster Care: Relationship to Trauma, Mental Health, and HIV Risk Behaviors. Journ Child Adol Trauma 2, 271–286 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1080/19361520903317311

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19361520903317311

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