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• 1. [Article] Measuring the Support Networks of Transition-Age Foster Youth: Preliminary Validation of a Social Network Assessment for Research and Practice

  Multi-dimensional social support is an important factor in any positive transition into young adulthood, and youth who are exiting foster care ideally receive comprehensive social support from a range ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Measuring the Support Networks of Transition-Age Foster Youth: Preliminary Validation of a Social Network Assessment for Research and Practice Author: Blakeslee, Jennifer E. Year: 2015 Multi-dimensional social support is an important factor in any positive transition into young adulthood, and youth who are exiting foster care ideally receive comprehensive social support from a range of informal and formal sources. Yet the social networks of transition-age foster youth are likely influenced over time by child welfare involvement, which can weaken or disrupt natural support relationships, while introducing service-oriented relationships that are not intended to last into adulthood. To better understand the social support context of youth aging out of care, we can apply social network theory and methods to systematically identify their networks of supportive relationships and explore support provision as a network-based indicator. This paper presents a methodological approach to measure foster youth support networks, and describes these networks in terms of their capacity to provide support as a function of size, composition, and density, and in terms of actual support provision through identified relationships. Such a measurement approach should be systematic and reliable over time, and capture social support constructs relevant to practice with this population; preliminary inter-item and test-retest consistency findings are promising, and the method demonstrates construct and predictive validity in comparison with a measure of perceived availability of social support. Title: Measuring the Support Networks of Transition-Age Foster Youth: Preliminary Validation of a Social Network Assessment for Research and Practice Author: Blakeslee, Jennifer E. Year: 2015 Multi-dimensional social support is an important factor in any positive transition into young adulthood, and youth who are exiting foster care ideally receive comprehensive social support from a range of informal and formal sources. Yet the social networks of transition-age foster youth are likely influenced over time by child welfare involvement, which can weaken or disrupt natural support relationships, while introducing service-oriented relationships that are not intended to last into adulthood. To better understand the social support context of youth aging out of care, we can apply social network theory and methods to systematically identify their networks of supportive relationships and explore support provision as a network-based indicator. This paper presents a methodological approach to measure foster youth support networks, and describes these networks in terms of their capacity to provide support as a function of size, composition, and density, and in terms of actual support provision through identified relationships. Such a measurement approach should be systematic and reliable over time, and capture social support constructs relevant to practice with this population; preliminary inter-item and test-retest consistency findings are promising, and the method demonstrates construct and predictive validity in comparison with a measure of perceived availability of social support. Close

• 2. [Article] "Fallen angels" : an historical review of program development and clientele of the Salvation Army White Shield Home with an emphasis on the years 1940-1976

  The following paper is a study of the history of the Salvation Army White Shield Home of Portland, Oregon with emphasis on the years 1940 through 1976. The White Shield Home is a residential program which ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: "Fallen angels" : an historical review of program development and clientele of the Salvation Army White Shield Home with an emphasis on the years 1940-1976 Author: Ballard, Wendy Jo Year: 1978 The following paper is a study of the history of the Salvation Army White Shield Home of Portland, Oregon with emphasis on the years 1940 through 1976. The White Shield Home is a residential program which provides comprehensive services to school-age parents. A complete description of the setting and the services offered is found in Chapter II. “School-age parents” is the current term used to refer to unmarried pregnant women and women with infants in an effort to eliminate the stigma attached to “unwed mother” or “pregnant teenager”. The purpose of the study is threefold: 1) to familiarize the reader with trends that occurred within the White Shield Home in regard to both agency and client, and allow the reader an appreciation of the various aspects of the Home; 2) to enhance the reader's awareness of the services provided by the Home and how each service came to be, in an effort to suggest the value of the Home to Portland and surrounding areas; and 3) to provide the basis for further study of White Shield Home. Title: "Fallen angels" : an historical review of program development and clientele of the Salvation Army White Shield Home with an emphasis on the years 1940-1976 Author: Ballard, Wendy Jo Year: 1978 The following paper is a study of the history of the Salvation Army White Shield Home of Portland, Oregon with emphasis on the years 1940 through 1976. The White Shield Home is a residential program which provides comprehensive services to school-age parents. A complete description of the setting and the services offered is found in Chapter II. “School-age parents” is the current term used to refer to unmarried pregnant women and women with infants in an effort to eliminate the stigma attached to “unwed mother” or “pregnant teenager”. The purpose of the study is threefold: 1) to familiarize the reader with trends that occurred within the White Shield Home in regard to both agency and client, and allow the reader an appreciation of the various aspects of the Home; 2) to enhance the reader's awareness of the services provided by the Home and how each service came to be, in an effort to suggest the value of the Home to Portland and surrounding areas; and 3) to provide the basis for further study of White Shield Home. Close

