Fostering Healthy Futures® for Preteens
Fostering Healthy Futures® for Preteens (FHF-P) is a skills training and mentoring program. FHF-P is designed for children ages 9–11 with current or prior child welfare involvement due to maltreatment and one or more adverse childhood experiences.
The program is composed of two parts: group sessions and one-on-one mentoring. During group sessions, group leaders cover topics such as effective problem-solving, resisting negative peer pressure, anger management, emotion recognition, perspective taking, cultural identity, change and loss, healthy relationships, abuse prevention, and focusing on the future. During one-on-one sessions, mentors aim to help children identify strengths and challenges, provide support, practice social skills, advocate for needed services, and encourage their involvement in programs, activities, and relationships that capitalize on their strengths.
Fostering Healthy Futures® for Preteens is rated as a supported practice because at least one study carried out in a usual care or practice setting achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution and demonstrated a sustained favorable effect of at least 6 months beyond the end of treatment on at least one target outcome.
Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed: Jun 2022
Sources
The program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information were informed by the following sources: the program or service manual, the program or service developer’s website, the California Evidence Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare, and the studies reviewed.
This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, visit the Review Process page or download the Handbook.
Target Population
FHF-P is designed for children ages 9–11 with current or previous child welfare involvement due to maltreatment and one or more adverse childhood experiences (e.g., exposure to violence; experiencing homelessness; parental substance use, mental illness, or incarceration).
Dosage
FHF-P is delivered over 30 weeks. Each week, children participate in a 90-minute group session and 2–4 hours of one-on-one mentoring. Group supervisors and group co-leaders deliver group sessions typically consisting of eight children. Each group session includes 1 hour of skill-building and a 30-minute dinner. Mentors meet individually with children.
Location/Delivery Setting
Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings
FHF-P is delivered in community settings.
Location/Delivery Settings Observed in the Research
- Community Center (e.g., religious or recreational facility)
Education, Certifications and Training
Group supervisors and group co-leaders lead group sessions and mentors deliver one-on-one mentoring. The program director or intern supervisor oversees daily operations and provides mentor training. Group supervisors must have a graduate degree in social work, psychology, or a related field and be licensed or license-eligible in their field of specialty with a minimum of 3 years clinical experience. Group co-leaders are typically graduate students working towards degrees in psychology, social work, or related fields. Mentors are typically graduate students in a behavioral health training program who receive course credit for their time. The program director or intern supervisor should be a licensed or license-eligible behavioral health provider with a minimum of 5 years clinical experience, including experience with youth who have emotional and behavioral challenges or who have experienced child maltreatment/child welfare involvement. They should also have experience supervising undergraduate/graduate students or clinicians.
Group co-leaders participate in a 6-hour orientation that teaches them about the FHF-P program, the target population, and the structure and content of the curriculum. They also meet biweekly with the group supervisor for 1–1.5 hours throughout the program for ongoing training. Group and intern supervisors participate in a 3-day pre-implementation training. They also participate in 2–3 hours of training and consultation per week throughout their first year of delivering the program. Mentors participate in a 3-day orientation that teaches them about child abuse and neglect, the child welfare system, the FHF-P program, and their roles and responsibilities. Each week, mentors attend seminars, and one hour each of individual and group supervision provided by the intern supervisor.
Program or Service Documentation
Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review
The Preteen Skills Group Manual is implemented in conjunction with the Preteen Implementation and Mentor Orientation Manual.
Hettleman, D., Wertheimer, R., Holmberg, J., Gennerman-Schroeder, R., Hambrick, E., Malen, A., & Taussig, H. N. (2021). Fostering Healthy Futures for Preteens skills group manual. University of Colorado.
Taussig, H. N., Wertheimer, R., Raviv, T., Fireman, O., Malen, A., & Culhane, S. (2021). Fostering Healthy Futures for Preteens implementation and mentor orientation manual. University of Colorado.
Available languages
FHF-P materials are available in English.
