Internalizing Difficulties Among Youth in Foster Care: The Contribution of Perpetrator Identity and Maltreatment Dimensions on Mental Health Outcomes

The current study examined perpetrator-victim relationships, through betrayal trauma theory, as a contributor to internalizing problems when considering maltreatment type, frequency, and severity. Most youth in foster care have been exposed to several maltreatment events; elucidating predictors of mental health outcomes is imperative to inform interventions and reunification goals.