Sponsor
This research study is funded through the Pathways Research and Training Center, sponsored by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) and the Center for Mental Health Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (NIDILRR grant number 90RT5030). Preparation of this article was supported in part by funding from the National Institutes of Health Award Number UL1GM118964 and TL4GM118965, administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Published In
Children and Youth Services Review
Document Type
Post-Print
Publication Date
7-2020
Subjects
Foster children -- Mental health, Mentally ill children -- Foster home care, Crisis intervention (Mental health services), Higher education -- United States
Abstract
Young adults with foster care histories experience unique barriers to success in postsecondary academic settings, including higher rates of mental health challenges. This study reports the perspectives of college students with foster care histories and self-identified mental health concerns (N = 18) about how these factors relate to their post-secondary academic experiences. Study participants describe managing their mental health amid other academic and life stressors, share their perspectives on campus-based support and help-seeking experiences, and highlight the need for acknowledgement of their foster care identities in conjunction with their developing college student identities. Participants make a case for programming to help with managing challenges related to overwhelming emotions in response to compounding stressors, balancing self-reliance with help-seeking when needed, and developing interpersonal relationships that reduce feelings of otherness in the campus context. Recommendations for improving student experiences include mental health services provided by people familiar with the lived experience of foster care, access to foster student-specific programs providing social, emotional, and academic support, and campus-wide efforts improve the conditions for academic success in the face of difficult personal histories and elevated mental health challenges.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104992
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/33118
Citation Details
Published as: Miller, R., Blakeslee, J., & Ison, C. (2020). Exploring college student identity among young people with foster care histories and mental health challenges. Children and Youth Services Review, 104992.
Description
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.