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• 31. [Article] Addressing the Needs of Nicaraguan Older Adults Living on the Edge: A University-community Partnership in International Service-learning

  Nicaragua is a very low-income country entering a period of rapid aging with limited geriatric training for health care professionals. To help build capacity and to enhance student learning, a short-term ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Addressing the Needs of Nicaraguan Older Adults Living on the Edge: A University-community Partnership in International Service-learning Author: Neal, Margaret, Cannon, Melissa, DeLaTorre, Alan, Bolkan, Cory R., Wernher, Iris, Nolan, Elisabeth, Lopez Norori, Milton, Largaespada-Fredersdorff, Carmen, Brown Wilson, Keren Year: 2016 Nicaragua is a very low-income country entering a period of rapid aging with limited geriatric training for health care professionals. To help build capacity and to enhance student learning, a short-term international service-learning program was implemented in 2004 in partnership with the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation and Nicaraguan community stakeholders. Graduate and undergraduate students at Portland State University complete coursework for one term in the United States then travel to Nicaragua for about two weeks to participate in educational, research, and service activities, primarily in group homes for older Nicaraguans. Students learn about global aging, gerontology, community development, service learning, and Nicaraguan history and culture, then apply their gerontology-related knowledge by training direct care staff, older adults and their family members, and students. The authors describe the impetus for and evolution of the program, students’ evaluation of the program, faculty observations on program benefits and challenges, lessons learned, and future plans. Title: Addressing the Needs of Nicaraguan Older Adults Living on the Edge: A University-community Partnership in International Service-learning Author: Neal, Margaret, Cannon, Melissa, DeLaTorre, Alan, Bolkan, Cory R., Wernher, Iris, Nolan, Elisabeth, Lopez Norori, Milton, Largaespada-Fredersdorff, Carmen, Brown Wilson, Keren Year: 2016 Nicaragua is a very low-income country entering a period of rapid aging with limited geriatric training for health care professionals. To help build capacity and to enhance student learning, a short-term international service-learning program was implemented in 2004 in partnership with the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation and Nicaraguan community stakeholders. Graduate and undergraduate students at Portland State University complete coursework for one term in the United States then travel to Nicaragua for about two weeks to participate in educational, research, and service activities, primarily in group homes for older Nicaraguans. Students learn about global aging, gerontology, community development, service learning, and Nicaraguan history and culture, then apply their gerontology-related knowledge by training direct care staff, older adults and their family members, and students. The authors describe the impetus for and evolution of the program, students’ evaluation of the program, faculty observations on program benefits and challenges, lessons learned, and future plans. Close

• 32. [Article] Consumer Satisfaction with Aging & Disability Resource Connection of Oregon: Round 4

  The report describes the fourth round of consumer satisfaction surveys that were conducted with people who had been in contact with the Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Call Center or received ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Consumer Satisfaction with Aging & Disability Resource Connection of Oregon: Round 4 Author: White, Diana, Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy Year: 2015 The report describes the fourth round of consumer satisfaction surveys that were conducted with people who had been in contact with the Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Call Center or received Options Counseling (OC) services of Aging and Disabilities Resource Connection (ADRC) of Oregon. Data for this survey were collected in November 2014. This Executive Report summarizes and presents data on overall satisfaction, conclusions, and recommendations for the ADRC program. Title: Consumer Satisfaction with Aging & Disability Resource Connection of Oregon: Round 4 Author: White, Diana, Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy Year: 2015 The report describes the fourth round of consumer satisfaction surveys that were conducted with people who had been in contact with the Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Call Center or received Options Counseling (OC) services of Aging and Disabilities Resource Connection (ADRC) of Oregon. Data for this survey were collected in November 2014. This Executive Report summarizes and presents data on overall satisfaction, conclusions, and recommendations for the ADRC program. Close

• 33. [Article] Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are: A Content Analysis of Homeless Transgender Youth in Social Service Literature

