Living situation and placement change and children's behavior

Using a national, representative sample of children who received child welfare services, this paper builds longitudinal path models that examine four effects: prior change in living situation or placement on subsequent change, prior behavior problems on subsequent problems, behavior problems on change in living situation or placement, and change in living situation or placement on behavior problems. The first three just-mentioned effects were significant (positive associations) in all models. At some time points, living situation and placement change predicted internalized behavior problems (positive association) but, overall, the effects of change in living situation or placement on children's behavior problems, if any, were small. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.