PERCEPTION of FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS by YOUNG PEOPLE in OR HAVING LEFT STATE CARE: PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING and ACADEMIC and EMPLOYMENT ATTRIBUTIONS and EXPECTATIONS

Abstract

The family unit provides fundamental support for the development and social integration of all people. It is even more crucial for particularly vulnerable youths, such as those currently in care or aged out of the care system. As they transition to adult life, these young people will face a variety of social and educational difficulties mainly related to their success with academics and employment, emotional regulation, and social integration. When determining whether individuals have transitioned well to adulthood according to the psychological well-being model –and considering young people’s attributions and expectations for school and work– researchers must focus on the socio-affective relationships between these youths and their families. The purpose of this study, which includes 102 young people from different regions of Spain who are in care or have left the care system, is to examine how these youths perceive their family relationships; and secondly, to determine how these relationships affect their psychological well-being and their academic and employment attributions and expectations. The methodology employed was quantitative and descriptive, with a quantitative non-experimental study design. Information was gathered using the following questionnaires: EVAP4, EDATVA, and the Ryff Psychological Well-being Scale. Results showed that having a good relationship with family was linked to positive academic and employment attributions and expectations. Furthermore, family relationships affect dimensions of psychological well-being in these young people: specifically, ‘self-acceptance’ and ‘purpose in life’. Higher scores on the self-acceptance subscale were directly linked to indicating a good relationship with family. Likewise, those with higher scores on the purpose in life subscale reported enjoying a positive family relationship. Among the main conclusions of the study, the relevance of establishing good family relationships as the backbone of support for the socio-educational insertion of this group stands out.