The Relationship between Sense of Belonging and Well-Being Outcomes in Emerging Adults with Care Experience

Amanda Hiles Howard (), Getrude Dadirai Gwenzi, Lindsey Newsom, Belay T. Gebru and Nicole Gilbertson Wilke
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Amanda Hiles Howard: Department of Psychology, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Dr., Homewood, AL 35229, USA
Getrude Dadirai Gwenzi: Department of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe, 630 Churchill Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe
Lindsey Newsom: Department of Psychology, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Dr., Homewood, AL 35229, USA
Belay T. Gebru: Hope for the Fatherless, 558 Castle Pines Parkway, Castle Pines, CO 80108, USA
Nicole Gilbertson Wilke: CAFO Center on Applied Research for Vulnerable Children and Families, 505 Los Arces Monteflor II Cayma, Arequipa, Peru

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 13, 1-12

Abstract: Robust social resources that lead to a healthy sense of belonging are imperative during emerging adulthood. However, young adults with alternative care experience, such as residential or foster care, often lack the social resources necessary to transition to adulthood successfully. Though some research has examined the importance of social resources in this population, less is known about a sense of belonging, which is associated with these social resources. The current study examined the association between care experience, belonging, and well-being outcomes among emerging adults (n = 703) who were separated from their biological parents during care and received alternative care in 16 nations. The presence of belonging was associated with type of alternative care, age at separation, and reason for separation. There was also an association between belonging and well-being outcomes, including homelessness and suicidal ideation. Adults lacking a sense of belonging reported higher rates of homelessness and suicidal ideation, lower life satisfaction, and lower resilience. The study has global implications for enhancing social support for emerging adults with care experience in order to facilitate a sense of belonging as a social resource.

Keywords: belonging; care leavers; alternative care; social resources; emerging adulthood (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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