Michael Foster has examined, in Demography of Disadvantage, the nature and consequences of a variety of childhood disadvantages, including growing up in a poor neighborhood and a single-parent family. Of particular interest are the effects of these disadvantages on the eventual education and emotional development of children who experience them. Dr. Foster also has examined the effect of choices made during adolescence (such as employment and childbearing during the teenage years) and the role these choices play in perpetuating disadvantage.

Evaluation of Interventions and Services for Children and Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: This research involves the evaluation of treatments for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems. This includes research on specialty mental health services as well as interventions targeted to children with such problems. Of particular interest is the role of family factors as determinants of the need for and use of mental health services and as moderators of treatment/intervention effectiveness. This work also involves a series of benefit-cost analyses being planned or conducted across the country.