Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Leean Stadtlander

Abstract

Much has been learned about how the shelter-in-place (SIP) orders imposed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected children socially and emotionally. However, less was known about how the youths in foster care settings experienced visitation with their approved visitors because of the shelter-in-place order. In this phenomenological study, the lived experiences of 10 foster youths between the ages of 16 and 18 years during the COVID-19 SIP were explored using semi structured interviews. The theory that grounded this study was Ainsworth and Bowlby's attachment theory. Evernote was used to guide, store, observe, and record the data in one secure location by labeling, capturing notes using the scanner tool, and creating a PDF format for the research. All interviews were then transferred to NVivo to be transcribed. This qualitative research was an inductive and comparative process in which code categories were used to achieve successful coding to prepare the results. NVivo was used to complete a full review of any coded data missed while hand-coding. Findings indicated experiences with visitation during the COVID-19 SIP order with approved visitors resulted in a decrease in attachment. Foster youths felt a lack of consistency, frequency, confidentiality, privacy, and changes in visitation methods, created barriers to the affection and attachment they felt toward their family, friends, and approved visitors. The results of this study can aid foster youths, foster parents, group homes, government individuals, and family members in understanding how the shelter-in-place order and other forms of interference affect attachment and bonding between foster youths and their loved ones, leading to positive social change.

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