  Homeless, transgender youth are underrepresented in research studies in the United States and over-represented among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) transitional-age (16 – 24) ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are: A Content Analysis of Homeless Transgender Youth in Social Service Literature Author: Crossley, Shannon Year: 2015 Homeless, transgender youth are underrepresented in research studies in the United States and over-represented among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) transitional-age (16 – 24) homeless youth population, at a reported 20 - 40% of the entire homeless youth population. Although this figure is staggering, it is not representative of the actual number of LGBTQ youth currently living on the streets. Exact numbers are unknown due to fear of victimization and discrimination faced both by their homeless peers and in services that are established for homeless youth. This study critically examined how homeless, transgender, transitional-age youth are represented in or ignored by the social service scholarly literature. The study implemented a thematic analysis of academic articles from 2008 - 2013 with a specific focus on homeless, transitional-age youth found in the Social Services Abstract database. Themes identified from the selected articles relate to perceptions of services, barriers to care, gender identity, risk factors, and a comparison of heterosexual to homosexual homeless youth. These factors will be used to determine the level of representation or exclusion from available studies about homeless transgender youth. Title: Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are: A Content Analysis of Homeless Transgender Youth in Social Service Literature Author: Crossley, Shannon Year: 2015 Homeless, transgender youth are underrepresented in research studies in the United States and over-represented among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) transitional-age (16 – 24) homeless youth population, at a reported 20 - 40% of the entire homeless youth population. Although this figure is staggering, it is not representative of the actual number of LGBTQ youth currently living on the streets. Exact numbers are unknown due to fear of victimization and discrimination faced both by their homeless peers and in services that are established for homeless youth. This study critically examined how homeless, transgender, transitional-age youth are represented in or ignored by the social service scholarly literature. The study implemented a thematic analysis of academic articles from 2008 - 2013 with a specific focus on homeless, transitional-age youth found in the Social Services Abstract database. Themes identified from the selected articles relate to perceptions of services, barriers to care, gender identity, risk factors, and a comparison of heterosexual to homosexual homeless youth. These factors will be used to determine the level of representation or exclusion from available studies about homeless transgender youth. Close

• 34. [Article] The Impact of Communication Impairments on the Social Relationships of Older Adults

  Communication forms the foundation of social interaction. For older adults, however, there is known to be an increased risk of developing conditions that interfere with the ability to communicate. These ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Impact of Communication Impairments on the Social Relationships of Older Adults Author: Palmer, Andrew Demetrius Year: 2015 Communication forms the foundation of social interaction. For older adults, however, there is known to be an increased risk of developing conditions that interfere with the ability to communicate. These conditions may occur for a variety of reasons, including age-related changes in physical or sensory functioning, injury, and disease. It is estimated that 55% of all Medicare beneficiaries have a communication impairment of some kind. Social contact is known to be vital for older adults' mental and physical health but, because communication impairments often co-occur with other types of disability, it is difficult to generalize about the relative impact of a communication impairment on the social relationships of older adults. Specific aims of the study were to examine whether the severity of a communication impairment is associated with social measures, whether there is an interaction between communication impairments and physical disability, and to examine the role of relationship-control strategies in maintaining access to a larger or more supportive social network. A mixed-methods study design was employed. Community-dwelling older adults were surveyed about the size and diversity of their social networks, frequency of social interactions, and physical and mental health (n = 240) and qualitative data were collected from a smaller subsample. Findings demonstrated that communication impairment was a significant independent predictor for key characteristics of social relationships, including the composition of the social network, certain types of social support, the frequency of social participation, and social self-efficacy. Communication impairment was a significant predictor for higher levels of loneliness and depression. In addition two distinct pathways between communication impairment and psychological well-being were identified, with social self-efficacy and reassurance of worth as mediators. Additional insights were provided by the qualitative results. These findings may guide future clinical practice and research by providing a better understanding of the role of communication in health, disability, and the risk of social isolation. Title: The Impact of Communication Impairments on the Social Relationships of Older Adults Author: Palmer, Andrew Demetrius Year: 2015 Communication forms the foundation of social interaction. For older adults, however, there is known to be an increased risk of developing conditions that interfere with the ability to communicate. These conditions may occur for a variety of reasons, including age-related changes in physical or sensory functioning, injury, and disease. It is estimated that 55% of all Medicare beneficiaries have a communication impairment of some kind. Social contact is known to be vital for older adults' mental and physical health but, because communication impairments often co-occur with other types of disability, it is difficult to generalize about the relative impact of a communication impairment on the social relationships of older adults. Specific aims of the study were to examine whether the severity of a communication impairment is associated with social measures, whether there is an interaction between communication impairments and physical disability, and to examine the role of relationship-control strategies in maintaining access to a larger or more supportive social network. A mixed-methods study design was employed. Community-dwelling older adults were surveyed about the size and diversity of their social networks, frequency of social interactions, and physical and mental health (n = 240) and qualitative data were collected from a smaller subsample. Findings demonstrated that communication impairment was a significant independent predictor for key characteristics of social relationships, including the composition of the social network, certain types of social support, the frequency of social participation, and social self-efficacy. Communication impairment was a significant predictor for higher levels of loneliness and depression. In addition two distinct pathways between communication impairment and psychological well-being were identified, with social self-efficacy and reassurance of worth as mediators. Additional insights were provided by the qualitative results. These findings may guide future clinical practice and research by providing a better understanding of the role of communication in health, disability, and the risk of social isolation. Close

