Family Risk Factors and Emotional–Behavioral Problems in Children in Protective Care

Children in residential care constitute a particularly vulnerable group at high risk of developing emotional and behavioral difficulties as a consequence of adverse experiences and dysfunctional family environments. Identifying risk and protective factors is essential for designing interventions tailored to their needs; however, the available research remains limited and does not always provide the evidence required to guide effective programs within the child protection system. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among children in residential care and to analyze the role of family factors, sex, and age in these difficulties. The sample consisted of 210 children aged 6 to 18 years institutionalized in residential care centers and supervised apartments. A cross-sectional design was employed, administering the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) along with an ad hoc questionnaire to collect socio-family variables. The results reveal a high prevalence of emotional and behavioral difficulties. The multivariable models explained between 8.1% and 29.4% of the variance in emotional and behavioral functioning and showed that age, sex, exposure to gender-based violence, parental substance use, and parental intellectual disability were associated with specific emotional and behavioral dimensions. The study highlights the need to develop and implement educational and therapeutic programs aimed at strengthening children’s emotional regulation, addressing behavioral difficulties, and considering family-related adversity in intervention planning.