• 3. [Article] Parental perceptions of behavioral changes in children following divorce

  This research was undertaken primarily to describe the parental perceptions of the effects of divorce upon the children age eighteen or younger of the first married couples filing for divorce in Clackamas ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Parental perceptions of behavioral changes in children following divorce Author: Bork, Kenneth W. Year: 1978 This research was undertaken primarily to describe the parental perceptions of the effects of divorce upon the children age eighteen or younger of the first married couples filing for divorce in Clackamas County, Oregon during 1975. Title: Parental perceptions of behavioral changes in children following divorce Author: Bork, Kenneth W. Year: 1978 This research was undertaken primarily to describe the parental perceptions of the effects of divorce upon the children age eighteen or younger of the first married couples filing for divorce in Clackamas County, Oregon during 1975. Close

• 4. [Article] A Study of Partner Attitudes Related to Male Involvement in Contraception at Planned Parenthood, Portland, Oregon

  In spite of the relative ease of accessibility to reliable contraception, unplanned pregnancy continues to be a major social problem for both society and for those individuals personally involved. The ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Study of Partner Attitudes Related to Male Involvement in Contraception at Planned Parenthood, Portland, Oregon Author: Burnet, Patricia Long, Jack, Rhonda Lee, Leeson, Kathleen Margaret Year: 1978 In spite of the relative ease of accessibility to reliable contraception, unplanned pregnancy continues to be a major social problem for both society and for those individuals personally involved. The growing furor over adolescent unplanned pregnancy has not only led to arguments over abortions on legal, financial, and moral levels but has resulted in studies pertaining to non-use of birth control among all ages. Contraceptives are not being used as widely and effectively as they could be. The primary goal of this research is to explore the male's role (or lack of it) in family planning. A further goal is to increase awareness among practitioners in the field and among the general public, regarding the importance of male involvement. Title: A Study of Partner Attitudes Related to Male Involvement in Contraception at Planned Parenthood, Portland, Oregon Author: Burnet, Patricia Long, Jack, Rhonda Lee, Leeson, Kathleen Margaret Year: 1978 In spite of the relative ease of accessibility to reliable contraception, unplanned pregnancy continues to be a major social problem for both society and for those individuals personally involved. The growing furor over adolescent unplanned pregnancy has not only led to arguments over abortions on legal, financial, and moral levels but has resulted in studies pertaining to non-use of birth control among all ages. Contraceptives are not being used as widely and effectively as they could be. The primary goal of this research is to explore the male's role (or lack of it) in family planning. A further goal is to increase awareness among practitioners in the field and among the general public, regarding the importance of male involvement. Close

• 5. [Article] Exploring Support Network Structure, Content, and Stability as Youth Transition from Foster Care

