Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Social Work

Advisor

Curtis Davis

Abstract

Emancipated foster youth continue to experience fewer positive outcomes after foster care despite the changes in legislation and the implementation of additional transitional living programs and supports such independent living programs. This quantitative research study followed a non-experimental, secondary data analysis to examine how independent living programs impact the outcomes for African American young women who have transitioned out of the foster care system compared to their Caucasian young women peers at age 17 and age 21. The exploratory study used data from the Children’s Bureau National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Cohort 2. A cross-section comparison analysis was conducted through Wave 1 and Wave 3 quantitative data comparing African American and Caucasian young women. An independent t test analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the predictor variables as educational attainment, financial self-sufficiency, employment readiness, and high-risk factors as measured by the NYTD. Findings rejected the null hypothesis that stated that at age 17 outcomes for educational attainment and financial self-sufficiency were statistically significant for African American young women compared to Caucasian young women aging out of foster care. The study found no statistically significant race differences for financial self-sufficiency and high-risk factors between African American and Caucasian young women at age 21 (p = 0.25) as measured by the NYTD. Results provide insight into environmental indicators in the context of foster youth transition into adulthood for African American young women. Findings may be used by administrators to help young women leaving the foster care system.

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