Psychological Adjustment of Adolescents in Residential Care: A Multi-Informant Analysis of Youth and Caregiver Reports

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Abstract
Scientific evidence shows that perception of adolescents’ psychological adjustment in residential care varies depending on the informant. This study examined discrepancies between adolescents’ self-reports and caregiver reports of psychological adjustment in 46 residential care institutions across Portugal. Data were collected from a sample of 511 adolescents (aged 12–24) and their institutional caregivers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Socially Desirable Response Set-5. Descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare mean scores between informants. Intraclass correlation coefficients and Cohen’s Kappa were calculated to assess agreement. Results revealed significant differences across all subscales and the total difficulties score, with adolescents consistently reporting more emotional, behavioral, and peer-related problems than caregivers, regardless of sex or age. Agreement ranged from poor to moderate, with the lowest concordance for internalizing symptoms. These discrepancies underscore the role of developmental factors in shaping self- and caregiver perceptions and highlight the importance of multi-informant, developmentally sensitive assessments in residential care. Practical implications include incorporating adolescents’ perspectives into evaluation and intervention, enhancing caregiver training to recognize internalizing issues, and implementing age- and gender-tailored mental health programs.
Funding Information
  • FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Refª UID/06317/2023)

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