• 35. [Article] Characteristics of Medicaid Clients in Assisted Living, Residential Care, Memory Care, and Adult Foster Homes 2013-2014

  In collaboration with the Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) program of Oregon’s Department of Human Services (DHS), Portland State University’s Institute on Aging generated this report of Medicaid ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Characteristics of Medicaid Clients in Assisted Living, Residential Care, Memory Care, and Adult Foster Homes 2013-2014 Author: Carder, Paula C., Kohon, Jacklyn Nicole, Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy, West, Maximilian, Zimam, Amanuel, Neal, Margaret B. Year: 2014 In collaboration with the Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) program of Oregon’s Department of Human Services (DHS), Portland State University’s Institute on Aging generated this report of Medicaid clients living in community-based care (CBC) settings in the state of Oregon. The Oregon legislature appropriated funds for DHS to collect information about these community-based care providers which will allow DHS, providers, and the public to better understand characteristics of Medicaid clients living in different CBC settings. This report is based on an analysis of Medicaid data provided by DHS. The study goals were to: describe Medicaid clients’ health-related needs, service use, and demographic characteristics; provide a baseline for future reports. In addition, this information about Medicaid clients can be compared to the recently completed summary of assisted living facilities (ALF), residential care facilities (RCF), memory care communities (MCC), and adult foster homes (AFH) completed by Portland State University’s Institute on Aging. All three CBC reports and a report recently completed by Oregon State University on nursing facilities in Oregon, provide an important overview of community-based and long-term care settings in Oregon that can be used by policymakers, providers, and consumers. Title: Characteristics of Medicaid Clients in Assisted Living, Residential Care, Memory Care, and Adult Foster Homes 2013-2014 Author: Carder, Paula C., Kohon, Jacklyn Nicole, Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy, West, Maximilian, Zimam, Amanuel, Neal, Margaret B. Year: 2014 In collaboration with the Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) program of Oregon’s Department of Human Services (DHS), Portland State University’s Institute on Aging generated this report of Medicaid clients living in community-based care (CBC) settings in the state of Oregon. The Oregon legislature appropriated funds for DHS to collect information about these community-based care providers which will allow DHS, providers, and the public to better understand characteristics of Medicaid clients living in different CBC settings. This report is based on an analysis of Medicaid data provided by DHS. The study goals were to: describe Medicaid clients’ health-related needs, service use, and demographic characteristics; provide a baseline for future reports. In addition, this information about Medicaid clients can be compared to the recently completed summary of assisted living facilities (ALF), residential care facilities (RCF), memory care communities (MCC), and adult foster homes (AFH) completed by Portland State University’s Institute on Aging. All three CBC reports and a report recently completed by Oregon State University on nursing facilities in Oregon, provide an important overview of community-based and long-term care settings in Oregon that can be used by policymakers, providers, and consumers. Close

• 36. [Article] Resident and Home Characteristics Report 2014: Adult Foster Homes

