THE AFFECTS OF OPPRESSION ON AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE
FOSTER YOUTH: HOW SELF ESTEEM AND BEHAVIORAL MEASURES AFFECT
THEIR SUCCESS
A Project
Presented to the faculty of the Division of Social Work
California State University, Sacramento
Submitted in partial satisfaction of
the requirements for the degree of
MASTERS OF SOCIAL WORK
by
Joycelyn Diane Stephens
SPRING
2014
THE AFFECTS OF OPPRESSION ON AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE
FOSTER YOUTH: HOW SELF ESTEEM AND BEHAVIORAL MEASURES AFFECT
THEIR SUCCESS
A Project
by
Joycelyn Diane Stephens
Approved by:
__________________________, Committee Chair
Dale Russell, Ed.D., LCSW
____________________________
Date
ii
Student: Joycelyn Diane Stephens
I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University
format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to
be awarded for the project.
__________________________, Division Director ___________________
Dr. Robin Kennedy
Date
Division of Social Work
iii
Abstract
of
THE AFFECTS OF OPPRESSION ON AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE
FOSTER YOUTH: HOW SELF ESTEEM AND BEHAVIORAL MEASURES AFFECT
THEIR SUCCESS
by
Joycelyn Diane Stephens
African American female foster youth have is a vulnerable population affected by
multiple layers of oppression. Their association with several devalued groups greatly
impacts their ability to succeed. This research interviewed 20 caregivers of African
American female foster youth with the purpose of discovering what behavioral measures
were used to overcome the obstacles associated with their life. It was hypothesized that
their self-esteem would determine their ability to become overcome oppression and
become successful. However, the results indicated that self-esteem alone would not
attribute to their ability to achieve success. Rather, multiple behavioral measures such as
spirituality, social support, mentorship and many others were determined to have a
greater impact on their predictors of success.
_______________________, Committee Chair
Dale Russell, Ed.D., LCSW
_______________________
Date
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I share this great achievement with my family. To my grandparents Nathan and Diane
Sweatt, thank you for your encouraging words and countless prayers. Rest in Peace
grandpa, I know you are smiling down on us.
To my dad Derrick Stephens, thank you for being my voice of reason when I felt
overwhelmed. You were always there to motivate me when I was feeling burnt out. I love
and appreciate you so much! I could not have done this without you!
To my mom, Kim Stephens, thank you for being my biggest supporter, my loudest
cheerleader and my motivator. Because of you, I know I am not average. You gave me
the greatest gift a mother could give a daughter – the confidence to believe in myself. The
confidence you imparted on me at such a young age allowed me to make it thus far.
Thank you for always being there for me. I love you more than words can say!
To my siblings, Jessica, Derrick II, Desirae and Reuben, we are clearly the best group of
siblings to ever grace the earth. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! Thank you all for
always having my back! I can honestly say, my siblings are my best friends. I could not
have done it without you guys.
v
To my unborn son, Darrel Jr. (DJ), I love you more than I ever imagined. These last 9
months have been hard but your little kicks always reminded me that I had better things
to worry about. You kept me up at night, caused my feet to swell, and made my body feel
exhausted! With all that said, I can’t wait to meet you! When you are old enough to read
this, I want you to know that you can do anything you put your mind to. Never let other
people or difficult circumstances stop you from achieving your dreams. I love you son! I
know you will make me very proud one day!
To the love of my life, the father of my son, my best friend and my future husband Darrel
Wormley, thank you for always pushing me to reach for my dreams. You’ve supported
every step of my educational career and I know that you’ll do the same for our son.
You’ve been there for me and my family through thick and thin and there is no way I
could ever repay you for that. Thank you for everything you have done for me! I love
you always!
To the rest of my family and friends, thank you for you encouragement, motivation and
kind words. I appreciate every one of you! I am blessed to have so many people who
have supported my endeavors. You all have played a major part in the completion of this
project and in my educational career. I love you all dearly!
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgments......................................................................................................... v
List of Tables ................................................................................................................ ix
Chapter
1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ………………..…………………………….. 1
Background of the Problem .............................................................................. 1
Statement of the Research Problem .................................................................. 3
Study purpose…………………………….………………………………….... 4
Theoretical framework ………………….……………………………….…… 4
Definition of terms ……………………..………………………….….………. 5
Assumptions ………………………………………………………………….. 6
Social work research justification ………………..………………..…..……… 6
Study limitations …………………………………..……………………..…… 7
2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .......................................................................... 8
Oppression of Vulnerable Population ................................................................ 8
Oppression of African Americans………………………………………………8
Oppression of women ………………………………………………………… 10
Oppression of Foster Youth…………………………………………………….11
Success of an oppressed Population………..……………………………….…..13
Success for African Americans…………………………………………………15
Success of Women………………………………………………………………22
vii
Success of Foster Youth………………………………………………………...23
3. METHODS ............................................................................................................... 29
Study Objectives …………………………………………………………….. 29
Study Design …………………………………………………………………… 29
Data Collection Procedures ……………………………………………………. 30
Instruments ……………………………………………………………………....31
Data Analysis …………………………………………………………...…...…..31
Protection of Human Subjects………………………………………………..… 32
4. STUDY FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.................................................................. 32
Overall Findings …..…………………………………………………………… 44
Interpretations to the Findings ……………………………………………….….44
Summary …………………………………………………………………….…..46
5. CONCLUSION, SUMMARY, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………..……49
Summary of Study ………………………………………………………………49
Implications for Social Work …………………………………………….……. 50
Recommendations ……………………………………………………….…….. 51
Limitations ………………………………………………………………………53
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………... 53
Appendix A. Consent Form ................................................................................. 57
Appendix B. Questionnaire ...................................................................................59
References .............................................................................................................63
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Tables
Page
1. Comparison of major findings ……….............. .………………………………. 34
2. Variables that affect success …………………………. ..................……..……. 38
ix
1
CHAPTER 1
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In society there are groups of people who are destined for success merely because
of the hand they were dealt at birth. If you were born in a White, middle class, two parent
family, then you are likely to have a good start on life. This is indicated by one’s access
to good education, health care and to people who promote a positive self-image. On the
other hand, there are people born into situations that are not as fortunate as described. For
example, children born into low income, African American, single parent families will
not have the same benefits. In fact, many of those children end up in the foster care
system due to systemic oppression that has caused an array of obstacles and eventually
prevents them from achieving society’s idea of success.
