Factors influencing problem behaviors of children in foster care

This study aimed to identify the level of problem behavior in children incarcerated and to analyze the child, relationship, and parenting environment factors that influence problem behavior. A gamma regression model was applied to the analysis based on data from the “Survey on the Status of Children in Incarcerated Persons.” The results showed that, first, the level of problem behavior in children incarcerated was below average (1.69), which was low. Second, factors influencing problem behavior in children incarcerated were the child's health, school adjustment, the inmate's marital status, the relationship between the inmate and the caregiver, cohabitation between the caregiver and the child, and the burden of parenting. These findings emphasize the importance of the parenting environment and suggest the need to explore options for conditional home care. Furthermore, these findings suggest that they can lead to discussions on resilience, which can manifest in children with similar parenting environments exhibiting different growth trajectories.