  In collaboration with the Aging and People with Disabilities program of Oregon’s Department of Human Services (DHS), Portland State University’s Institute on Aging conducted this research study of adult ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Resident and Home Characteristics Report 2014: Adult Foster Homes Author: Carder, Paula C., Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy, Limburg, Aubrey, Kohon, Jacklyn Nicole, Zimam, Amanuel, West, Maximilian, Neal, Margaret B. Year: 2014 In collaboration with the Aging and People with Disabilities program of Oregon’s Department of Human Services (DHS), Portland State University’s Institute on Aging conducted this research study of adult foster homes (AFH) throughout the state of Oregon. The Oregon legislature appropriated funds for DHS to collect information from these community-based care providers that will allow DHS, providers, and the public to better understand resident characteristics and adult foster home services. This report summarizes findings from the first state-wide survey of licensed adult foster homes in Oregon. The survey goals were to: describe resident health-related needs, service use, and demographic characteristics; describe AFH provider characteristics (e.g., number of years as a provider, professional training); describe adult foster homes (e.g., occupancy, monthly charges, staffing); and provide a baseline for future surveys. In addition, this information about AFHs can be compared to the recently completed summary of assisted living, residential care, and memory care facilities completed by Portland State University’s Institute on Aging. Both surveys, along with a report that summarizes characteristics of Medicaid clients based on data provided by DHS and a report recently completed by Oregon State University on nursing facilities in Oregon, provide an important overview of community-based care settings in Oregon that can be used by policymakers, providers, and consumers. Title: Resident and Home Characteristics Report 2014: Adult Foster Homes Author: Carder, Paula C., Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy, Limburg, Aubrey, Kohon, Jacklyn Nicole, Zimam, Amanuel, West, Maximilian, Neal, Margaret B. Year: 2014 In collaboration with the Aging and People with Disabilities program of Oregon’s Department of Human Services (DHS), Portland State University’s Institute on Aging conducted this research study of adult foster homes (AFH) throughout the state of Oregon. The Oregon legislature appropriated funds for DHS to collect information from these community-based care providers that will allow DHS, providers, and the public to better understand resident characteristics and adult foster home services. This report summarizes findings from the first state-wide survey of licensed adult foster homes in Oregon. The survey goals were to: describe resident health-related needs, service use, and demographic characteristics; describe AFH provider characteristics (e.g., number of years as a provider, professional training); describe adult foster homes (e.g., occupancy, monthly charges, staffing); and provide a baseline for future surveys. In addition, this information about AFHs can be compared to the recently completed summary of assisted living, residential care, and memory care facilities completed by Portland State University’s Institute on Aging. Both surveys, along with a report that summarizes characteristics of Medicaid clients based on data provided by DHS and a report recently completed by Oregon State University on nursing facilities in Oregon, provide an important overview of community-based care settings in Oregon that can be used by policymakers, providers, and consumers. Close

• 37. [Article] Determining the Relationship between White Matter Volume and Processing Speed in Adolescence

  Neuroimaging techniques have recently been used to research and identify relationships between structure and function. Because adolescence is a critical period for development of the brain, the present ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Determining the Relationship between White Matter Volume and Processing Speed in Adolescence Author: Laxamana, Julius Year: 2016 Neuroimaging techniques have recently been used to research and identify relationships between structure and function. Because adolescence is a critical period for development of the brain, the present study’s goal was to identify the possible relationships between white matter (WM) volume and processing speed during this period. White matter was of particular interest as it consists of the myelinated axons of some nerve cells which are essential for nervous system functioning. The WM volume of 157 adolescents (ages 12-17) were determined from T1-weighted images via FMRIB’s Automated Segmentation Tool (FAST), whereby the brain was separated into WM, gray matter (GM), and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). A composite score for processing speed was indicated by a z-normalized mean score from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) block design test, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) which included raw scores of Color-Word Conditions 1-4, verbal and spatial working memory 2-back tasks, and the hit reaction time score from the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Results suggested that there was a small positive relationship between WM volume and age at the time of the scan, which agrees with several reported literatures. Processing speed was defined as a more negative value below the mean; the initial hypothesis was further supported as a negative relationship between WM volume and age to processing speed in adolescence observed. Although the correlation and significance was relatively low between the variables, the sample suggests that as an adolescent’s WM volume or age increased or decreased, processing speed was reflected as marginally quicker or slower. Title: Determining the Relationship between White Matter Volume and Processing Speed in Adolescence Author: Laxamana, Julius Year: 2016 Neuroimaging techniques have recently been used to research and identify relationships between structure and function. Because adolescence is a critical period for development of the brain, the present study’s goal was to identify the possible relationships between white matter (WM) volume and processing speed during this period. White matter was of particular interest as it consists of the myelinated axons of some nerve cells which are essential for nervous system functioning. The WM volume of 157 adolescents (ages 12-17) were determined from T1-weighted images via FMRIB’s Automated Segmentation Tool (FAST), whereby the brain was separated into WM, gray matter (GM), and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). A composite score for processing speed was indicated by a z-normalized mean score from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) block design test, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) which included raw scores of Color-Word Conditions 1-4, verbal and spatial working memory 2-back tasks, and the hit reaction time score from the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Results suggested that there was a small positive relationship between WM volume and age at the time of the scan, which agrees with several reported literatures. Processing speed was defined as a more negative value below the mean; the initial hypothesis was further supported as a negative relationship between WM volume and age to processing speed in adolescence observed. Although the correlation and significance was relatively low between the variables, the sample suggests that as an adolescent’s WM volume or age increased or decreased, processing speed was reflected as marginally quicker or slower. Close