Background of the Problem
African American children are entering the foster care system at an alarming rate.
The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates “32% of the 513,000
children in child welfare population were African American” (Administration for
Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2005). Studies on
the child welfare system show that African Americans are disproportionately represented
in the foster care system.
Multiple studies have been conducted on the cause for the disproportionate
numbers of African Americans in the foster care system. “During the 2000s social work
experts suspected that institutional bias and racism by social workers caused the high
2
proportion of black children in the foster care system” (Daily News, 2013).Unfortunately,
this bias is based on negative stereotypes and racism. Historically, African Americans
have been characterized as being “…at the bottom of the human genetic pool, genetically
predisposed to skill deficiencies” (Harris & Miller, 2003 p.123). This belief is held on by
many White Americans who see African Americans as lesser. Similarly, the same exist
for those in the foster system. They are characterized as having a “diminished social
status….evident by delinquency/psychological impairment” (Kools, 1999). These
stereotypes are used by many and can prevent them from breaking the cycle of
oppression.
Independently, African Americans and children in the foster system both have a
predisposition to obstacles and hardships. Oppression is defined as a history of injustice
that affects one’s life and prevents them from achieving success. For African Americans,
oppression is indicated by society’s acceptance of the racial identity. In fact, “African
Americans are consistently pictured by American society and the media as criminals,
drug users, drug sellers, absent fathers and adolescent mothers” (Harris & Miller, 2003)
This portrayal is used as a premise about African Americans before having an
opportunity to disprove those stereotypes. The same is true for children in the foster care
system. “Negative stereotypes of ‘delinquent’ and ‘disturbed’ are widely held by adults
and peers in school, neighborhood and other community contexts integral to the
adolescents life” (Kools, 1999).
In addition to African Americans and foster youth, women also have a disposition
in society. They are forced to prove their self-worth in a male dominated society. The
3
combination of being African American, female and a foster youth gives this population a
diminished chance to succeed in society.
Statement of the Research Problem
Dealing with negative stereotypes can be difficult when you are consistently
proving yourself worth to others. For African American female foster youth, it is three
times as difficult due to the number of stereotypes that are against them. It can become
overwhelming. They are constantly fighting to show they are equal to others. However, at
what point does it become too much? What motivates African American female foster
youth to continue to fight oppression/negative stereotypes? I hypothesize that African
American female foster youth with a positive self-image will have an increased desire to
succeed and will have an increased ability to overcome oppression as opposed to youth
who have a negative self-image.
In this research, a positive self-image will be indicative of one’s physical selfesteem. Inner self esteem will be defined as one’s inner desire to succeed as indicated by
their school attendance, affiliation with positive social groups or religious groups, desire
to gain employment, etc.
The ability for African American female foster youth to overcome oppression is
important because of statistical research that outlines recidivism rates. Research has
shown that “about one third of all individuals who were abused or neglected as children
will subject their children to maltreatment” (Child welfare information gateway, 2013).
Identifying the characteristic that leads to the repetition of a cycle is an important goal to
accomplish.
4
Study purpose. This research will explore the characteristics that enable African
American foster youth to overcome such adversity. The primary purpose is to discover
what factors contribute to one’s ability to overcome the oppression that results from
being an African American female in the foster care system. This will include interviews
of the caregiver that discuss their perception of the child’s self-image, self-esteem and
will other methods that may contribute to their ability to succeed despite their
predisposition to adversity. The secondary purpose is to explore the ways in which
African American foster youth actively overcome adversity. This will be indicated by
their affiliation with positive social groups, their attempt to get employment, their lack of
association with negative influences (e.g. gangs, drugs, etc) school attendance,
spirituality, mentorship and other positive influences in their life. Overall, this research
will identify what helps African American female foster youth to break the cycle of
abuse, poverty and other factors that have given them a predisposition to failure. More
importantly, it will identify their method in overcoming oppression and adversity.
Theoretical framework. Self-esteem for African American foster children is a
crucial variable in this research. The social-cognitive theory will guide the research for
determining the methods used to combat oppression and will be used as a basis for
understanding the root of self-esteem for African American foster youth. Tajfel and
Turner derived the social identity theory which “consists of those aspects of individual
self-image that derives from the social categories to which he perceives a belonging”
(Phinney, et al, 1997). In other words, one’s self esteem is directly related to how their
social group perceives them. If they are a part of a group that looks down upon them,
5
then they will most likely have a low self-esteem. For African American female foster
youth, who are apart of three groups that are looked down upon by society, this theory
will guide the research in understanding that concept and how it correlates to their selfesteem.
Definition of terms. For the purposes of the research, the term African American
will be used to describe those who identify with the African American race/culture. This
can include those who are mixed race or just fully emerged in the African American
culture. Foster youth will be defined as a person who is living with a foster family or a
group home. This will not include individuals who are informally living with relatives or
friends.
Success will be defined as one’s position to achieve status mobility. Fordham and
Ogbu (1986) describe the status mobility system as “the socially approved strategy for
getting ahead within a given population or a given society” (p. 179). The ability to
change one’s social status would be dependent on their ability to become educated, gain
employment and provide their self with the basic necessities such as food, clothes and
shelter.
Self-esteem will be divided into physical self-esteem and inner self-esteem.
Physical self-esteem will be defined as one’s physical appearance. Inner self –esteem will
be defined as one’s confidence and/or natural desire to succeed. Self-esteem will be
indicated by the caregiver’s perception of the youth’s attitude, their ability to have
confidence in themselves. Self-esteem will be operationalized by the caregiver’s
6
perspective on the youth’s self-image, attitude and participation in a variety of variables
(e.g. school, church, sports, etc).
A caregiver will be defined as the person who is taking care of the child’s food,
clothes and shelter. This may not be the person who is “legally responsible” for the child,
rather the person who is living with the child and therefore, has contact with the child on
a daily basis. The caregiver can be a foster parent or group home staff.
Assumptions. For the sake of the research, the reader should assume that the
caregiver’s perception is accurate. The caregiver should be viewed as an objective and
valid perspective who is speaking on behalf of the child.
