activity for preschoolers with low morning cortisol levels and small decreases in daytime diurnal cortisol. Following a six-month period, preschoolers receiving the foster care intervention demonstrated increases in morning cortisol levels, resulting in a more typical decrease in cortisol over the day. This did not occur for those in the regular foster care condition (Fisher et al., 2007). What remains unclear, however, is how these impacts are mediated and exactly what type of parenting behavior is best. Because children experiencing early adverse care often confront their caregivers with disordered attachment behaviors and disruptive behavior problems, these children may need parenting that “gently challenges” them by providing the nurturance the child needs but does not demand (Dozier, 2003). However, intervention efforts can occur within any of the model components and perhaps may need to occur at multiple levels (i.e. level of behavioral problems and level of caregiving) in order to be most effective. It is possible that behavior problems may need to be brought under control before warm and supportive parent-child relationships can develop. The foster care intervention program, for example, provides evidence that focusing on training parents to manage behavior problems in a non-hostile, consistent, and effective manner also increases
