1. Child Psychology:
Professionals Speak on
Treating Troubled
Children
By Laxandra Whipple
Instructor: Jason Etchegaray
PSY496: Applied Project
February 9, 2015

2.  Foster care is: “a temporary arrangement in which adults provide for the
care of a child or children whose birthparent is unable to care for them.
“Foster care is not where juvenile delinquents go,”(National, n.d.).
 Although the ‘main goal’ of foster care is “family reunification” (the
replacement of the child into their original birth family), there are some
cases in which that goal is not a possibility—be it the child’s safety, or
incarceration, or death of the birth parent or original caregiver.
 Foster care is a “last resort” method because of how toxic it is to the
emotional and psychological wellbeing of the child, so permanency goals
MUST be a priority.

3. Foster Care-Better or Worse than
Original Home ?
While having “good intentions,” studies have shown that some foster children tend to be
worse off in the long run than those left with their family situations. [Children living in life-
threatening situations excluded.] (National Coalition, 2009).
Some professionals blame the otherwise cold and uncaring attitude of the child’s caseworkers
and therapists towards the child as a major reason for this.
Braxton and Krajewski-Jaime (2011), theorize that foster care only looks after the
physiological and safety needs of foster children, leaving them to fend for themselves on their
social needs, self-esteem, and self-actualization, and future plans. As a result, children feel
unimportant, inferior, and unsure of who they are or what they can do.
This leads to emotional and psychological underdevelopment that may cause severe
behavioral, psychological, emotional, and personality disturbances that continue with the
child well into adulthood.

4. Meet Gerald A. Zimmerman,
PH.D.
 Dr. Gerald A. Zimmerman is a clinical psychologist with an
organization called “KidsPeace” where he has been for
many years-since 1982
 He received his PH.D. from Temple University.
 He works with both foster children, and children in more
restrictive foster environments called ‘Residential
Treatment’ facilities.
 He performs assessments, consultations, and leads
group therapy sessions for Kids Peace.
 He has his own office where he treats clients as
well.

5. Dr. Zimmerman, Con’t
 Dr. Zimmerman believes a reason these results are occurring is because of the way
foster children are being medically treated.
 Children with Psychological issues are not being medically treated properly, but being
treated the same as other, non troubled youth.
 He believes that children who are put into the system with behaviors and mental issues
or disorders will end up worse off than when they were placed into protective custody if
they leave without having help to overcome or control them.
 He states that many children who enter foster care have suffered some major abuse
(physically, emotionally, sexually and so on). When the child is removed from the
situation, he or she is safer, but left unhealed, “the impact of the abuse and neglect of
the child has implications that remain for many years to come,” (Zimmerman, n.d.).

6. Meet Lou Jacobs, Behavioral
Specialist
 Lou Jacobs gained his Bachelor degree in Psychology, and his Master’s degree in
Behavioral analysis, specializing in ‘troubled youth’.
 He currently works for a program, called RESPOND that takes in children into a
Residential facility based off severe MH issues/diagnoses as well as severe
behavioral problems.
 Lou travels to the different houses his clients are in on a weekly basis for
observations where he attempts to analyze and get to the bottom of troublesome
and problematic behaviors being exhibited.

7. Lou Jacobs, Behavioral Specialist.,
con’t
 Lou creates a behavioral plan for each client based off his findings and then explains them
with the direct caregivers at his weekly meetings.
 Lou then oversees the caregivers to make sure his behavioral plans are being
implemented.
 He believes that to help the child, you have to get to the bottom of why his or her
behaviors are occurring.
 He believes that once the behaviors are understood, the treatment will be much easier to
complete.

8. Dr. Gerald A. Zimmerman, Ph.d.
Clinical Psychology Field
 Child Psychologist
 Believes troubled children’s therapy needs to
be specific of their psychological issues or
disorders instead of being medically “treated”
the same as children without the disorders.
 Focuses on treatment for healing versus
“curing” the child, each child is a unique
individual.
 Clinical expertise is used.

http://www.kidspeace.org/healing.aspx?id=11
70
Lou Jacobs, Behavioral Specialist
Cognitive Psychology Field
 Behavioral Analyst
 Believes understanding troubled foster
children’s behaviors (and why they are doing it)
should be the basis of their treatment.
 Focuses on treatment of behaviors as a means to
“cure” or “lessen” the troublesome behavior
versus “treating” the child.
 Researches and incorporates new behavioral
findings into his behavioral analyses.
 http://familylinks.org/index.php/special-
needs/respond-hope

9. References
 Braxton, C., & Krajewski-Jaime, E. R. (2011). Exploration of the American foster care system: An
experiential account. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 6(1), 47-56.
 Landrum, R. E. (2012). Applied project: Capstone in psychology. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education,
Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUPSY496.12.1
 National Adoption Center (n.d.) What is foster care? [Newsletter]. Retrieved from
http://libguides.uwb.edu/content.php?pid=87677&sid=767102
 National Coalition for Child Protection Reform (June 3, 2009). The evidence is in: Foster care vs.
keeping families together: The definitive studies. Retrieved from http://nccpr.info/the-evidence-is-
in-foster-care-vs-keeping-families-together-the-definitive-studies/

10. References, Con’t
 National Coalition for Child Protection Reform (June 3, 2009). The evidence is in: Foster care vs. keeping
families together: The definitive studies. Retrieved from http://nccpr.info/the-evidence-is-in-foster-care-
vs-keeping-families-together-the-definitive-studies/
 Risk of long-term foster care placement among children involved with the child welfare system. (n.d.).
National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, (19), 1-6. Retrieved February 8, 2015 from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/nscaw_ltfc_research_brief_19_revised_for_acf_9_12_13_e
dit_clean.pdf
 Respond (2014). Familylinks. Retrieved January 22, 2015 from http://familylinks.org/index.php/special-
needs/respond-hope
 Zimmerman, G. A. (n.d.). Treating foster children for psychological issues. Kids Peace Institute. Retrieved
January 22, 2015 from http://www.kidspeace.org/healing.aspx?id=1170