Foster youths’ transition into adulthood and postsecondary education: Risk and protective factors

Citation

Dumais, Susan A. & Spence, Naomi J. (2018). Foster youths' transition into adulthood and postsecondary education: Risk and protective factors. Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America. Denver, CO.

Abstract

This paper examines risk and protective factors from adolescence into young adulthood that influence college enrollment among foster youth. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), which have been underutilized for the study of foster youth. Preliminary analyses indicate significant differences between foster care alumni and those without foster care experience in exposure to risk factors but few differences in protective factors. Protective factors do not appear to reduce the effects of risk factors on college enrollment, and taking both risk and protective factors into account, foster care alumni still have lower odds of attending college than non-foster youth. In planned analyses, we will apply a holistic, life history framework, creating typologies of youth based on the presence of risk and protective factors and comparing postsecondary enrollment for foster youth with youth of similar backgrounds who have not experienced foster care.

URL

https://paa.confex.com/paa/2018/webprogrampreliminary/Paper23909.html

Keyword(s)

foster care education postsecondary education risk

Reference Type

Conference proceeding

Book Title

Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America

Series Title

Children and youth

Author(s)

Dumais, Susan A.
Spence, Naomi J.

Year Published

2018

City of Publication

Denver, CO

Reference ID

8317