Self‐Protection in Adolescents in Foster Care

Kools, Susan

doi:10.1111/j.1744-6171.1999.tb00063.x

Cited by 68 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The findings also support previous research regarding the presence of social stigmatisation (Kools, 1997;McMurray, et al, 2011;Vojak, 2009) and with Kools's (1999) findings that young people in foster care guard their foster care status to avoid further devaluation by others. The significance young people appeared to place on interactions with others emphasises the importance of interpersonal relationships and complements the more dynamic and transactional conceptualisations of identity development (Bosma and Kunnen, 2001;Gauntlett, 2007;McKinney, 2011).…”

Section: Extant Literaturesupporting

confidence: 90%

Feeling the same or feeling different? An analysis of the experiences of young people in foster care

Madigan

Quayle

Cossar

et al. 2013

Adoption & Fostering

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Various conceptualisations of identity development emphasise the internal world of adolescents while others place more emphasis on the social world. Previous findings highlight the impact of stigmatisation and how this may hinder positive identity development in adolescents in foster care; the significance of peer interactions has also been underlined. Anecdotal evidence suggests that young people in care do not want to be made to feel different from others but there appears to be an absence of empirical research confirming this. Interviews were carried out with nine 12-16-year-olds currently residing in foster care to explore their representations of 'feeling the same or feeling different'. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) guided how data were analysed and super-ordinate themes were identified. This article reports on one of these themes: difference. This is explored through four subordinate themes that relate to participants not wanting others to know they were in care, feeling alienated due to their foster care status, perceiving that others viewed them differently and, at times, noticing differences themselves. The dynamic nature of these experiences is emphasised and the findings are considered in relation to the extant literature. Practice and research implications are discussed.

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Section: Extant Literaturesupporting

confidence: 90%

Feeling the same or feeling different? An analysis of the experiences of young people in foster care

Madigan

Quayle

Cossar

et al. 2013

Adoption & Fostering

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show abstract

“…In response, many youth who are frequently moved become apathetic about their futures (Hyde and Kammerer 2009). This undermines their development of self-efficacy as was found in one study wherein it was noted that youth actively engaged in self-protection mechanisms including a lack of future planning (Kools 1999). Thus, the coping skills often developed by youth in foster care whose placements are unstable are those of isolation, hopelessness, and ambivalence.…”

Section: Placement Stability Among Youth In Foster Carementioning

confidence: 85%

“…Foster care youth and alumni have identified their instability as a major impediment to their willingness to form trusting relationships with others (Samuels 2008). They note the futility of forming relationships only to be moved and have those relationships broken (Kools 1999). Movement also perpetuates foster care stigma, because with each move, youth must again face the disclosure of their foster care status.…”

Section: Placement Stability Among Youth In Foster Carementioning

confidence: 98%

Placement Instability and Risky Behaviors of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care

Stott

2011

Child Adolesc Soc Work J

120

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Youth who age out of foster care are at risk of poor outcomes and risky behaviors in young adulthood. Yet, little is known about what child welfare workers can do to decrease these risks. The effect of foster care placement instability on substance use and risky sexual behaviors is examined using data from 114 young adults who aged out of care. When controlling for variables commonly associated with these behaviors, a history of foster care placement instability increased the young adults' likelihood to use substances. Child welfare practitioners could potentially reduce the vulnerability of this population by providing them greater stability during adolescence.Keywords Foster care youth Á Aging out Á Placement stability Á Substance use Á Risky sexual behaviors Á Foster care Á Young adult outcomes Youth who age out of foster care are at an elevated risk of negative outcomes in young adulthood. Risky sexual behaviors and substance use are among the risk behaviors to which this population is susceptible and engagement in these risk behaviors can create pathways to further vulnerabilities. While there is a collection of research regarding these risk behaviors among adolescents and young adults in the general population, there is little evidenced-based knowledge as to the unique factors that increase foster care youths' susceptibility to these behaviors in their transition to young adulthood. This study examines the role of placement instability while in foster care as one factor that could contribute to young adult risky behaviors.

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“…She identified identity development as a main theme across the interviews, observations, and record reviews. Kools (1999) found that foster care was found to have a negative impact on identity development due to stigmatization and devaluation of self and protection of self due to foster care status. She writes "early and persistent experiences of stigmatization in response to foster care status affects self-definition and identity" (Kools 1997, p. 269).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 97%

Understanding Identity Development and Spirituality in African American Female Adolescents through Their Foster Care Experience

Daughtery

2011

J Afr Am St

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A qualitative research study was conducted to understand the meaning and experience of foster care and identity development for African American females who had been in foster care during adolescence. The study was designed to maximize the common epistemological traditions of social work and the African American experience, and integrate knowledge from the arenas of practice wisdom, the discipline of social work, and the knowledge of adult African American women who have experienced the phenomenon. An unexpected finding of the research was that many of the women, unsolicited, expressed a belief in the importance of spirituality to their understanding and acceptance of what had happened to them during and after the foster care experience. The phenomenon is examined through three themes including a stated belief in God, the frequent use of the language of spirituality, and evidence of participation in religious activity.

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Self‐Protection in Adolescents in Foster Care

Abstract: Strategies are suggested to address devaluing experiences and promote positive identity development in foster care.

Cited by 68 publications

References 13 publications

Feeling the same or feeling different? An analysis of the experiences of young people in foster care

Feeling the same or feeling different? An analysis of the experiences of young people in foster care

Placement Instability and Risky Behaviors of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care

Understanding Identity Development and Spirituality in African American Female Adolescents through Their Foster Care Experience

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