Experiences From Treatment for Anxiety and Depression Among Youth in Foster Care: A Qualitative Study

Youth in foster care are at high risk of internalizing problems. However, research is scarce regarding their experiences of mental health treatment. This knowledge is important if mental health services are to meet their needs. Through qualitative interviews, we explored the experiences of youth in foster care (N = 9, aged 16–18 years) having been treated for anxiety and depression. Systematic text condensation was used to analyse the transcribed interviews. The youth reported different paths to accessing treatment. They conveyed the need for therapists to build trust and demonstrate genuine care by advocating for them. They valued learning strategies to manage their symptoms and reported that to adopt these strategies, introspection and psychoeducation were necessary. Finally, they emphasized the importance of the treatment setting (e.g., outdoors versus in a traditional office setting). Findings indicate that it was arbitrary as to who helped the youth access treatment. Moreover, for youth to feel they benefitted from the treatment, certain features of the youth–therapist relationship and treatment content proved central. The findings are relevant for clinicians and policymakers within child welfare and youth's mental health services.