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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the level of problematic behavior of children who are in the custody of the child welfare system and the parenting styles, and family functioning of kin families who care for these children. This study is a cross-sectional survey that employed face-to-face interviews with 120 kin caregivers. The results indicated that families not functioning very well tended to report more behavioral problems in the subject child. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine if family functioning and parenting style would predict the level of problematic behavior of the subject child. The caregivers´ responses regarding their care giving experiences revealed the themes of parenting burden, system constraints, and family strain.

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Reginald C. Richardson, Ph.D.,LCSW, is a licensed Clinical Social Worker and Vice President for Evaluation and Clinical Services at the Family Institute at Northwestern University. Dr. Richardson is a Clinical Lecturer in Psychology at Northwestern University and a frequent speaker and trainer in the area of child and family issues.

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