Question For Week 6: Imagine You Are Serving On The Board Of

Question For Week 6imagine You Are Serving On The Board Of A For Prof

Imagine you are serving on the board of a for-profit educational services company. Staff communicate to the board their concerns about the transition from foster care to independence for young adults who have reached the age of 18. These individuals are no longer eligible to be in the foster care system. Of particular concern is their self-esteem through this transition. There is extensive quantitative research in the scholarly literature regarding the function of self-esteem in such a transition, but a dearth of qualitative research on the topic.

You want to assist staff in providing adequate support for this client population by commissioning an internal qualitative study to better understand the phenomenon and improve their transitions. Develop a problem statement for this query using a phenomenological design. What would be the purpose of the study? What research questions would you ask? Justify each response in reference to the nature of phenomenological inquiry design.

Paper For Above instruction

The transition from foster care to independent living is a critical juncture for young adults aging out of the system. Understanding their lived experiences, particularly concerning self-esteem and identity development during this period, requires a qualitative inquiry rooted in phenomenological research. Phenomenology aims to explore individuals' lived experiences, capturing their perceptions and meanings associated with a phenomenon. Therefore, a phenomenological study focusing on this transition can offer profound insights into the subjective realities of these young adults, thus informing more empathetic and effective support strategies.

Problem Statement: Despite extensive quantitative research on the role of self-esteem during the transition out of foster care, little is known about how young adults personally experience and interpret this transition. Specifically, there is a gap in understanding the lived experiences and the meaning they ascribe to this process, which influences their self-esteem and adjustment. Thus, the problem lies in uncovering the nuanced, subjective perspectives of young adults aging out of foster care as they navigate independence.

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, with a particular focus on how they perceive and make meaning of their transition to independence. This understanding aims to inform more tailored and supportive interventions that address their emotional and psychological needs during this critical period.

Research Questions:

1. How do young adults who have aged out of foster care describe their lived experience of transitioning to independence?
2. What meanings do they assign to their experiences during this transition?
3. How do they perceive the impact of this transition on their self-esteem and identity development?
4. What challenges and supports do they identify as influential during their transition to independence?

Each of these research questions aligns with the phenomenological focus on capturing participants' lived experiences and the meanings they attribute to those experiences (Lopez & Willis, 2004). By asking participants to describe their personal journeys, the study seeks to understand their subjective realities, providing nuanced insights that quantitative data may overlook. Such an approach not only highlights the individual variations but also reveals common themes that can guide interventions to enhance their well-being and self-esteem in this transition.

In conclusion, employing a phenomenological design to investigate the lived experiences of youth aging out of foster care offers valuable, in-depth perspectives. These insights can assist educational and support organizations in designing programs that resonate with the real needs and perceptions of this vulnerable population, ultimately facilitating smoother and more empowering transitions to independence.

References

• Lopez, K. A., & Willis, D. G. (2004). Descriptive versus interpretive phenomenology: Their contributions to nursing knowledge. Qualitative Health Research, 14(5), 726–735.
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• Neubauer, B. E., Witkop, C. T., & Varpio, L. (2019). How phenomenology can help us learn from the experiences of others. Perspectives on Medical Education, 8(2), 90–97.
• Elise Barboza, G., & Gospodinova, G. (2022). A network analysis of post-traumatic stress among youth aging out of the foster care system. Children and Youth Services Review, 140, 105444.
• Brisson, D. W. (2022). Experiences of youth transitioning out of juvenile justice or foster care systems: The correlates of successful moves to independence. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 39(1), 45–57.
• Fann, G. (2023). Youth development and mental health in foster care transition. Journal of Social Service Research, 49(2), 198–211.
• Smith, J. A., & Osborn, M. (2015). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J. A. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods (pp. 53–80). Sage Publications.
• King, N. (2012). Doing phenomenology. The Sage Dictionary of Social Research Methods.
• Vasileiou, K., Barnett, J., Thorpe, S., & Young, T. (2018). Characterising and justifying sample size sufficiency in interview-based studies: A participatory approach. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18, 148.
• Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. Sage Publications.