The power of connectedness: Associations between caring non-parental adult relationships, school attendance, and discipline among foster-involved youth

Brittani A. Lamb; Knoo Lee; Sarah M. Espinoza; Barbara J. McMorris

doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106633

The power of connectedness: Associations between caring non-parental adult relationships, school attendance, and discipline among foster-involved youth

Brittani A. Lamb, Knoo Lee, Sarah M. Espinoza, Barbara J. McMorris

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Relationships with caring adults are protective for adolescents. However, little is known about the impacts of caring adults for youth who have experienced disruptions in caregiving due to involvement in the foster care system, especially with regard to their school outcomes. We analyzed cross-sectional data from foster-involved youth (5th, 8th, 9th, & 11th graders, N = 4,629) who responded to the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether perceptions of caring in relationships with non-parental adult relatives, teachers/school staff, and adults in the community were associated with students’ absences and instances of being sent out of class for disciplinary reasons in the last 30 days. Significant, protective bivariate associations were noted between students’ perceptions of how much non-parental adult relatives in their lives care about them and their instances of school absences and exclusionary discipline (p <.05). Chi-square tests also revealed that high perceptions of caring in relationships with teachers and school staff were associated with fewer absences. Relationships with other adults in the community were not significantly associated with absences or discipline. In multivariate logistic regression analyses (controlling for sex, race and ethnicity, and grade), only associations between non-parental adult relative caring and absences (p =.01) and between non-parental adult relative caring and exclusionary discipline (p <.001) remained significant. Relationships with caring non-parental adults are important for youth involved in foster care and support school attendance and behavior. Families, schools, and foster care systems should prioritize youths’ connections with relatives and school staff to support their educational experiences.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	106633
Journal	Children and Youth Services Review
Volume	142
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106633
State	Published - Nov 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research is supported by funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (T71MC00006-40–00; Sieving, PI). Sarah Espinoza was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under National Research Service Award in Primary Medical Care grant number T32HP22239 (PI: Borowsky), Bureau of Health Workforce. The information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Caring adults
Foster care
Non-parental adult relatives
School attendance
School discipline

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "The power of connectedness: Associations between caring non-parental adult relationships, school attendance, and discipline among foster-involved youth",

abstract = "Relationships with caring adults are protective for adolescents. However, little is known about the impacts of caring adults for youth who have experienced disruptions in caregiving due to involvement in the foster care system, especially with regard to their school outcomes. We analyzed cross-sectional data from foster-involved youth (5th, 8th, 9th, & 11th graders, N = 4,629) who responded to the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether perceptions of caring in relationships with non-parental adult relatives, teachers/school staff, and adults in the community were associated with students{\textquoteright} absences and instances of being sent out of class for disciplinary reasons in the last 30 days. Significant, protective bivariate associations were noted between students{\textquoteright} perceptions of how much non-parental adult relatives in their lives care about them and their instances of school absences and exclusionary discipline (p <.05). Chi-square tests also revealed that high perceptions of caring in relationships with teachers and school staff were associated with fewer absences. Relationships with other adults in the community were not significantly associated with absences or discipline. In multivariate logistic regression analyses (controlling for sex, race and ethnicity, and grade), only associations between non-parental adult relative caring and absences (p =.01) and between non-parental adult relative caring and exclusionary discipline (p <.001) remained significant. Relationships with caring non-parental adults are important for youth involved in foster care and support school attendance and behavior. Families, schools, and foster care systems should prioritize youths{\textquoteright} connections with relatives and school staff to support their educational experiences.",

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note = "Funding Information: This research is supported by funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (T71MC00006-40–00; Sieving, PI). Sarah Espinoza was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under National Research Service Award in Primary Medical Care grant number T32HP22239 (PI: Borowsky), Bureau of Health Workforce. The information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier Ltd",

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N1 - Funding Information: This research is supported by funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (T71MC00006-40–00; Sieving, PI). Sarah Espinoza was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under National Research Service Award in Primary Medical Care grant number T32HP22239 (PI: Borowsky), Bureau of Health Workforce. The information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

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The power of connectedness: Associations between caring non-parental adult relationships, school attendance, and discipline among foster-involved youth

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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