  Many older youth in foster care lack adequate resources and ongoing support in their social networks as they transition into young adulthood, while other youth in these circumstances experience stable ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Exploring Support Network Structure, Content, and Stability as Youth Transition from Foster Care Author: Blakeslee, Jennifer E. Year: 2012 Many older youth in foster care lack adequate resources and ongoing support in their social networks as they transition into young adulthood, while other youth in these circumstances experience stable social networks providing comprehensive support. Systematically measuring the supportive personal and service-oriented relationships in youth networks expands the scope of inquiry in this area by identifying patterns of social network structure, member composition, and relational qualities that are associated with more or less support provision through formal and informal relationships. These can also be measured over time to observe changes in network form and content and assess network stability. This exploratory study (1) describes the support networks for a small sample of youth with foster care experience who are enrolled in post-secondary education and training programs, (2) assesses changes in these networks over time, and (3) demonstrates the reliability and validity of this methodology for broader use with populations of transition-age foster youth. Findings show that family (biological and foster) and friends are the most prevalent informal supports, relationship ties to parent figures are strongest and provide the most stable and multi-dimensional support, and ties with formal service providers are not as strong, but provide more informational support. The stability of a network ties over time is associated with the breadth of support provided, and network-based social support is associated with post-secondary enrollment at follow-up. Support network profiles are described and interpreted in terms of bonding and bridging social capital. Discussion includes implications for future support network research and guidelines for pre-transition assessment of youth networks in practice. Title: Exploring Support Network Structure, Content, and Stability as Youth Transition from Foster Care Author: Blakeslee, Jennifer E. Year: 2012 Many older youth in foster care lack adequate resources and ongoing support in their social networks as they transition into young adulthood, while other youth in these circumstances experience stable social networks providing comprehensive support. Systematically measuring the supportive personal and service-oriented relationships in youth networks expands the scope of inquiry in this area by identifying patterns of social network structure, member composition, and relational qualities that are associated with more or less support provision through formal and informal relationships. These can also be measured over time to observe changes in network form and content and assess network stability. This exploratory study (1) describes the support networks for a small sample of youth with foster care experience who are enrolled in post-secondary education and training programs, (2) assesses changes in these networks over time, and (3) demonstrates the reliability and validity of this methodology for broader use with populations of transition-age foster youth. Findings show that family (biological and foster) and friends are the most prevalent informal supports, relationship ties to parent figures are strongest and provide the most stable and multi-dimensional support, and ties with formal service providers are not as strong, but provide more informational support. The stability of a network ties over time is associated with the breadth of support provided, and network-based social support is associated with post-secondary enrollment at follow-up. Support network profiles are described and interpreted in terms of bonding and bridging social capital. Discussion includes implications for future support network research and guidelines for pre-transition assessment of youth networks in practice. Close

• 6. [Article] Exploring the Effects of Multi-Level Protective and Risk Factors on Child and Parenting Outcomes in Families Participating in Healthy Start/Healthy Families Oregon (HS/HFO)