• 38. [Article] Holocene History of Deep-Seated Landsliding in the North Fork Stillaguamish River Valley From Surface Roughness Analysis, Radiocarbon Dating, and Numerical Landscape Evolution Modeling

  Documenting spatial and temporal patterns of past landsliding is a challenging step in quantifying the effect of landslides on landscape evolution. While landslide inventories can map spatial distributions, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Holocene History of Deep-Seated Landsliding in the North Fork Stillaguamish River Valley From Surface Roughness Analysis, Radiocarbon Dating, and Numerical Landscape Evolution Modeling Author: Booth, Adam M., LaHusen, Sean R., Duvall, Alison R., Montgomery, David R. Year: 2017 Documenting spatial and temporal patterns of past landsliding is a challenging step in quantifying the effect of landslides on landscape evolution. While landslide inventories can map spatial distributions, lack of dateable material, landslide reactivations, or time, access, and cost constraints generally limit dating large numbers of landslides to analyze temporal patterns. Here we quantify the record of the Holocene history of deep-seated landsliding along a 25 km stretch of the North Fork Stillaguamish River valley, Washington State, USA, including the 2014 Oso landslide, which killed 43 people. We estimate the ages of more than 200 deep-seated landslides in glacial sediment by defining an empirical relationship between landslide deposit age from radiocarbon dating and landslide deposit surface roughness. We show that roughness systematically decreases with age as a function of topographic wavelength, consistent with models of disturbance-driven soil transport. The age-roughness model predicts a peak in landslide frequency at ~1000 calibrated (cal) years B.P., with very few landslide deposits older than 7000 cal years B.P. or younger than 100 cal years B.P., likely reflecting a combination of preservation bias and a complex history of changing climate, base level, and seismic shaking in the study area. Most recent landslides have occurred where channels actively interact with the toes of hillslopes composed of glacial sediments, suggesting that lateral channel migration is a primary control on the location of large deep-seated landslides in the valley. Title: Holocene History of Deep-Seated Landsliding in the North Fork Stillaguamish River Valley From Surface Roughness Analysis, Radiocarbon Dating, and Numerical Landscape Evolution Modeling Author: Booth, Adam M., LaHusen, Sean R., Duvall, Alison R., Montgomery, David R. Year: 2017 Documenting spatial and temporal patterns of past landsliding is a challenging step in quantifying the effect of landslides on landscape evolution. While landslide inventories can map spatial distributions, lack of dateable material, landslide reactivations, or time, access, and cost constraints generally limit dating large numbers of landslides to analyze temporal patterns. Here we quantify the record of the Holocene history of deep-seated landsliding along a 25 km stretch of the North Fork Stillaguamish River valley, Washington State, USA, including the 2014 Oso landslide, which killed 43 people. We estimate the ages of more than 200 deep-seated landslides in glacial sediment by defining an empirical relationship between landslide deposit age from radiocarbon dating and landslide deposit surface roughness. We show that roughness systematically decreases with age as a function of topographic wavelength, consistent with models of disturbance-driven soil transport. The age-roughness model predicts a peak in landslide frequency at ~1000 calibrated (cal) years B.P., with very few landslide deposits older than 7000 cal years B.P. or younger than 100 cal years B.P., likely reflecting a combination of preservation bias and a complex history of changing climate, base level, and seismic shaking in the study area. Most recent landslides have occurred where channels actively interact with the toes of hillslopes composed of glacial sediments, suggesting that lateral channel migration is a primary control on the location of large deep-seated landslides in the valley. Close

• 39. [Article] Sound Effects: Age, Gender, and Sound Symbolism in American English

