Foster children are at risk for developing problems in social-emotional functioning: A follow-up study at 8 years of age

•Foster children are at risk for developing problems in social-emotional functioning.•Mean scores of foster children’s problem behavior were in the normal range.•More foster children had externalizing scores in the borderline/clinical range.•Externalizing behavior at age 2 and 3 years predicted such behavior at age 8 years.