The Measure and Meaning of Trust in the Lives of Foster Youth

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Illuminating Adult/Child, Teacher/Learner Relationships Through Critical Mixed and Quant Methodologies (Table 24)

Abstract

Trust and trusting relationships are related to improved transition outcomes for youth in foster care. This study identified the level of trust in social institutions/systems of 54 high school youth in foster care. We used a Rasch rating scale model to identify item statistics for the Trust survey (ESS, 2013) and report items with high and low levels of agreement. Using a group comparison, we also examined differences based on race, special education status and gender. We found that race, gender, and special education status in combination was related to lower levels of trust for Black male youth served in special education. We discuss the facilitators of and barriers to trust for youth with intersectional social identities in foster care.

Authors

• Wendy Morrison-Cavendish, University of Miami

• Nastasia Schreiner, University of Miami

• Kele Marcia Stewart, University of Miami