It should also be assumed that the child has encountered some sort of physical,
mental or sexual abuse in their past. Abuse in conjunction with other traumatic
experiences is the sole purpose for children residing in foster homes and group homes.
This trauma will be viewed as another source of oppression that affects the child. For this
reason, it will be assumed that the child has the ability to combat this oppression given
high self-esteem and motivation.
Social work research justification. This research will be highly beneficial to the
social work profession because it will bring insight to what it takes for children to break
the cycle of abuse, poverty and other circumstances resulting in foster care. Specifically
for African Americans, it will be crucial to identify the characteristics that set them up for
success because they disproportionately outnumber other race/ethnicities in the foster
care system. By focusing on African Americans, this research will identify the
characteristics that motivate an extremely oppressive group in the foster care system.
7
This research will also provide practical tools for foster parents and group home staff.
The information provided information on how to help African American female foster
youth become successful.
Study limitations. This research will target African American female foster youth.
Interviews will be conducted from the perspective of the caregiver in order to understand
how they perceive the child’s self-esteem and motivation. A limitation is the inability to
speak to the youth directly. The caregiver’s perspective is second hand information that
can be a misinterpretation of the reality.
Self-esteem is a subjective personality trait that can be difficult to define. In this
study, self-esteem will be identified by the caregiver’s perspective of the child’s selfimage, attitude and school attendance. Variables such as attitude and self-image are
subjective and can be interpreted in many ways. This study is limited in the fact that there
is no tangible method for the caregiver to utilize for assessing the child’s self-esteem and
attitude.
The research assumes that the youth has experienced trauma and that has resulted
in their stay in foster/group homes. This study will not explore the specific abuse that has
happened to the child. Due to confidentiality for the child and the lack of counseling
services, the abuse will not be discussed. This could be a potential limitation because
children who have experienced more abuse than others will have a more difficult time
overcoming their oppression compared to another child who has not experienced as
much.
8
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
This literature review will provide information on the factors that contribute to the
vulnerability and oppression of African American female foster youth. Additionally, it
will explore self-esteem – as perpetuated by self-image, as one of many possible ways
this population can overcome deep rooted oppression. Fourteen other variables such as
religion, school attendance, affiliation with sports, and others will be discussed as well.
Oppression of Vulnerable Populations
The “Five Faces of Oppression” is used to determine if a group of people is truly
oppressed. This is indicated by having at least one of the five conditions true for any
group of people. Young (1990) stated that the “Five Faces of Oppression” are determined
by (a) exploitation, (b) marginalization, (c) powerlessness, (d) cultural imperialism and
(e) violence. For African Americans, females and foster youth, each group has been
individually affected by every condition described in the “Five Faces of Oppression”.
How oppression has affected each group will be thoroughly discussed in the sections to
follow.
Oppression of African Americans
Historically, African Americans have been victims of unfair treatment, inhumane
suffering and deliberate acts of cruelty that has been perpetuated by their inability to
thrive in a society dominated by White norms and expectations. Oppression in African
Americans communities is perpetuated by poverty, domestic violence, sexual abuse,
family dysfunction and multiple forms of racism. As cited in Ginwright and Cammorota
9
(2002), Poussaint and Alexander (200) “found that racist police violence, discrimination
in employment and racist public school practices resuled in unresolved rage, aggression,
depression and fatalism” (p. 86). Unsurprisingly, crime rates in African American
neighborhoods continue to rise despite deliberate efforts to incarcerate criminals and fight
for victims. This form of oppression has continued to affect African Americans for many
generations due to the inability to break the negative cycle.
Oppression is typically a result of one’s socioeconomic status (SES). SES plays a
significant role when discussing how racial inequality affects African Americans.
“Socioeconomic status predicts variation in health within minority and white populations
and accounts for much of the racial difference in health” (Williams, 2000 p.176). Studies
have shown that African Americans have been found to have lower life expectancy than
their White counterparts as indicated by infant mortality rates, prevalence of heart
disease, cancer cardiovascular disease, homicide, suicide, HIV/AIDS and many others
(Williams, 2000 p. 175).
In addition to greater health risk that are related to SES and ethnicity, explicit
discrimination is another oppressive factor that affects African Americans. “Studies of
White employers reveal that they consciously and deliberately use negative stereotypes to
deny employment opportunities to Black applicants” (Williams, 2000 p.180).
Unattainable employment for African Americans is a persistent problem that continues to
contribute to high poverty rates for this cultural group. Despite efforts to overcome such
oppressive conditions, African Americans are still stereotyped and stigmatized.
10
How African Americans continue to handle this oppression has the focus of many
researchers in the 20th century. Gooden (2004) researched the strategies used by African
American women to cope with oppression regarding issues with racism and sexism. In a
convenience sample of 196 African American women, a mixed questionnaire was given
to participants with the purpose of learning how they cope with racism and sexism in
their life. A qualitative analysis was completed for the questionnaires and the results
indicated that African American women rely on a number of coping strategies (e.g.
maintaining a relationship with God, staying connected with the heritage, utilizing social
support networks, etc). The results suggest that African American women do in fact
recognize the oppression that they are faced with on a daily basis and are therefore able to
utilize a variety of methods to overcome that adversity.
Oppression of women. Similar to African Americans, women have also been
culturally devalued in a White-male dominated society. Abuse toward women, also
known as domestic violence, is a primary indicator of their devalued status. Domestic
violence is a common form of verbal and physical abuse toward women. Not only are
these women left battered with wounds and bruises covered over their body, but they are
also left with a psychological disadvantage due to acquiring “learned helplessness”
(Walker, 1979). Studies have suggested that this sense of powerlessness is carried on
through life and is “perpetuated by engaging in a number of unhealthy relationships due
to a diminished self-worth” (Walker, 1979). For parents, this habit is displayed to their
children and repeated in later generations. This is one form of oppression that is highly
damaging due to the physical and mental baggage that affects them on a daily basis.
11
Young (1990) described oppression as powerlessness, exploitation,
marginalization and violence as four of the five faces of oppression. Each of these labels
directly affect women. Powerlessness is defined as those who lack authority and must
adhere to orders without say or disagreement. Traditionally, this describes the role of the
women in the household; however, this attitude has become more common in the work
place as well.
