Abstract / Description of output
Young people raised in residential care settings are more vulnerable to poor mental health than peers in the general population. Resilience can protect mental health and promote recovery from adversity. The lack of a single clear conceptualisation of resilience reflects its complex, multifaceted nature, but create obstacles for measurement in this population. This review explored the conceptualisation, operationalisation and measurement of resilience in children and adolescents living in residential care settings. Databases were investigated up to November 2017 and fifteen studies were included. Among the resilience-related factors found, those promoting interpersonal relationships and development of a future focus and motivation were particularly noticeable. Overall, adolescents in residential care were reported as being more vulnerable and presenting more problems compared to peers. Higher levels of resilience were associated with better developmental outcomes. Recommendations are made to systematically include and evaluate resilience promoting design and interventions in residential care settings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 83-92 |
| Journal | Children and Youth Services Review |
| Volume | 89 |
| Early online date | 8 Apr 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 9 Apr 2018 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- looked after children
- systematic review
- residential care
- resilience
- vulnerability