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17-06-2018 | Original Paper

Relational Permanence and Psychological well-being among African American Adolescents in Foster Care

Auteurs: Abigail Williams-Butler, Joseph P. Ryan, Vonnie C. McLoyd, John E. Schulenberg, Pamela E. Davis-Kean

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Child and Family Studies | Uitgave 10/2018

Abstract

The field of child welfare has historically focused on physical safety and legal permanency with little emphasis on child well-being or the importance of social relationships in positive youth development. We add to the literature regarding child well-being among African American adolescents in care—a group that is overrepresented within the foster care system. Specific attention is given to relational permanence—the concept of continuous supportive relationships marked by mutual trust and respect. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the prevalence of relational permanence and the change of relational permanence over time. Regression analyses were used to explain the variation associated with relational permanence and to investigate whether relational permanence predicts psychological well-being. The findings indicate that relational permanence varies at the start of foster care for African American adolescents. Yet, relational permanence did not significantly change over time. Maltreatment type had the largest influence on predicting the attainment of relational permanence over time (p < 0.05). Relational permanence was positively correlated with higher psychological well-being (p < 0.05). An increase in relational permanence over time also significantly predicted higher psychological well-being over time (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that social support from a variety of different sources aid youth in staying mentally healthy despite major disruptions in support from biological parents. These findings support the importance of developing a wide variety of social support networks to improve positive developmental outcomes among African American adolescents in foster care.

vorige artikel Impact of Maternal Support and Involvement on Coping in Adolescent Males of Color

volgende artikel Children’s Thinking about HIV/AIDS Causality, Prevention, and Social Interaction

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Titel: Relational Permanence and Psychological well-being among African American Adolescents in Foster Care
Auteurs: Abigail Williams-Butler
Joseph P. Ryan
Vonnie C. McLoyd
John E. Schulenberg
Pamela E. Davis-Kean
Publicatiedatum: 17-06-2018
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Child and Family Studies / Uitgave 10/2018
Print ISSN: 1062-1024
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2843
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1155-8

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