Abstract
Amongst Aawambo families in Namibia, the practice of fosterage (i.e., a system whereby a child is raised by family or non-biological relations rather than their biological parents) remains a culturally consistent practice. Scholars have endeavored to understand the implications of this and similar parenting practices in and outside of Namibia, with evidence showing both potential positive and negative outcomes of fosterage for the children who experience this system. What has yet to be studied is the within-culture comparison of those who experience fosterage and those who do not as a correlate of adult psychological distress. These practices span regions of Namibia, with migration from rural to urban regions also interwoven into Aawambo familial structures and parental care. To better understand fosterage and psychological outcomes, the purpose of this study was to compare mental health of Aawambo adults who did and did not experience fosterage as children and live in a rural or urban area of the country at time of data collection. We found no differences in psychological distress by fosterage but did by region, with those in the urban area showing more distress. We discuss these findings with respect to the evolved nest concept of childcare and its implications for functioning in adulthood.