Multidimensional resilience among former foster youth in postsecondary education

Research indicates that the majority of youth aging out of foster care, or former foster youth, aspire to earn a college degree, yet various studies demonstrate that only between 9.9 percent and 12 percent do so. In addition, to former foster youth are also significantly less likely to be currently enrolled in higher education compared to young people in the general population. One recent study found that among a sample of former foster youth who were enrolled in higher education, they were significantly less likely to be enrolled as full-time students or to attend a 4-year institution compared to young people in the general population. Recent research also suggests that former foster youth less likely to persist in 2- or 4-year colleges compared to low-income first-generation college students. These findings suggest that many former foster youth will encounter barriers and challenges that go beyond those faced by groups deemed to be at risk of dropping out of college.A large body of research describes risk factors associated with poor post-secondary education outcomes among youth aging out of care, including histories of child maltreatment and placement, and school instability while in foster care. At the same time, there is a growing body of research on the promotive factors associated with post-secondary educational success among former foster youth, including personal characteristics and assets, interpersonal relationships, and institutional supports designed for current and former foster youth. Pursuing a higher education is one path to break the cycle of poverty among former foster youth. Extensive research points to the positive effects of a college education in the general population and recent research among former foster youth suggests a link between education levels, employment, and yearly earnings. The growing evidence on factors associated with positive postsecondary outcomes among former foster youth and the benefits of a college education has shifted the common narrative of vulnerability and risk among foster youth to one of strength and resilience. The study of the important construct of resilience among foster youth has grown rapidly in the last two decades, but not without conceptual and measurement challenges. Nonetheless, investigation of within-group differences of resilience among former foster youth in postsecondary education, particularly in the state of California, is warranted and may provide a more nuanced understanding of their strengths and needs in the context of higher education. Importantly, the study of resilience among former foster youth in higher education may shape the growing number of campus-based programs at California colleges and universities specifically designed to provide former foster youth with academic support, year-round housing opportunities, priority registration, and scholarship opportunities. This study conducted primary data analysis with 221 young people who reported being a former foster youth and who reported attending one of the participating University of California (UC) or California State University campuses (CSU) as an undergraduate student between April 2021 and September 2021. This quantitative exploratory study examined multidimensional resilience among former foster youth enrolled at these universities utilizing systems theory and the four main principles of resilience science. A person-centered analysis was conducted to: 1) elucidate distinct profiles of former foster youth in higher education and their resilience; and 2) examine if and how demographic characteristics, early foster care experiences, and emerging adulthood experiences are associated with profile membership among young people. This study revealed four distinct profiles of resilience among a sample of former foster youth in postsecondary education: Emerging Student profile; Thriving Student profile; Externally Integrated Student profile; and Well-Rounded Student profile. Youth in the Emerging Student profile, which comprised 41.73% of the sample, were low resourced in their postsecondary educational journey and demonstrated the least resilience compared to youth in other profiles. Youth in the Thriving Student profile, which comprised 23.3% of the sample, were highly resourced in their postsecondary educational journey and demonstrated the most resilience compared to youth in other profiles. Youth in the Externally Integrated Student profile, which comprised 19.63% of the sample, were moderately resourced in their postsecondary educational journey and demonstrated characteristically high interpersonal resilience. Youth in the Well-Rounded Student profile, which comprised 15.34% of the sample, were moderately resourced in their postsecondary educational journey, and unique to youth in other profiles, demonstrated uniform resilience across all domains of resilience. Auxiliary variable analyses revealed that select demographic and emerging adulthood variables were associated with at least one of the four resilience profiles. Youth in the Emerging Student profile were distinct from youth in other profiles based on a number of factors. Compared to youth in other profiles, youth in the Emerging Student profile were more likely to be younger; to be a community college transfer student; to be enrolled in a CSU campus; to report having a disability; and to report having experienced homelessness in the last 6 months. Auxiliary variable analyses revealed that youth in the Thriving Student profile were particularly distinct from youth in the Emerging Student profile. Compared to youth in the Emerging Student profile, youth in the Thriving Student profile were more likely to be older; less likely to have a disability; less likely to report experiencing homelessness in the last 6 months; and they were more likely to be enrolled in a UC campus. Auxiliary variable analyses revealed that youth in the Externally Integrated Student profile were unique from their peers in two other profiles. First, compared to youth in the Well-Rounded Student profile, youth in the Externally Integrated Student profile were more likely to be younger. Second, compared to youth in the Emerging Student profile, youth in the Externally Integrated Student profile were less likely to experience homelessness in the last 6 months; and were more likely to be enrolled in a UC campus. Auxiliary variable analysis revealed that youth in the Well-Rounded Student profile were unique from their peers in all other profiles. First, compared to youth in the Emerging Student profile, youth in the Well-Rounded Student profile were more likely to be older; were less likely to experience homelessness in the last 6 months; were less likely to be community college transfer students; and were more likely to be enrolled in a CSU campus. Second, compared to youth in the Externally Integrated Student profile, youth in the Well-Rounded Student profile were more likely to be older; and were more likely to be enrolled in a CSU campus. Third, compared to youth in the Thriving Student profile, youth in the Well-Rounded Student profile were less likely to be community college transfer students; and were more likely to be enrolled in a CSU campus. This investigation builds on previous resilience research that demonstrates heterogeneity among adversity-exposed individuals, and particularly among former foster youth in their transition to adulthood. My investigation adds to the dearth of resilience research on single indicator outcomes and provides valuable insight into the multidimensional functioning among former foster youth participating in higher education. Additionally, profiles generated in this study demonstrated to be distinct from one another based upon select demographic characteristics and emerging adulthood experiences. Early foster care experiences, to the extent that they were measured in this study were not associated with unique student profiles. While recent state-level and federal-level actions have allowed California Community Colleges (CCCs), CSUs, and UCs to redouble their efforts to address educational disparities among former foster youth, as well as tackle the growing issue of homelessness and food scarcity in their entire student population, bridges will need to continue to be built between campus- and community-level resources and programs in efforts to mitigate the postsecondary educational disparities consistently evidenced among former foster youth. Finally, findings from this investigation may offer student support practitioners, particularly those specialized in working with foster youth, recommendations on how to further engage former foster youth in campus student support services and community resources. Altogether, this dissertation points to the undeniable resilience among foster youth in college.

Advisor: Duerr Berrick, Jill