Date of Conferral

2-27-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Human Services

Advisor

Jeffrey Harlow

Abstract

The transition from adolescence to early adulthood presents many unique challenges, particularly for individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. This study was conducted to explore how young adults (ages 18–30) who experienced socioeconomic hardship during their youth experience and apply the socioemotional skill of resilience as young adults. Data were collected through virtual interviews with 11 participants who were between the ages of 18 and 30, who were from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background and had participated in a social and emotional learning (SEL) program as a youth. Collected data were analyzed and themes emerged from this analysis. Despite facing systemic barriers, trauma, and limited resources, these youth demonstrate remarkable adaptive strategies, leveraging personal strengths, familial bonds, and peer networks to navigate adversity. Participants described how early exposure to socioeconomic hardship required adaptive coping strategies. Supportive relationships with family, mentors, and community members played a critical role in fostering resilience, while SEL programs provided practical tools for emotional regulation, decision making, and interpersonal communication. This generic qualitative study confirms the importance of community and environmental factors in resilience development and contributes to the broader discourse on resilience. The study highlights the need for community-focused SEL interventions tailored to the specific needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged youth to better address the nuances of their environmental experiences while, offering safe spaces, mentorship, and skill-building opportunities, which can lead to positive social change.

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