Publication Date
4-6-2022
Document Type
Article
Organizational Units
Graduate School of Social Work
Keywords
Adolescent, Young adult, Foster care, Social support, Relationships, Mental health, Wellbeing, Life satisfaction
Abstract
Young adults with a history of out-of-home care report poorer mental health and life satisfaction compared to non-care-experienced peers. Social support is a known protective factor for mental health. There is limited evidence, however, on the relationship between sources (e.g., family members) and types (e.g., information) of social support and mental health symptoms and life satisfaction in this population. Reporting cross-sectional survey data from 215 young adults aged 18–22 years with a history of out-of-home care, the current study conducted descriptive, bivariate, and linear regression analysis to examine the different sources and types of support young adults receive and their relation to mental health symptoms and life satisfaction. Participants had high levels of support from family members, friends, and other adults. Most participants had informational support, but less than half had consistent material support. Regression analyses demonstrated that having enough informational and material support were associated with fewer mental health symptoms. Having family support and material support were associated with greater life satisfaction. Further longitudinal research is needed to understand the trajectory between social supports and mental health functioning and life satisfaction
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Rights Holder
Rhiannon Evans, Colleen C. Katz, Anthony Fulginiti, Heather N. Taussig
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
12 pgs
File Size
333 KB
Publication Statement
This article was originally published as:
Evans, R., Katz, C.C., Fulginiti, A., & Taussig, H. (2022). Sources and types of social supports and their association with mental health symptoms and life satisfaction among young adults with a history of out-of-home care. Children, 9(4), 520. doi: 10.3390/children9040520
Publication Title
Children
Volume
9
First Page
1
Last Page
12
ISSN
2227-9067
Recommended Citation
Evans, Rhiannon; Katz, Colleen C.; Fulginiti, Anthony; and Taussig, Heather N., "Sources and Types of Social Supports and Their Association with Mental Health Symptoms and Life Satisfaction among Young Adults with a History of Out-of-Home Care" (2022). Graduate School of Social Work: Faculty Scholarship. 162.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/gssw_facultyscholarship/162
https://doi.org/10.3390/children9040520
DOI Link
https://doi.org/10.3390/children9040520
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Social Work Commons