Women have shifted from primarily working in the home to now pursuing careers
goals of their own. This was a good step for women because it provided opportunities to
prove gender equality. Unfortunately, women are still viewed as inadequate in the work
place. Fiske (1993) analyzed the story of two women in the workplace and provided
qualitative data to show the hardships women faced when working with men. Fiske
(1993) stated “women as a group were radically powerless: outnumbered, out of place
and on trial. Men thus controlled the environment and shaped it to their needs” (p. 622).
This was reflected in the manner in which they spoke to the women and the opportunities
that were denied to them due to their apparel. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated
incident that only affected the two women in the study. This is true for a high percentage
of women who are undermined in the work place and not taken seriously.
Oppression of Foster Youth. Without a doubt, foster youth can be described by
all “Five Faces of Oppression”. They are a newly identified oppressed population that is
characterized by a chain of unfortunate and traumatizing events that continue to effect
foster youth from the time of separation from their parents and long after they have exited
the foster system (Barth, 1990).
12
Foster youth are considered to be a vulnerable population caused by maltreatment
and other trauma that has led them to be removed from their parents care. “Maltreatment,
such as neglect, and the removal from parents (foster care) are traumatic events that can
affect the immediate and future developmental and mental health of children” (Bruskas,
2008). Bruskas (2008) synthesized crucial research regarding foster care and the factors
that contribute to their vulnerability as a population. Among those factors were mental
health outcomes, educational outcomes and oppression affecting foster youth. As cited in
Bruskas (2008), US DHHS reported that “over half of children in foster care may
experience at least one or more mental disorder” (US DHHS, 2007, p. 71). Additionally,
adolescence whom are unable to express their feelings or concerns about their life are
likely to become depressed and consequently become victims of oppression.
Sexual abuse is a common form of maltreatment for children entering the foster
care system. According to research done by the American Humane Society, “an estimated
9.3 percent of confirmed child abuse and neglect cases in 2005 involved sexual abuse”
(US Department of Health and Human Services). This figure translates to “83,800
victims in 2005 alone” (USDHHS, 2007). Sexual abuse in comparison to physical abuse
and neglect is the most unreported form of abuse due to the gruesome nature. One could
assume that there are thousands more that have not been reported but still affect foster
youth in the same manner.
The effects of sexual abuse have been thoroughly researched. Conte & Schuerman
(1988) compiled major findings on the effects of sexual abuse. A sample of 369 abused
children ages 4 to 17 were studied at the Sexual Assault Center in Seattle. Child Behavior
13
Profiles were obtained from the non-offending parent and complied in a spreadsheet.
Aggressive behavior and severely emotional issues were found to be the most pervasive.
Other identified behaviors were suicidal attempts, low self-esteem, depression and
nightmare/sleep disorder (Conte & Schuerman, 1988).
The lasting effects of trauma can greatly impact the lives of foster youth and
impede on their ability to succeed. This form of oppression typically translates into a
mental illness which will follow them throughout their adulthood. “Approximately 80%
of foster youth are diagnosed with a mental illness upon entering the foster system”
(Kerker & Dore, 2006) and are forced to cope with the diagnoses for the duration of their
life. According to Kerker and Dore (2006) the mental health problems that are exhibited
in foster youth are displayed in emotional and behavioral disturbances that are
conveniently labeled as conduct disorder, delinquency, depression and many others. In
addition to the mental illness that affects them; foster youth also have to cope with the
stigma of these labels.
African American female foster youth are an extremely oppressed population.
The youth that fit this description encompass a variety of stigmatized labels and therefore
have difficulty achieving success. Individually, each label carries a load that can easily
deter one from succeeding in society, however; when combining these labels together, it
makes its three times more difficult.
Success of an Oppressed Population
How will this population overcome such adversity? The self-fulfilling prophecy
states that one will become who they inherently want to become. For this reason, if they
14
believe they are destined for failure then they will fail. If they believe that they are able to
succeed, then they will succeed. What individual characteristics separate the two
perceptions of achieving success? Some would argue that one’s idea of their ability to
achieve success is greatly correlated with their self-esteem.
In our capitalist society, “the ultimate markers of success have been a mass
incorporation of Catholic and Jewish decedents of the Irish and southern Eastern
Europeans” (Crul & Mollenkopf, 2012 p. 46). Generally, this would mean adjusting to “a
reduction of cultural difference successfually adapt the mainstream culture. . . indicators
would be successful participation in labor markets, in housing markets, in schools, and in
politics” (Crul & Mollenkopf, 2012 p.52).
For many, this ideology of success is attainable with the right guidance and
dedication. However, for African American female foster youth, this idea of success is
difficult to achieve. Due to the multiple layers of oppression facing African Americans,
women, and foster youth, achieving society’s idea of success will seem almost
unattainable but not impossible. Although there are many individuals from this
population who become exhausted with consistently having to overcome obstacles and
various forms of adversity, there are some who manage to accomplish society’s idea of
success. What characteristics does one have to possess in order to overcome such
adversity?
African American female foster youth are labeled as an extremely oppressive
population. In comparison to White, middle/upper class, republican men, their ability to
achieve success is unfavorable. The factors that allow individuals in this population to
15
succeed are important to consider. However, those characteristics for African American
female foster youth have not been researched as a whole. Individually, each group has
identified different predictors of success
Success of African Americans
Studies have linked success to one’s self esteem. Some studies suggest “that
global self-esteem – a person’s overall evaluation of or appraisal of his or her self-worth,
-- has no important influence on relationship success, economic welfare and health”
(Orth, Robins, Widaman, 2011, p. 1271). Others studies argue that “self-esteem has a
significant impact on important life outcomes” (Orth, Robins, Widaman, 2011, p. 1271).
This idea has been critically analyzed for many years. Baumister et al. (2003) conducted
a meta-analysis on the research that has been done on self-esteem. The purpose of this
analysis was to “ascertain whether high self-esteem is in fact the cause of positive or
negative outcomes” (Baumister, 2003, 2). This study found that participants with higher
self-esteem scored higher on the self-administered questionnaire.