Other supporting materials
For More Information
Website: https://www.fosteringhealthyfutures.org/
Phone: (303) 871-2937
Contact form: https://www.fosteringhealthyfutures.org/contact
Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.
| Results of Search and Review | Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Fostering Healthy Futures® for Preteens |
|---|---|
| Identified in Search | 2 |
| Eligible for Review | 1 |
| Rated High | 1 |
| Rated Moderate | 0 |
| Rated Low | 0 |
| Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm | 0 |
| Outcome | Effect Size
 and Implied Percentile Effect
|
N of Studies (Findings) | N of Participants | Summary of Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child permanency: Placement stability |
0.50
19 |
1 (2) | 110 |
Favorable:
1 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Child well-being: Behavioral and emotional functioning |
0.19
7 |
1 (15) | 519 |
Favorable:
5 No Effect: 10 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Child well-being: Social functioning |
0.15
5 |
1 (4) | 143 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 4 Unfavorable: 0 |
| Child well-being: Delinquent behavior |
-0.08
-3 |
1 (30) | 421 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 24 Unfavorable: 6 |
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes for some outcomes were not able to be calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse.
| Outcome | Effect Size
and Implied Percentile Effect
|
N of Studies (Findings) | N of Participants | Summary of Findings |
Months after treatment when outcome measured
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child permanency: Placement stability |
0.50
19 |
1 (2) | 110 |
Favorable:
1 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Study 13040 - Fostering Healthy Futures-Preteen vs. Treatment as Usual (First 5 Cohorts, Open CWS Cases At Study Start Only) (Taussig, 2012) | |||||
| Placement Changes (Number) |
0.25
10 |
- | 110 | - | 12 |
| Residential Treatment Center Placement (% With Any New Placement) |
0.74
*
27 |
- | 110 | - | 12 |
| Child well-being: Behavioral and emotional functioning |
0.19
7 |
1 (15) | 519 |
Favorable:
5 No Effect: 10 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Study 13040 - Fostering Healthy Futures-Preteen vs. Treatment as Usual (First 5 Cohorts, All Cases) (Taussig, 2010) | |||||
| Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Post-Traumatic Stress (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.10
3 |
- | 140 | - | 0 |
| Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Post-Traumatic Stress (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.30
11 |
- | 144 | - | 6 |
| Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Dissociation (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.13
5 |
- | 140 | - | 0 |
| Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Dissociation (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.39
*
15 |
- | 144 | - | 6 |
| Mental Health Problems Factor Score (Pilot Cohorts) |
-0.07
-2 |
- | 127 | - | 0 |
| Mental Health Problems Factor Score (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.51
*
19 |
- | 132 | - | 6 |
| Life Satisfaction Survey (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.42
*
16 |
- | 140 | - | 0 |
| Life Satisfaction Survey (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.14
5 |
- | 143 | - | 6 |
| Life Events and Coping Inventory: Negative Coping (Pilot Cohorts) |
-0.21
-8 |
- | 143 | - | 6 |
| Self-Perception Profile for Children: Global Self-Worth (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.05
1 |
- | 140 | - | 0 |
| Self-Perception Profile for Children: Global Self-Worth (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.19
7 |
- | 143 | - | 6 |
| Study 13040 - Fostering Healthy Futures-Preteen vs. Treatment as Usual (All 10 Cohorts) (Taussig, 2019) | |||||
| Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Post-Traumatic Stress (All Cohorts) |
0.18
7 |
- | 375 | - | 0 |
| Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Dissociation (All Cohorts) |
0.25
*
9 |
- | 375 | - | 0 |
| Mental Health Problems Factor Score (All Cohorts) |
0.23
*
9 |
- | 346 | - | 0 |
| Life Satisfaction Survey (All Cohorts) |
0.14
5 |
- | 375 | - | 0 |
| Child well-being: Social functioning |
0.15
5 |
1 (4) | 143 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 4 Unfavorable: 0 |
- |
| Study 13040 - Fostering Healthy Futures-Preteen vs. Treatment as Usual (First 5 Cohorts, All Cases) (Taussig, 2010) | |||||
| Self-Perception Profile for Children: Social Acceptance (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.16
6 |
- | 140 | - | 0 |
| Self-Perception Profile for Children: Social Acceptance (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.17
6 |
- | 143 | - | 6 |
| People in My Life – Short Form (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.25
9 |
- | 140 | - | 0 |
| People in My Life – Short Form (Pilot Cohorts) |
0.02
0 |
- | 143 | - | 6 |
| Child well-being: Delinquent behavior |
-0.08
-3 |
1 (30) | 421 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 24 Unfavorable: 6 |
- |
| Study 13040 - Fostering Healthy Futures-Preteen vs. Treatment as Usual (All 10 Cohorts) (Taussig, 2021) | |||||
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Total Delinquency |
-0.22
*
-8 |
- | 378 | - | 6 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Total Delinquency |
-0.33
*
-13 |
- | 357 | - | 24 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Total Delinquency |
-0.37
*
-14 |
- | 161 | - | 72 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Non-Violent Delinquency |
-0.30
*
-11 |
