Journal of Student Research 2023

Journal of Student Research 20 to post-secondary education (i.e., vocational/technical school, four-year university, etc.) regarding their foster family dynamics and mental health. Given the lack of primary data on this population during this pivotal time in their lives, it seems important to highlight these experiences to get a more complete picture of their experiences, including perceptions of their foster family environment, level of support, as well as their own mental health. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of this population in hopes that our findings shed light on the unique needs of college students with foster care histories. foster care system to post-high school education than peers who were not in foster care (Franco & Durdella, 2018). Foster youth who are transitioning out of foster care are also at greater risk for experiencing mental health disorders such as major depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol and substance abuse (Courtney et al., 2001; Havlicek et al., 2013; Stone & Jackson, 2021). Specifically, foster youth are two to four times more likely to suffer from lifetime and/or past year mental health disorders compared to non-foster youth in the general population at the ages of 17-18 (Havlick et al., 2013). Factors such as family support, family dynamics, and mental health and well-being can affect the experiences of foster youth who transition to college and have a drastic impact on whether or not they stay in college (Chateauneuf et al., 2017; Miller et al., 2020; Waid et al., 2016). Further, a lack of services, a history of mental illnesses within the family, and the type of placement also impact the experiences of former foster youth (Waid et al., 2016). While there is literature to support these links and risk factors to former foster youths’ success in college, there is a need for more studies looking at the experiences of former foster youth who have transitioned to post-secondary education. Family Support Up until recently, the field often tended to blame parents as opposed to engaging them as a resource for positive change (Cross, 2008). Relationships between foster youth, either current or former, and their biological or foster parents are often complex and can have a significant impact on the individual. For instance, the relationship between the foster parents and biological parents (if possible and if biological parents are alive) is one of the most important relationships for a child in foster care (Chateauneuf et al., 2017). Foster parents’ and biological parents’ relationship can impact the child’s development, well-being, and future relationships which supports the need for healthy parental relationships (Chateauneuf et al., 2017). Foster parents also share this importance with foster youth but may find it difficult to maintain relationships with biological parents themselves if they have one. Chateauneuf and colleagues (2017) found there are multiple factors that may affect the relationship between the birth parents and foster parents, including cultural backgrounds, household rules, education, lifestyles, socioeconomic status, and child raising practices (Chateauneuf et al., 2017). The type of placement and length can change the stability of care; for instance, kinship foster care placement provides youth with more stability and a Literature Review Former foster youth have a more challenging time transitioning from the