For African American female foster youth, race is an important variable that must
be considered when discussing self-esteem. Research has been done on how one’s
perception of their ethnicity affects their self-esteem. The social identity theory explains
how affiliation with ethnicity groups will affect one’s self-image. The author of the social
identity theory suggests that “ones identity as a member of a group is seen as an
important source of global self-esteem. Other studies have also supported the link
between identity and self-esteem.” (p. 166). Phinney et al (1997) studied the correlation
between ethnicity and self-esteem in 669 adolescents from a variety of ethnic
16
backgrounds. The purpose of the study was to look at a variety of ethnic groups (e.g.
African American, Latino, White, etc) and rate their self-esteem in comparison to others
within their group. An analysis of covariance of self-esteem was conducted for the entire
sample with ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, and gender. The results indicated that
group identity was an important factor when predicting global self-esteem. “The findings
regarding ethnic identity are consistent with other research showing a significant
relationship between self-esteem and a positive attachment to one’s racial or ethnic
group” (Bat Chava and Steen, 1996).
Historically, African Americans have struggled with accepting their physical
identity. Due to skin color, African Americans have been ranked in terms of their skin
complexion as a result of lighter skin being more acceptable during slavery. This idea has
been passed down generationally and has resulted in African Americans perceiving
themselves as more or less attractive dependent on their skin color. Wade (1996)
researched the effects of skin color on self-esteem and perceived attractiveness for
African Americans. 91 participants between 18 and 38 were randomly selected to
participate in a self-administered questionnaire that measured skin color and
attractiveness on a Black consciousness and Black identity scale. The results indicated
that African Americans who were lighter scored higher on the Black consciousness scale
were more likely to value their skin color. In addition to other studies on “the
relationships between skin color and self-esteem, and skin color and self-perceived
physical attractiveness incorporation Black consciousness measures finds that selfperceived physical attractiveness and self-esteem are moderated by Black consciousness
17
levels” (Wade, 1996). When people are more comfortable with their skin color, they will
feel more attractive and therefore obtain a higher self-esteem.
African American youth who grow up in their families are able to embrace their
differences and can appreciate being an African American. They are surrounded by
people who are similar to them and can explain their culture to them. African Americans
who are able to embrace their culture are able to develop a greater self-confidence than
those who grow up outside of their culture. Physical features that are looked down upon
by society will be embraced and will help them develop a positive self-image despite the
negative portrayal of the African American culture in society.
The construction of a positive or negative self-image for African Americans is
highly dependent on their perception of their skin color and other aspects of their physical
details that may be rejected by the larger society. One of these characteristics is the
quality of hair for African Americans – especially women. “Historically, the relationship
between African American women and their hair goes back to the days of slavery and is
connected with the notion of the color caste system: the belief that the lighter one’s skin
color, the better one is and the straighter hair is better than the kinky hair” (Patton, 2006).
African American foster youth do not have the benefit of family influence. They
are usually ashamed of their features and therefore do not have a positive self-image.
This is typically portrayed when dealing with their hair. They easily become frustrated
when they are unable to manage their naturally thick hair. Unless they have the benefit
African American foster care parents or group home staff then they will have nobody to
teach them about their hair.
18
The African American identity traditionally has two approaches to how those
perceive this ethnicity. The first approach is characterized by stigmas and other negative
perceptions. The second approach characterizes the African American ethnicity as a selfconstructed idea of what it means to be “Black” including personal beliefs and attitudes
about the culture. Sellers et al. (1998) argued that African American identity does not
solely rely on one approach, rather a combination of the two. Racial salience, racial
ideology and appraisal/construal were all identified as being directly related to their
behavior. This new racial identity model for African Americans is essential for
understanding how African Americans perceive themselves and in-turn how that affects
their self-esteem.
The family system is particularly important for African American adolescent
females. The family is where females look to for messages about what they can become
in life. “Connections with mothers have been shown to be highly influential on their
daughter’s development” (Kerplan et al, 2002). Specifically in regards to how African
American females perceive their self and their future will highly depend on their
relationship with their mother. Kerplan et al. (2002) conducted research on African
American mothers and daughters on their beliefs about future academic and career goals.
This study used a sample size of 22 pairs of mothers and daughters to examine their
relationship and how that influenced the child’s aspirations or plans for the future. Open
interviews were conducted using Q sort methodology. The results indicated that mothers
and daughters who engaged in goal focused efforts were more likely to share the same
beliefs about career and success.
19
African American identity development holds historical significance to those in
the culture. Due to oppression and stigmas that characterize the African American
ethnicity as less than or devalued has caused many to struggle with the idea of belonging
to such a group. Although such perceptions have not been altered by some, the way in
which African Americans view themselves have changed drastically. Sellers et al. (1998)
discussed a reconceptualization of the African American identity with the goal of
discovering “ . . . both the significance of the race in the self-concepts of African
Americans and the qualitative meanings they attribute to being members of that racial
category” (Sellers, et al. 1998, p. 19).
For African Americans, success can be defined as the ability to gain status
mobility. “Status mobility is the socially, or culturally approved strategy for getting ahead
within a given population or a given society” (Fordham & Ogbu, 1986, p. 179). Due to
the oppression facing African Americans, it is no surprise that parents of African
American children want to do whatever they can to help their children succeed. This is
sometimes done inadvertently. For example, assuring their children get an education and
role modeling ways of overcoming everyday obstacles. The ability to have control over
your life was found to be an important variable when discussing the success of African
Americans.
The amount of control one has over their life can be described with locus of
control. Graham (1994) discusses the impact of locus of control on African American
families. He stated that “locus of control refers to generalized beliefs about the cause of
outcomes and reinforcements” (p.69). There are individuals who perceive themselves as
20
having little control over their lives versus individuals who perceive themselves as having
no control. In regards to African Americans, locus of control was found to have a ‘central
role in their motivation” (p. 69).
Attempting to gain education is an example of how African Americans utilize
locus of control. Poverty or a low socioeconomic status can lead to powerlessness,
however; African Americans, who have a high locus of control, will attempt to change
that by getting an education. Higher education has been linked to getting better jobs and
earning a higher salary. Studies show that by the twenty first century, one in three jobs
will require schooling beyond the high school level (Freeman, 2013). For this reason,
African Americans would greatly benefit from earning their high school diploma and
continuing on to higher education. Their ability to gain employment will impact their
ability to overcome the adversity and be successful. However, this idea can only be
achieved if they are able to overcome the multitude of societal imbedded barriers such as
the cycle of poverty.
