Better Futures: a Randomized Field Test of a Model for Supporting Young People in Foster Care with Mental Health Challenges to Participate in Higher Education

The purpose of the study was to conduct a preliminary efficacy evaluation of the Better Futures model, which is focused on improving the postsecondary preparation and participation of youth in foster care with mental health challenges. Sixty-seven youth were randomized to either a control group that...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of behavioral health services & research 2015-04, Vol.42 (2), p.150-171
Main Authors: Geenen, Sarah, Powers, Laurie E., Phillips, Lee Ann, Nelson, May, McKenna, Jessica, Winges-Yanez, Nichole, Blanchette, Linda, Croskey, Adrienne, Dalton, Lawrence D., Salazar, Amy, Swank, Paul
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Colleges and universities
Community and Environmental Psychology
Community colleges
Consortia
Disability
Education
Female
Foster care
Foster Home Care
Graduation rate
Health Informatics
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Health Psychology
Health services
High schools
Higher education
Humans
Imprisonment
Intervention
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental disorders
Mental Disorders - psychology
Mental Disorders - rehabilitation
Mental Health
Mental health care
Participation
Population
Power (Psychology)
Program Evaluation - methods
Psychiatry
Public Health
Public schools
Quality of Life
Secondary schools
Social Support
Success
Training
Young adults
Youth
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The purpose of the study was to conduct a preliminary efficacy evaluation of the Better Futures model, which is focused on improving the postsecondary preparation and participation of youth in foster care with mental health challenges. Sixty-seven youth were randomized to either a control group that received typical services or an intervention group, which involved participation in a Summer Institute, individual peer coaching, and mentoring workshops. Findings indicate significant gains for the intervention group on measures of postsecondary participation, postsecondary and transition preparation, hope, self-determination, and mental health empowerment, as compared to the control group. Youth in the intervention group also showed positive trends in the areas of mental health recovery, quality of life, and high school completion. Implications for future research and practice are discussed, while emphasizing the capacities of youth in foster care with mental health conditions to successfully prepare for and participate fully in high education.
ISSN:1094-3412
1556-3308
DOI:10.1007/s11414-014-9451-6