This content analysis provides a 31-year review of foster care publications and research across 24 professional counseling journals from 1991–2021. A total of 35 articles utilizing foster care as a key term were published, representing less than 1% of all possible articles (N = 11,293). The Family Journal published the highest number of foster care-centered articles (n = 18), 11 of which appeared in a special issue focusing on the subject. Professional School Counseling published the second-highest number of foster care articles (n = 4) during this period. This analysis includes an examination of publication occurrences across the thirty-one-year span, the type of article (research, non-research), research methodology, and foster care focus area. Results provide the professional counseling field with current research trends, issues, barriers, and methods for future work.
BeckM. J.MaierC. A.MeansA.IsaacsonL. A. (2018). Interdisciplinary collaboration for LGBTQ students in foster care: Strategies for school counselors. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 12(4), 248–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2018.1526154.
2.
BrinserH.WisselA. (2020). Serving students in foster care: Implications and interventions for school counselors. The Professional Counselor, 10(2), 170–180. https://doi.org/10.15241/hb.10.2.170.
3.
CourtneyM. E.PiliavinI.Grogan-KaylorA.NesmithA. (2001). Foster youth transition to adulthood: A longitudinal view of youth leaving care. Child Welfare, 80(6), 685–717. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-00336-001
4.
DworskyA.CourtneyM. E. (2009). Homelessness and the transition from foster care to adulthood. Child Welfare, 88(4), 23–56. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45400428
5.
GardenhireJ.SchleidenC.BrownC. C. (2019). Attachment as a tool in the treatment of children within foster care. Contemporary Family Therapy, 41, 191–200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-018-09487-1.
6.
GilmartinD.McElvaneyR. (2020). Filial therapy as a core intervention with children in foster care. Child Abuse Review, 29, 159–166. https://doi.org/10.1002/car.2602.
7.
JacksonM. S.ColvinA. D.BullockA. N. (2019). Strategies to address mental health challenges of foster youth transitioning to college. Best Practices in Mental Health, 15(1), 20–31.
8.
JohnsonR. M. (2021). Academic resilience among Black male college students formerly in foster care: Implications for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 25(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759x211040003.
9.
KatisiM.JefferiesP.DikolobeO.MoetiO.BrissonJ.UngarM. (2019). Fostering resilience in children who have been orphaned: Preliminary results from the Botswana Balekane EARTH program. Child & Youth Care Forum, 48, 585–601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-019-09497-6.
10.
KirkC. M.LewisR. K.NilsenC.ColvinD. Q. (2013). Foster care and college: The educational aspirations and expectations of youth in the foster care system. Youth & Society, 45, 307–323. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118x11417734.
11.
LancasterC.OvreboE.ZuckermanS. (2017). Adoption counselors’ perspectives of counseling postadoptive families. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95, 412–422. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12156.
12.
LomanL. A.SeigelG. L. (2000). A review of literature on independent living of youths in foster and residential care. Retrieved from Institute of Applied Research website: http://www.iarstl.org/papers/IndLivLit.pdf
13.
MirandaM.TadrosE.MollaE. (2020). The experience of foster care and long-term attachment. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 48(1), 87–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2019.1679053.
14.
MoroR. R.SmithJ. E.WaheshE.Likis-WerleS. E. (2016). Addiction topics in counselor education professional development: A content analysis. Journal of Addictions and Offender Counseling, 37(1), 2–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaoc.12012.
15.
MountzS.Capous-DesyllasM.PerezN. (2019). Speaking back to the system: Recommendations for practice and policy from the perspectives of youth formerly in foster care who are LGBTQ. Child Welfare, 97(5), 117–140. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48626870
16.
NovemberL.SandallJ. (2020). “She was accused of colluding with the mother”; the training and support needs of parent-and-child foster carers: A qualitative study. Child & Family Social Work, 25(S1), 149–159. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12735.
17.
PalmieriL. E.La SalleT. P. (2017). Supporting students in foster care. Psychology in the Schools, 54(2), 117–126. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21990.
18.
PecoraP. J.KesslerR. C.O’BrienK.WhiteC. R.WilliamsJ.HiripiE.EnglishD.WhiteJ.HerrickM. A. (2006). Educational and employment outcomes of adults formerly placed in foster care: Results from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study. Children and Youth Services Review, 28, 1459–1481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2006.04.003.
19.
PoonC. Y. S.ChristensenK.& RhodesM.EJ. (2021). A meta-analysis of the effects of mentoring on youth in foster care. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50, 1741–1756. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01472-6.
20.
ReillyT. (2003). Transitions from care: Status and outcomes of youth who age out of foster care. Child Welfare, 82, 727–746.
StevensonB. J. (2017). Developing a career counseling intervention program for foster youth. Journal of Employment Counseling, 54(2), 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/joec.12055.
23.
United States Department of Health and Human Services (2021). How many children are in foster care in the United States? How long do they stay in foster care? What happens to them after they emancipate?Children’s Bureau. https://www.acf.hhs.govv/cb/faq/foster-care3
24.
UnrauY. A.FontS. A.RawlsG. (2012). Readiness for college engagement among students who have aged out of foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 76–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.09.002.
25.
WaheshE.Likis-WerleS. E.MoroR. R. (2017). Addictions content published in counseling: A 10-year content analysis to inform research and practice. The Professional Counselor, 7(1), 89–103. http://https://doi.org/10.15241/ew.7.1.89.
26.
WilliamsR. G.BakerS. B.Williams-DeVaneC. R. (2018). Effects of customized counseling interventions on career and college readiness self-efficacy of three female foster care youth. The Professional Counselor, 8(2), 159–174. https://doi.org/10.15241/rgw.8.2.159.
27.
WymerB. C.RyanG. (2019). Engaging foster parents in child trauma treatment: Strategies for counselors. Journal of Child & Adolescent Counseling, 5(2), 130–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/237327810.2019.1609836.