Predictors of success for African Americans are highly dependent of their
resilience. Haight et al. (2009) studied resilience in African American foster youth were
mother’s during their time in the foster system. This research focused on the challenges
facing those youth and what contributed to their ability to overcome that adversity. 3
African American mothers in the foster system participated in 10 in-depth sessions with
the researcher. Sessions included discussions on how they perceived their situation, how
others perceived their situation and how they were able to maintain a positive attitude.
The discussions were recorded and coded. The findings suggest that these mothers shared
21
similar characteristics that contributed to their resiliency such as positive value of
children and motherhood, spirituality, social support and oppositional gaze – resisting
negativity and pessimism.
Spirituality, social support and oppositional gaze were proven factors that
contributed to success for African Americans in general contexts as well. Historically,
African Americans have traditionally relied on religious or spiritual avenues to help cope
with difficult times. A variety of research has confirmed the idea that African Americans
cope with life stressors by utilizing spirituality and other social support. Significant
findings were found discussing quality of life and coping strategies. It was found that
African Americans had an increased quality of life when utilizing spiritual coping
methods.
Church provides a positive social network for the African American community.
The religious groups often have older women who are able to instill wisdom and pass on
advice to those seeking mentorship. This is also a place where African Americans can
receive spiritual guidance and regain hope when obstacles continually come their way.
Mattis (2000) conducted research on African American religiosity and found that
“religiosity and spirituality influence almost every domain of the African American life”
(Mattis, 2000, p. 102).
Mentorship has also been a technique used to combat oppression for African
Americans. There have been multiple studies that have explored methods of alleviating
the factors that have placed this population at risk. One study aimed to address the
psychosocial needs of this population by providing mentors. In the initial stages of the
22
study, the youth (from all different ethnicities) were assessed for hopelessness, behavioral
challenges and delinquency. Each child was given a mentor to address these issues and
then assessed in the end of the study. African American youth showed a significant
difference in results when given a mentor. This difference was only seen in this ethnic
group. This data suggest that African Americans benefit from mentorship.
Success of Women. Predictors of success for women are highly related to their
ability to overcome struggles forced on them by a male dominated society. Women have
difficulties overcoming adversity due to living in a society dominated by men. This idea
was researched at Johns Hopkins University by a team of professionals in the public
health sector. Campo et al (2002) conducted qualitative research on 245 women currently
living in a shelter or outpatient treatment center. Most of these women had endured
physical, sexual or emotional abuse and were currently seeking relief from their abusive
households. This study explored the variety of resources that were required for these
women to become successful and more importantly, the availability of these resources. It
was found that 70% of these women did not receive appropriate assistance that they
needed to stay out of their violent environment and live a successful independent life.
This research determined that there is a need for more job and educational services for
this population.
Despite the difficulty it can be for women to join the workforce, the struggle does
not stop there. There has been a long history of workforce discrimination toward women.
According The Wall Street Journal, it was found that 46% of women said they have
experienced discrimination as a result of being female, [which was] an increase from a
23
survey previously (Nelson, 2013). Women continually have to compete with their male
counterpart in the workforce and are sometimes offered lesser salaries for the same
position. In order for women to be successful workforce, they have to learn how to earn
respect in their profession.
Society has placed a significant amount of pressure of women to maintain a
certain standard of beauty. For some, this is more attainable due to being genetically
predisposed to the ideal body type. However, for others, standard of beauty is unrealistic.
The media portrays attractive women as being tall, thin with a fair skin complexion.
Those who are out of that realm are considered unattractive and therefore devalued by
society.
For adolescent girls who are still developing an identity, this could be a very
troubling time in their life if they have discovered that they do not have the ideal body
type. Billboards, television and magazine ads all influence women’s attitudes about their
identity.
Success of Foster Youth. Children in the foster care system struggle with creating
a positive self-image and high self-esteem for themselves due to lack of a connection
with their biological family. Family connectedness is an important factor for adolescent
self-esteem for foster children. Salahu-Din (1994) researched the significance of family
connectedness for foster children and their birth parents in relation with their level of
self-esteem. A random sample of 116 youth was interviewed on their perception of their
current foster family and their affiliation with their birth parents. “The results suggests
that self-esteem of youth with lower identification with their birth family tends to be
24
lower than that of youth who had higher identification with their birth families” (SalahuDin, 1994). Foster care children who had a higher connection with their birth families
also had higher self-esteem.
The ability to connect with the roots of your ethnicity has been found to be a
predictor of success in the foster care system. “Anecdotal evidence from social workers
suggests that positive ethnic identity may help youth cope with adversity” (O’Brien et al.,
2008). A study was conducted with 118 foster youth, using in person interviews to
understand their experiences in their culture while living in foster placements. A
Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) was used to quantify their cultural
experiences for African American, Hispanic/Latino and White ethnicities. “Black youth
and Hispanic/Lantino youth had significant higher scores than White” (O’Brien, 2008),
suggesting that the youth of color had more understanding of their cultural traditions and
ethnic background. Evidence suggest that “supporting youth of color in ethnic identity
formation may result in the development of pride, increased self-esteem and a stronger
feeling of connectedness with one’s culture” (O’Brien, 2008).
Identity Development for African American adolescent foster youth is an
upheaval challenge that many African Americans are faced with. Daughtery (2011) stated
that “young women perceive at the onset of adolescence that they belong to a class of
humans who are socially devalued” (Daughtery, 2011 p. 457). African American females
in the foster system struggle with this concept and work to overcome this adversity.
Identity development for African American females in foster care was examined in a
qualitative study using semi structured interviews for ten adults African Americans who
25
were formally apart of the foster care system. This study focused on adult connectedness
indicated by the availability of parents, the presence of emotion and spirituality. It was
found that most of the participants reported “. . . attempts to resist the negativity imposed
by foster care status” (Daughtery, 2011, p. 461). Significant findings also existed for the
importance of spirituality for African American adolescent females in the foster system.
God was considered an important component for surviving in the foster care system as an
African American. Many identified God as the only one who truly loved them. Identity
development for African American adolescents in the foster system was found to be
greatly influenced by their connection to God.
