Date
6-17-2026
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
Laura Rolen
Keywords
caregiver mental health, caregiver depression, psychological distress, child maltreatment, substantiated maltreatment, Child Protective Services (CPS), NSCAW II, trauma-informed care, child welfare, mental illness, out-of-home placement, family-centered practice, quantitative archival study, caregiver-child relationship, child abuse prevention
Disciplines
Psychology | Social Work
Recommended Citation
Forotan, Gloria, "Caregiver Depression and Psychological Distress as Predictors of Substantiated Maltreatment in NSCAW II (Wave 2 CPS Sample): A Quantitative Archival Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8623.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8623
Abstract
This quantitative archival analysis examined whether caregiver mental health is associated with child maltreatment outcomes through CPS involvement, using the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (NSCAW II), Wave 2. Child maltreatment remains a persistent public health concern with long-term effects on children's emotional, psychological, and physical development. Although caregiver mental health is consistently identified as a significant risk factor for maltreatment, few studies have utilized nationally representative child welfare data with standardized measures to test these associations.
Caregiver mental health variables were operationalized using NSCAW II indicators of major depression and depressive symptoms (DP2), psychological distress (K6 total score; PD2), and any/serious mental illness flags (CG2AMI/CG2SMI). The primary outcome was substantiated maltreatment (SUBST), with secondary outcomes including CPS indicators and out-of-home placement measures. Logistic regression models estimated associations between caregiver mental health indicators and maltreatment outcomes, adjusting for covariates including child age, race/ethnicity, household composition, caregiver race, socioeconomic status, and caregiver-child relationship quality.
By aligning the research design with a nationally representative dataset, this study provides a rigorous assessment of the relationship between caregiver mental health and child welfare outcomes among CPS-involved families. Findings are intended to inform trauma-sensitive, family-centered practice and strengthen screening, referral, and service coordination efforts that prioritize caregiver mental health as a critical component of maltreatment prevention.