- | 378 | - | 6 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Non-Violent Delinquency |
-0.29
*
-11 |
- | 357 | - | 24 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Non-Violent Delinquency |
-0.44
*
-16 |
- | 161 | - | 72 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Violent Delinquency |
-0.11
-4 |
- | 378 | - | 6 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Violent Delinquency |
-0.05
-2 |
- | 357 | - | 24 |
| Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey: Violent Delinquency |
-0.17
-6 |
- | 161 | - | 72 |
| Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.08
-3 |
- | 421 | - | 3 |
| Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.00
0 |
- | 403 | - | 15 |
| Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.04
-1 |
- | 400 | - | 27 |
| Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.07
2 |
- | 391 | - | 39 |
| Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.00
0 |
- | 372 | - | 51 |
| Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.15
-5 |
- | 345 | - | 63 |
| Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.13
5 |
- | 341 | - | 75 |
| Non-Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
Null
not calculated |
- | 421 | - | 3 |
| Non-Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.06
-2 |
- | 403 | - | 15 |
| Non-Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.04
-1 |
- | 403 | - | 27 |
| Non-Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.05
1 |
- | 391 | - | 39 |
| Non-Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.00
0 |
- | 372 | - | 51 |
| Non-Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.11
-4 |
- | 345 | - | 63 |
| Non-Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.06
2 |
- | 341 | - | 75 |
| Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.08
-3 |
- | 421 | - | 3 |
| Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.12
4 |
- | 403 | - | 15 |
| Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.09
3 |
- | 400 | - | 27 |
| Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.12
-4 |
- | 391 | - | 39 |
| Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.00
0 |
- | 372 | - | 51 |
| Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
-0.10
-3 |
- | 345 | - | 63 |
| Violent Delinquency Charges in Past Year (Total Court-Reported) |
0.13
5 |
- | 341 | - | 75 |
*p <.05
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes and implied percentile effects were calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse as described in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Section 5.10.4 and may not align with effect sizes reported in individual publications. Effect sizes for some outcomes were not able to be calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse.
Only publications with eligible contrasts that met design and execution standards are included in the individual study findings table.
Full citations for the studies shown in the table are available in the "Studies Reviewed" section.
Studies Rated High
Study 13040Taussig, H. N., & Culhane, S. E. (2010). Impact of a mentoring and skills group program on mental health outcomes for maltreated children in foster care. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 164(8), 739-746. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.124
Taussig, H. N., Culhane, S. E., Garrido, E., Knudtson, M. D., & Petrenko, C. L. M. (2013). Does severity of physical neglect moderate the impact of an efficacious preventive intervention for maltreated children in foster care? Child Maltreatment, 18(1), 56-64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559512461397
Weiler, L. M., & Taussig, H. N. (2019). The moderating effect of risk exposure on an efficacious intervention for maltreated children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 48(Supp1), S194-S201. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1295379
Taussig, H. N., Culhane, S. E., Garrido, E., & Knudtson, M. D. (2012). RCT of a mentoring and skill group program: Placement and permanency outcomes for foster youth. Pediatrics, 130(1), 33-39. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-3447
Taussig, H. N., Weiler, L. M., Garrido, E. F., Rhodes, T., Boat, A., & Fadell, M. (2019). A positive youth development approach to improving mental health outcomes for maltreated children in foster care: Replication and extension of an RCT of the Fostering Healthy Futures Program. American Journal of Community Psychology, 64(3-4), 405-417. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12385
Taussig, H. N., Dmitrieva, J., Garrido, E. F., Cooley, J. L., & Crites, E. (2021). Fostering Healthy Futures preventive intervention for children in foster care: Long-term delinquency outcomes from a randomized controlled trial. Prevention Science, 22, 1120-1133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01235-6
Weiler, L. M., Lee, S.-K., Zhang, J., Ausherbauer, K., Schwartz, S. E. O., Kanchewa, S. S., & Taussig, H. N. (2022). Mentoring children in foster care: Examining relationship histories as moderators of intervention impact on children's mental health and trauma symptoms. American Journal of Community Psychology, 69(1-2), 100-113. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12549
Studies Not Eligible for Review
Study 13038
Taussig, H. N., Culhane, S. E., Raviv, T., Fitzpatrick, L. E. S., & Hodas, R. W. (2010). Mentoring children in foster care: Impact on graduate student mentors. Educational Horizons, 89(1), 17-32. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24839302/
This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible study design (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.4).