Success for foster youth is highly related to one’s resilience which Drapeau et al.
defines as one’s ability to overcome obstacles and is therefore a “characteristic that can
develop over time” as opposed to a fixed attribute. The notion that resiliency can be
developed at any developmental stage is extremely important when discussing how foster
youth overcome oppression and adversity. A qualitative study with 12 foster youth was
conducted with the purpose of identifying the characteristics that foster youth possess
when they are resilient. After conducting interviews and a likert scale questionnaire in
about their past adversity and current attitudes, it was found that resilient youth were
confronted with three different turning points. These turning points were described as
action, relation and reflection and displayed by situations confronting foster youth
(action), positive adults that helped (relation) and the child’s perception of how that
affected their life (reflection). Youth who identified that action as negative and had a
positive adult for social support were more likely to use that situation as a turning point
26
and were inclined to redirect their life in a positive direction. It was also found that
resilient youth were more likely to distance themselves from negative affiliations such as
gangs and violence. Obstacles and adversity does not stop confronting foster youth;
however, such struggles no longer affect resilient foster youth in the same manner due to
a positive attitude.
Adversity facing foster youth have be have been characterized by maltreatment
indicated by neglect and physical/sexual abuse. Children who are victims of maltreatment
are likely to experience problems developing healthy adult relationships, and other issues
affecting one’s developmental age. However, success is not completely out of reach for
foster youth. As cited in Hines et al. (2005), formally maltreated youth were found to be
successful if “. . . they had one of the following characteristics: a good relationship with a
caregiving adult, high IQ, special talent, physical attractiveness, social skills, a supportive
spouse, strong religious affiliations. . .” and many more.
Qualitative research was conducted to determine common characteristics that
foster youth possess when they have reached a point of success – a college education.
Resilience was measured in 14 former foster youth with the purpose of identifying
adversity and their subsequent achievement despite such obstacles. In depth interviews
were conducted and a completion of a self-administered questionnaire directly followed.
Results indicated that “individual attributes including assertiveness, independence, goal
orientation, persistence, the determination to be different from abusive adults, the ability
to accept help, a flexible and adaptable self-image and the ability to make conscious
changes” (Hines, 2005, p. 391) were all necessary characteristic for success in foster
27
youth. Most of the participants in the study stated that they made deliberate choices to
participate in college prep courses or gifted classes during elementary years. Therefore, in
addition to positive the individual characteristics previously listed, the ability to make
good choices was also an important factor in their success.
The ability to attain employment is an important factor for foster youth. Poverty is
a common factor that typically leads to severe neglect or even physical abuse due to the
stress that poverty can bring in the household. A study conducted in at the University of
Chicago explored the issues surrounding employment for foster youth. A multivariate
analysis was conducted for over 30,000 foster youth. They were separated in to groups
that were labeled, aged out, reunified or AFDC. The AFDC group receives government
assistance at the age of 18 due to personal circumstances. The research found that youth
who had a job at least 2 years after reaching the age of 18 were more likely to have
higher wages later in life. This data was conducted over a 13 quarter time span (3 years
and 3 months). For this reason, it is reasonable to believe that foster youth who attain a
job by the age of 18 will have a higher chance of earning higher wages than those who do
not have employment by this age.
The desire to want to succeed should not be overlooked when discussing one’s
ability to overcome adversity. This inner desire to want to achieve high standards and
become productive members of society is important to consider. This could be described
as one’s motivation. Motivation can be defined as “one’s expectancy for success for how
they will do on upcoming tasks, either in the immediate or long term future” (Wigfield &
Eccles, 2000, p. 70). This article described one’s motivation as a “stable characteristics in
28
which they had little control” due to the focus on one’s personal beliefs on their ability.
Ability was determined be an important factor that contributed to the amount of
motivation they possessed. For this reason, one’s natural drive to succeed/motivation will
be a key variable in this research.
29
CHAPTER 3
METHODS
Study Objectives
The purpose of this research project was to research explore what motivates
African American female foster youth to succeed despite their current obstacles. African
American female foster youth were determined to be a marginalized population that
experience great difficulties when attempting to function in the dominant society. In this
research, it was hypothesized that higher self-esteem would correlate with an increase in
their drive to succeed. It was also hypothesized that females with a positive self-image
would have higher self-esteem than females with a poorer self-image.
This hypothesis was research utilizing convenient sampling. The researcher
contacted caregivers of African American female foster youth via telephone. The
caregivers were foster parents or group home staff. The researcher interviewed the
caregivers on how motivated their youth was to succeed. The researcher also inquired
about the youth’s self-image and how that affected their self-esteem.
Study Design
This was a qualitative research project that examined how self-esteem and other
outside variables affected the motivation to succeed for African American female foster
youth. Variables such as school attendance, participation in activities, religion,
mentorship, etc. were explored as possible variables that affect one’s desire to succeed.
The researcher conducted structured interviews with the caregivers of African
American female foster youth. The researcher had some open ended and some close
30
ended questions. Open ended questions were used in discussing different aspects of the
youth’s self-image and self-esteem. Close ended questions were in a yes or no format.
Yes or no responses were given in response to questions addressing various variables that
could affect their desire to succeed (e.g. religion, mentorship, school, etc). However,
longer responses were documented for participants who gave narrative responses to yes
or no questions.
Data Collection Procedures
Caregivers for African American female foster were the sample. These caregivers
were all located in the Sacramento region. The researcher contacted the caregivers via
email or telephone and requested their participation in an interview. During the initial
conversation, an appointment was made for a face to face interview. These interviews
took place in a variety of places but the most common was a local coffee shop.
This interview began with the signing of a consent form. A copy of the consent
form can be found in section 1 of the appendix section. The researcher read and explained
the purpose of the research. The researcher also explained that they had the right to
decline any answer and request to end the interview at any time. The interview began
once the participants had a good understanding and consent form was signed. The
consent form was the only document that contained the participants’ name. It was
separated from the interview form before beginning the interview.
A questionnaire was used to guide the interview. This questionnaire can be found
in section 2 of the appendix. The interview was focused on the caregiver’s perspective of
the self-esteem, self-image and other variables discussed. The researcher documented
31
their responses on an interview form. The interview form contained no identifying
information. Each participant was given a number that was placed on the top of the form.
