Behind the Placement: A Literature Review of Depression Among Foster Youth

Foster children represent a uniquely vulnerable population, with exposure to early adversities predisposing them to psychiatric morbidity, notably depression. Although research has made significant progress in recent years, depression in foster care remains an underrecognized and undertreated disorder. The purpose of this narrative review is to synthesize what is presently known about the prevalence, risk factors, mechanisms, treatments, and remaining gaps in knowledge regarding depression among foster children, with the goal of increasing clinical awareness to assist with screening and intervention, and identifying future research opportunities.