A CLOSER LOOK AT SELF-IMAGE IN MALE FOSTER-CARE ADOLESCENTS

Using the Offer Self-image Questionnaire, this study attempted to dete rmine the differences between 58 male adolescents in foster care and t heir peers in the normal population and to establish if there are char acteristics of the adolescents' background or foster cave experience r elated to specific domains of self-image. Characteristics from foster cave history included number of placements and length of time at the c urrent placement. Individual background characteristics included race, educational achievement, and age. Foster cave youths herd lower famil y self-image and emotional health and higher social self-image when co mpared with the normative population. Lower scores on several domains of self-image weve associated with being younger, being white, having lower academic achievement, having move placements, and staying at the current placement for a longer time. The implications of these findin gs for foster cave placement decisions are discussed.