  This mixed-method study investigated the correlation of sound symbolic associations with age and gender by analyzing data from a national survey of 292 American English speakers. Subjects used 10 semantic ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Sound Effects: Age, Gender, and Sound Symbolism in American English Author: Krause, Timothy Year: 2015 This mixed-method study investigated the correlation of sound symbolic associations with age and gender by analyzing data from a national survey of 292 American English speakers. Subjects used 10 semantic differential scales to rate six artificial brand names that targeted five phonemes. Subjects also described the potential products they imagined these artificial brand names to represent. Quantitative analysis alone provided insufficient evidence to conclude that age or gender affect sound symbolism in American English. While 26 out of 60 scales showed a monotonic shift among the means of the three age groups, only three were statistically significant. The evidence of differences between genders was similarly weak; only five scales out of 60 showed a statistically significant difference when comparing genders. Analysis of the qualitative data, however, suggested both monotonic generational shifts as well as generational blips in sound-symbolic associations. Of particular interest is the possible influence of pop culture, fashions, and fads, and society's shifting focus from broadcast to narrowcast media. The implications of this research are relevant for both theory (empirical evidence for iconicity in language) and application (e.g., devising brand names that communicate particular attributes to specific demographics). Title: Sound Effects: Age, Gender, and Sound Symbolism in American English Author: Krause, Timothy Year: 2015 This mixed-method study investigated the correlation of sound symbolic associations with age and gender by analyzing data from a national survey of 292 American English speakers. Subjects used 10 semantic differential scales to rate six artificial brand names that targeted five phonemes. Subjects also described the potential products they imagined these artificial brand names to represent. Quantitative analysis alone provided insufficient evidence to conclude that age or gender affect sound symbolism in American English. While 26 out of 60 scales showed a monotonic shift among the means of the three age groups, only three were statistically significant. The evidence of differences between genders was similarly weak; only five scales out of 60 showed a statistically significant difference when comparing genders. Analysis of the qualitative data, however, suggested both monotonic generational shifts as well as generational blips in sound-symbolic associations. Of particular interest is the possible influence of pop culture, fashions, and fads, and society's shifting focus from broadcast to narrowcast media. The implications of this research are relevant for both theory (empirical evidence for iconicity in language) and application (e.g., devising brand names that communicate particular attributes to specific demographics). Close

• 40. [Article] Assessing the Impact of Restrictiveness and Placement Type on Transition-Related Outcomes for Youth With and Without Disabilities Aging Out of Foster Care

