Extracurricular Opportunities Improve Resilience and Self-Efficacy in Foster Youth Alumni

Abstract

Foster care alumni (age 21 and older) are more likely to experience challenges than those adults who did not age out of the foster care system. In contrast with their peers who grow up in their families of origin, individuals who age out of foster care often report a perception of learned helplessness (Galan-Cisneros et al., 2015). Using interview questions, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Brief Resilience Scale, participants completed an online survey to determine if participating in extracurricular activities as an adolescent produced self-efficacy and resiliency in their adult lives. This study used one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to evaluate the relationship between extracurricular activities in adolescence and its effect on self-efficacy and resiliency in adulthood (n =107). The result indicated no significant impacts between extracurricular activities and self-efficacy or extracurricular activities and resiliency. Due to the COVID-19 virus that restricted individuals and organizations to social distancing, the original sample size of 107 participants was not reached after many months. This research was eventually revised to a pilot study, which included a total of 20 participants. Although results were not significant, the bootstrap analysis did show the potential for significance if the original sample size could have been met. This study should be continued following the COVID-19 pandemic.