TY - JOUR
T1 - Resilience and mental health among care leavers
T2 - Role of social inclusion, self-determination, and independent living skills
AU - Chikwava, Fadzai
AU - Cordier, Reinie
AU - Ferrante, Anna
AU - O'Donnell, Melissa
PY - 2025/7/1
Y1 - 2025/7/1
N2 - ObjectiveYoung people transitioning from out-of-home care (OHC) frequently experience poor mental health and resilience due to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, there is limited understanding of the factors that mediate and moderate these outcomes. This is the first study to integrate linked administrative and longitudinal data to examine the mediation and moderation effects of placement stability, independent living skills (ILS), social inclusion, and self-determination when examining the association between ACEs and care status on mental health and resilience.MethodWe integrated retrospective linked datasets with a prospective self-report longitudinal study involving 122 young people aged 15 to 25 transitioning from OHC between April 2019 and May 2022. Path analysis was used to model complex relationships involving moderators and mediators.ResultsILS moderated the association between ACEs and resilience, while social inclusion, self-determination, and mental health mediated the effects of care status and maltreatment exposure on resilience. Placement stability independently influenced mental health outcomes but did not mediate the ACEs-resilience relationship.ConclusionsThis study highlights the complex interplay of risk and protective factors in shaping resilience and mental health, emphasising the importance of skills development, social connectedness and autonomy among care leavers. Findings support early intervention, strength-based approaches, and trauma-informed interventions, including emotional regulation, therapeutic relationships, and stable support networks, to mitigate past trauma and enhance resilience and well-being.
AB - ObjectiveYoung people transitioning from out-of-home care (OHC) frequently experience poor mental health and resilience due to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, there is limited understanding of the factors that mediate and moderate these outcomes. This is the first study to integrate linked administrative and longitudinal data to examine the mediation and moderation effects of placement stability, independent living skills (ILS), social inclusion, and self-determination when examining the association between ACEs and care status on mental health and resilience.MethodWe integrated retrospective linked datasets with a prospective self-report longitudinal study involving 122 young people aged 15 to 25 transitioning from OHC between April 2019 and May 2022. Path analysis was used to model complex relationships involving moderators and mediators.ResultsILS moderated the association between ACEs and resilience, while social inclusion, self-determination, and mental health mediated the effects of care status and maltreatment exposure on resilience. Placement stability independently influenced mental health outcomes but did not mediate the ACEs-resilience relationship.ConclusionsThis study highlights the complex interplay of risk and protective factors in shaping resilience and mental health, emphasising the importance of skills development, social connectedness and autonomy among care leavers. Findings support early intervention, strength-based approaches, and trauma-informed interventions, including emotional regulation, therapeutic relationships, and stable support networks, to mitigate past trauma and enhance resilience and well-being.
KW - Linked data
KW - Longitudinal data
KW - Mental health
KW - Out-of-home care
KW - Path analysis
KW - Resilience
KW - Structural equation model
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105005303520
U2 - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107489
DO - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107489
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105005303520
SN - 0145-2134
VL - 165
JO - Child Abuse and Neglect
JF - Child Abuse and Neglect
M1 - 107489
ER -