  Nearly 23,000 youth age out of the foster care system between the ages of 18 and 21 each year in a transition fraught with challenges and barriers. These young people often lack developmentally appropriate ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Assessing the Impact of Restrictiveness and Placement Type on Transition-Related Outcomes for Youth With and Without Disabilities Aging Out of Foster Care Author: Schmidt, Jessica Danielle Year: 2015 Nearly 23,000 youth age out of the foster care system between the ages of 18 and 21 each year in a transition fraught with challenges and barriers. These young people often lack developmentally appropriate experiences and exposure to necessary knowledge, role modeling, skill building, and long-term social support to promote positive transitions to adulthood while in foster care. As a result, young people who exit care face an array of poor adult outcomes. Nearly 60% of transition-aged foster youth experience a disability, and as such, face compounded challenges exiting foster care. While the examination of young adult outcomes for youth with disabilities has been largely missing from the literature, available research documents that young adults with disabilities who had exited foster care were significantly behind their peers without disabilities in several key areas. Literature examining the experiences of transition-aged youth with disabilities in the general population also highlights gaps in young adult outcomes for young people with disabilities compared to their peers. Compounding the issue for youth in foster care, those who experience disabilities often reside in restrictive placement settings such as developmental disability (DD) certified homes, group homes, or residential treatment centers. Though limited, there is some evidence to suggest that these types of placements negatively impact young adult outcomes for those aging out of foster care. The rules and regulations in place to promote safety in these types of placements could further restrict youth from engaging in meaningful transition preparation engagement while in foster care. Therefore, youth with disabilities, whose needs necessitate a higher level of support towards transition preparation engagement, may actually receive fewer opportunities than their peers in non-relative foster care and kinship care as they prepare to exit care into adulthood. The work in this dissertation provides knowledge to address gaps in the literature around transition preparation engagement during foster care for youth with disabilities, youth residing in restrictive foster care placements, and youth who report high levels of perceived restrictiveness as they prepare to enter into adulthood. This dissertation is a secondary analysis of transition preparation engagement data collected at baseline for 294 transition-aged youth in foster care who participated in an evaluation of an intervention to promote self-determination and enhance young adult outcomes, called My Life. Transition preparation engagement in this study was represented by eight domains: youth perceptions of preparedness for adult life, post-secondary education preparation engagement, career preparation engagement, employment, daily life preparation engagement, Independent Living Program (ILP) participation, transition planning engagement, and self-determination. Transition preparation engagement domains were examined using hierarchical multiple regression analysis to explore differences by disability status, placement setting, and youth self-report of perceptions of restrictiveness. In alignment with the literature, 58.8% of youth in this sample experienced a disability. Additional key demographics, including age, gender, and race, and foster care experiences, including length of time in care and placement instability, were entered into the regression models as covariates. Results indicated significantly less transition preparation engagement for 1) youth with disabilities compared to youth without disabilities, 2) youth residing in restrictive placements compared to youth in non-relative foster care and kinship care, and 3) youth who reported higher levels of perceived restrictiveness compared to youth who reported lower levels of perceived restrictiveness. Program, policy, and research recommendations are discussed that highlight the need to promote transition preparation engagement for this particularly vulnerable group of young people in foster care who experience disabilities, are residing in restrictive placement settings and who report high levels of perceived restrictiveness. Title: Assessing the Impact of Restrictiveness and Placement Type on Transition-Related Outcomes for Youth With and Without Disabilities Aging Out of Foster Care Author: Schmidt, Jessica Danielle Year: 2015 Nearly 23,000 youth age out of the foster care system between the ages of 18 and 21 each year in a transition fraught with challenges and barriers. These young people often lack developmentally appropriate experiences and exposure to necessary knowledge, role modeling, skill building, and long-term social support to promote positive transitions to adulthood while in foster care. As a result, young people who exit care face an array of poor adult outcomes. Nearly 60% of transition-aged foster youth experience a disability, and as such, face compounded challenges exiting foster care. While the examination of young adult outcomes for youth with disabilities has been largely missing from the literature, available research documents that young adults with disabilities who had exited foster care were significantly behind their peers without disabilities in several key areas. Literature examining the experiences of transition-aged youth with disabilities in the general population also highlights gaps in young adult outcomes for young people with disabilities compared to their peers. Compounding the issue for youth in foster care, those who experience disabilities often reside in restrictive placement settings such as developmental disability (DD) certified homes, group homes, or residential treatment centers. Though limited, there is some evidence to suggest that these types of placements negatively impact young adult outcomes for those aging out of foster care. The rules and regulations in place to promote safety in these types of placements could further restrict youth from engaging in meaningful transition preparation engagement while in foster care. Therefore, youth with disabilities, whose needs necessitate a higher level of support towards transition preparation engagement, may actually receive fewer opportunities than their peers in non-relative foster care and kinship care as they prepare to exit care into adulthood. The work in this dissertation provides knowledge to address gaps in the literature around transition preparation engagement during foster care for youth with disabilities, youth residing in restrictive foster care placements, and youth who report high levels of perceived restrictiveness as they prepare to enter into adulthood. This dissertation is a secondary analysis of transition preparation engagement data collected at baseline for 294 transition-aged youth in foster care who participated in an evaluation of an intervention to promote self-determination and enhance young adult outcomes, called My Life. Transition preparation engagement in this study was represented by eight domains: youth perceptions of preparedness for adult life, post-secondary education preparation engagement, career preparation engagement, employment, daily life preparation engagement, Independent Living Program (ILP) participation, transition planning engagement, and self-determination. Transition preparation engagement domains were examined using hierarchical multiple regression analysis to explore differences by disability status, placement setting, and youth self-report of perceptions of restrictiveness. In alignment with the literature, 58.8% of youth in this sample experienced a disability. Additional key demographics, including age, gender, and race, and foster care experiences, including length of time in care and placement instability, were entered into the regression models as covariates. Results indicated significantly less transition preparation engagement for 1) youth with disabilities compared to youth without disabilities, 2) youth residing in restrictive placements compared to youth in non-relative foster care and kinship care, and 3) youth who reported higher levels of perceived restrictiveness compared to youth who reported lower levels of perceived restrictiveness. Program, policy, and research recommendations are discussed that highlight the need to promote transition preparation engagement for this particularly vulnerable group of young people in foster care who experience disabilities, are residing in restrictive placement settings and who report high levels of perceived restrictiveness. Close