Multiple Trauma Exposure and Psychosocial Functioning in Singaporean Children in Out-of-Home Care

Objective: Children in out-of-home care are often exposed to chronic, interpersonal traumas such as abuse and domestic violence. Exposure to more than 1 interpersonal trauma is associated with functional impairments, mental health symptoms, and risk behaviors. Despite the importance of studying trauma in this vulnerable population, very few studies have investigated trauma exposure among children and youth in out-of-home care in Asia. This is the first study to examine the effects of multiple interpersonal trauma exposure in a large sample of children in out-of-home care in Singapore. Method: A cross-sectional study of 721 children between the ages of 5 and 17 years residing in foster care and voluntary children's homes in Singapore was conducted to determine the proportion of children with interpersonal trauma exposure and the effect of trauma exposure on psychosocial functioning. Results: Results indicated that 63% of the sample experienced at least 1 interpersonal trauma, with neglect (34%) and physical abuse (31%) the most prevalent. Girls were more likely to be emotionally and sexually abused than boys. Children with multiple interpersonal trauma exposure (35% of the sample) were significantly older, more likely to be female, and had a higher number of life functioning, behavioral, and emotional, as well as risk behavior needs compared with children with no previous trauma. Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of conducting comprehensive assessments of children in out-of-home care to provide specialized interventions for children with interpersonal trauma exposure.