Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Social Work
Advisor
Alice Yick
Abstract
Child welfare system involvement leads to foster care more for racial minority children than White children, and after exiting foster care racial minority alumni face disparate outcomes. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the effects of trauma experienced in foster care on racial minority foster care alumni’s mental health in adulthood. Trauma theory and information processing theory provided the frameworks for the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with eight racial minority foster care alumni age 18 and older. Findings from coding analysis indicated three themes and two subthemes. The adult mental health effects of the trauma experienced in foster care included severed relationships caused by foster care placement continuing, unintended behavioral consequences, and declined mental health treatment. Additional outcomes were alumni viewed foster care as challenging but lifesaving, and they suffered from poor sleep and anxiety. Findings may provide firsthand information regarding the effects of social work policies and practices that impact alumni outcomes, and may encourage those working with this population to prioritize family and supportive relationships and trauma healing.
Recommended Citation
Green, Adrian W., "Effects of Foster Care Trauma on Foster Care Alumni’s Mental Health in Adulthood" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12373.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12373