  While many studies focus on the links between multiple risk factors and negative outcomes such as child maltreatment, less is known about the influence of protective factors in the face of risks. The theoretical ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Exploring the Effects of Multi-Level Protective and Risk Factors on Child and Parenting Outcomes in Families Participating in Healthy Start/Healthy Families Oregon (HS/HFO) Author: Nygren, Peggy Year: 2013 While many studies focus on the links between multiple risk factors and negative outcomes such as child maltreatment, less is known about the influence of protective factors in the face of risks. The theoretical base of this study was a social ecological model of interactive influences including individual parent, family, and neighborhood level factors to predict outcomes. Protective Factor Index (PFI) and Risk Factor Index (RFI) predictors were developed to explore potential multi-level protective factor buffering effects on key child development and parenting outcomes. Participants were first time mothers enrolled in a randomized controlled study of the Healthy Start/ Healthy Families Oregon (HS/HFO) home visitation program (treatment group) who completed a follow-up phone survey at the child’s 12 month birthday (n = 405). Families were offered HS/HFO services prenatally after meeting risk screening eligibility criteria on the New Baby Questionnaire (NBQ). Program mothers having received at least one home visit (n = 248) were included in the final analyses. Families had an average of 3.1 (SD = 1.2) NBQ risk factors at enrollment and 83% reported having trouble paying for basic needs. Families received an average of 16 home visits in the first 6 months of the program. Thirty-one percent of mothers were aged 19 or younger, 60% were White and Non-Hispanic, 31% were Hispanic, and 9% were another race/ethnicity. Hierarchical regression models with main effects (RFI, PFI, race) and an interaction term (RFI X PFI) were developed to predict eight outcomes. Interaction effects models were not significant. Five RFI main effects were significant: higher RFI scores were associated with greater likelihood of child welfare involvement, greater parenting stress, less favorable scores on child health and well-being, lower parent responsiveness and ii acceptance, and less supportive learning environments. One PFI main effect was significant: higher PFI scores predicted lower parenting stress. A trend level result showed higher PFI scores were associated with less child welfare involvement. Race was significant in two models: White/Non-Hispanic families were more likely to have a home visitor report child welfare involvement and had more frequent parent-child activities compared to other race/ethnicity families. Unpacking the results with separate single risk factor (12 items) and protective factor (10 items) regression models followed. Results showed parent’s prior family history of maltreatment and younger maternal age predicted child welfare involvement (home visitor report), while protection was seen for those with access to housing support. Social support and family functioning protectors were linked to lower parenting stress, while maternal depression showed the opposite finding. Better scores on a child health and well-being measure were seen with higher neighborhood cohesion and greater participation in HS/HFO; in contrast, neighborhood violence and frequent mobility were linked to worse scores. Developmentally supportive home environments were seen for families participating in additional parent support programs, in which the mother had greater knowledge of infant milestones and behavior, and if the family had access to housing supports. Unemployment proved to be associated with less enriched home environments. In summary, there was no support for the cumulative PFI in buffering risk for negative outcomes in this model. The RFI was also a more robust predictor of outcomes compared to the PFI in the main effects models. Overall, study findings provide some evidence for the utility of specific protective factors, as well as cumulative and specific single risk factors, for screening families for effectively targeting services and guiding the conceptual development of program and evaluation formats. Title: Exploring the Effects of Multi-Level Protective and Risk Factors on Child and Parenting Outcomes in Families Participating in Healthy Start/Healthy Families Oregon (HS/HFO) Author: Nygren, Peggy Year: 2013 While many studies focus on the links between multiple risk factors and negative outcomes such as child maltreatment, less is known about the influence of protective factors in the face of risks. The theoretical base of this study was a social ecological model of interactive influences including individual parent, family, and neighborhood level factors to predict outcomes. Protective Factor Index (PFI) and Risk Factor Index (RFI) predictors were developed to explore potential multi-level protective factor buffering effects on key child development and parenting outcomes. Participants were first time mothers enrolled in a randomized controlled study of the Healthy Start/ Healthy Families Oregon (HS/HFO) home visitation program (treatment group) who completed a follow-up phone survey at the child’s 12 month birthday (n = 405). Families were offered HS/HFO services prenatally after meeting risk screening eligibility criteria on the New Baby Questionnaire (NBQ). Program mothers having received at least one home visit (n = 248) were included in the final analyses. Families had an average of 3.1 (SD = 1.2) NBQ risk factors at enrollment and 83% reported having trouble paying for basic needs. Families received an average of 16 home visits in the first 6 months of the program. Thirty-one percent of mothers were aged 19 or younger, 60% were White and Non-Hispanic, 31% were Hispanic, and 9% were another race/ethnicity. Hierarchical regression models with main effects (RFI, PFI, race) and an interaction term (RFI X PFI) were developed to predict eight outcomes. Interaction effects models were not significant. Five RFI main effects were significant: higher RFI scores were associated with greater likelihood of child welfare involvement, greater parenting stress, less favorable scores on child health and well-being, lower parent responsiveness and ii acceptance, and less supportive learning environments. One PFI main effect was significant: higher PFI scores predicted lower parenting stress. A trend level result showed higher PFI scores were associated with less child welfare involvement. Race was significant in two models: White/Non-Hispanic families were more likely to have a home visitor report child welfare involvement and had more frequent parent-child activities compared to other race/ethnicity families. Unpacking the results with separate single risk factor (12 items) and protective factor (10 items) regression models followed. Results showed parent’s prior family history of maltreatment and younger maternal age predicted child welfare involvement (home visitor report), while protection was seen for those with access to housing support. Social support and family functioning protectors were linked to lower parenting stress, while maternal depression showed the opposite finding. Better scores on a child health and well-being measure were seen with higher neighborhood cohesion and greater participation in HS/HFO; in contrast, neighborhood violence and frequent mobility were linked to worse scores. Developmentally supportive home environments were seen for families participating in additional parent support programs, in which the mother had greater knowledge of infant milestones and behavior, and if the family had access to housing supports. Unemployment proved to be associated with less enriched home environments. In summary, there was no support for the cumulative PFI in buffering risk for negative outcomes in this model. The RFI was also a more robust predictor of outcomes compared to the PFI in the main effects models. Overall, study findings provide some evidence for the utility of specific protective factors, as well as cumulative and specific single risk factors, for screening families for effectively targeting services and guiding the conceptual development of program and evaluation formats. Close