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Cited by 16Child Welfare and AdoptionHomelessness and Social IssuesSocial Work Education and Practice

Assessing the Help-Seeking Behaviors of Foster Care Alumni within their Own Social Networks

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Seita, John, Day, Angelique, Carrellas, Ann, Pugh, Greg L.·2016·Journal of Sociology and Social Work
DOI 10.15640/jssw.v4n2a1
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Abstract

This study utilizes survey data to assess the social network orientation of 66 foster care youth and alumni.Specifically, it measures the perceptions of foster care alumni concerning the efficacy of seeking help from their support system.Correlation analysis revealed that longer lengths of stays in foster care, higher numbers of placements, and a lack of permanency arrangement were all associated with being less likely to ask for and accept assistance from those in their social networks.Multivariate analysis indicates that the number of placements while in care was the only significant predictor of social network orientation.Implications for policy and practice include increased efforts by state agencies to maintain permanent and stable relationships in the lives of older youth as they transition from care and ensuring that the first placement is the best fit when out-ofhome placements are suggested.

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  • Youth in foster care are more likely to report support-seeking efforts to be inadvisable, risky, or useless, especially following the experience of multiple placements.

    “For example, youth in foster care are more likely to report support-seeking efforts to be inadvisable, risky, or useless, especially following the experience of multiple placements (Seita et al., 2016).”

    From Intervention development to improve foster youth mental health by targeting coping self-efficacy and help-seeking (2023) · cites this paper as Seita et al., 2016

    The Measures section defines negative network orientation as viewing help-seeking as inadvisable, useless, or risky, and the Results section links more placements to higher scores on that measure. But the Discussion says only that this orientation *may* be a larger issue for foster youth than for other populations; the Limitations section cautions that the small convenience sample cannot be generalized to all foster care youth. The claim states that broader comparison more firmly than the paper does. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Youth in foster care face unique psychosocial barriers to formal and informal help-seeking behaviors as an adaptive coping mechanism.

    “Youth in foster care also face unique psychosocial barriers to formal and informal help-seeking behaviors as an adaptive coping mechanism.”

    From Intervention development to improve foster youth mental health by targeting coping self-efficacy and help-seeking (2023) · cites this paper as Seita et al., 2016

    The Discussion (section 6; page unavailable) links placement instability, a distinctive foster-care experience, to difficulty seeking and accepting support. Section 2 says social network orientation affects help-seeking from both informal networks and professional providers, but the study examines foster youth and alumni seeking help within their own social networks. It does not establish barriers to both formal and informal help-seeking for this population or specifically characterize help-seeking as an adaptive coping mechanism. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Seita, J., Day, A., Carrellas, A., & Pugh, G. L.
ORCID
Day, Angelique
Venue
Journal of Sociology and Social Work
Publisher
The Brooklyn Research and Publishing Institute
Published
2016
Volume
4
Issue
2
ISSN
  • 2333-5807 (ISSN-L)
  • 2333-5815
DOI
10.15640/jssw.v4n2a1
OpenAlex
W2611475838
Cited by
16
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2018: 2
FWCI
1.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
Journal of Sociology and Social Work (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Homelessness and Social Issues
  • Social Sciences › Public Administration › Social Work Education and Practice
Keywords
help-seeking, foster care alumni, foster care, social networks, social support

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