The interviews took between 20 and 30 minutes. At the end of the interview, the
researcher thanked them for their participation and immediately placed their interview in
a folder and placed it in a secured file cabinet.
Instruments
For this research, there were minimal instruments required. The researcher used a
paper and pen to documents the interview responses. When the consent form was
collected and the interview form was complete, they were placed in a secured file cabinet.
This file cabinet contained a lock and key and was kept in the researcher’s residence.
Microsoft Word and Excel were used to categorize the contents from the
interview. Microsoft Word was used to write out the open ended responses. Close ended
questioned were categorized using the charts and graphs from Excel.
Data Analysis
Qualitative data was transcribed and coded for common themes and compared to
one another. Critical information was displayed in table format. The frequency of the
variables was be counted and analyzed. The findings were displayed in a graph and then
qualitatively analyzed.
The dependent variable was success. This variable was defined as one’s ability to
gain status mobility. The primary independent variable was defined as physical selfesteem. This variable was defined as one’s physical features. Questions regarding selfimage were indicators of this variable. The second independent variable was inner self-
32
esteem. Indicators of this variable were motivational factors that included school
attendance, participation in sports, being a role model, and many others.
Each variable was examined independently. Responses from participants were
recorded and used to validate the researcher’s statements. In regards to the fourteen
variables that were explored, the researcher calculated the yes and no response, computed
percentages and placed them in a graph. The percentage of each variable was discussed
thoroughly and independently. Variables were analyzed conjointly in the final chapter of
this paper.
Protection of Human Subjects
This research was submitted to the Institutional Review Board. The content of the
questionnaire was revised in order to protect participants from any undue stress. Content
pertaining to mental health and past trauma were not included in this research.
Additionally, the identity of the African American female foster youth was kept
confidential as well. The caregiver/participant was asked to not use the name of the child
whom was discussed. Additionally, the name of the caregiver who participated in the
research was also kept confidential. The name of the participant was signed on the
consent form, however; this form was kept separate from the questionnaire.
Narrative responses received from the participants were not discussed with
outside parties. The data was collected and used for educational purposes only. The
participant was also asked to keep the interview confidential to preserve the dignity and
worth of the youth discussed.
33
CHAPTER 4
STUDY FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The purpose of this research was to determine the factors that affect African
American female foster youth achieve success. For the purposes of this research, success
was defined as one’s position to achieve status mobility. Fordham and Ogbu (1986)
describe the status mobility system as “the socially approved strategy for getting ahead
within a given population or a given society” (p. 179). For this research, indicators of
success would be school attendance, participation in extracurricular activities, desire to
obtain employment or participate in volunteer activities, staying away from negativity
(e.g. drugs, gangs, fighting) or being a role model for other children.
African American female foster youth have been identified as a vulnerable
population with a multitude of obstacles and an inherited disposition in society. For this
reason, this research explored possible methods that African American female foster
youth have utilized in order to overcome their obstacles and achieve success.
Self-esteem was hypothesized as an important variable that could affect their
ability to overcome adversity. Success was identified as the dependent variable. Physical
self-esteem – as it relates to one’s physical appearance – was identified as an independent
variable. Physical self-esteem was tested with questions regarding self-image.
Additionally, inner self-esteem – as it relates to one’s natural internal drive to succeed –
was also labeled as the secondary independent variable. This variable was tested with
questions regarding the youth’s desire to get involved in extracurricular activities, sports,
34
school, etc. It was hypothesized that physical self-esteem, as indicated by a positive selfimage, would affect African American female foster youth’s drive to succeed. Inner selfesteem was hypothesized to be a possible contribution to that success.
OVERALL FINDINGS
The results of this research indicated that physical self-esteem did not affect their
drive to succeed. As indicated in Table 1, only 30% of participates stated that their youth
had a positive self-image, however; 85% of participants believed their youth had a drive
to succeed. In this research, physical self-esteem was defined as one’s physical features
affecting their motivation to excel in a variety of areas of life (e.g. school, church, sports,
etc.). Physical self-esteem was measured by responses to questions on self-image. The
researcher asked specific questions relating to their self-image and how that affected their
drive to succeed.
Participants were asked to give brief statements regarding their youth’s selfimage. The researcher inquired about the participants’ perception of how the youth felt
35
about their hair, skin color, body type and overall self-image. Participants gave responses
based on how they believed their youth felt about each of those categories. It was
hypothesized that youth who portrayed a positive self-image would also portray high selfesteem. However, the null hypothesis was rejected. Participants gave a variety of
responses but most of them did not indicate that a positive self-image had any effect on
their self-esteem.
For instance, participant number 1 stated that the youth had “false self-esteem”.
This participant described the youth as “pretending to feel good about herself when she
was around her friends but would show her insecurities when talking to staff one on one”.
The participant rated this youth a 6 ½ due to her ability to “hold it together through the
day”. This participant stated that “the reason she was able to fake her self-confidence was
because she thought she looked good. She knew she had a nice figure and she would use
that to her advantage”. The participant described this youth as someone who used her
body as a way to be popular and fit in. For this reason, she attracted negative attention
from boys and became sexually active at the young age of 12. The participant stated that
“unfortunately, her false sense of self-esteem was the cause of her downfall in the group
home”.
Many of the participants shared stories similar to this one but other’s reported that
their youth put little emphasis on their appearance and were able to do really well.
Participant 12 reported that the youth “was really big and rarely did anything with her
hair but she always did well in school”. She further stated that she “got involved in
basketball even though people teased her. She had to learn how to handle being a big
36
girl”. This participant shared that this youth graduated with honors and eventually went
off to college.
Self-image was discussed in terms of how the youth felt about their hair, body and
skin color. In regards to hair, 65% of participants stated that their youth was unhappy
with their hair. Many stated that their hair was “too thick” or “nappy”. Other participants
stated that their youth was “confused because she did not know how to do it”. It is
important to note that African American female foster youth with thicker hair were
perceived as being less happy with their hair as opposed to the females with smoother
hair.
In regards to their skin color, 35% of participants stated that their youth was not
happy with their skin color as indicated by consistent negative comments regarding their
skin complexion. Participant 5 reported their youth “never had anything nice to say about
herself. She always compared herself to the lighter skinned girls…even celebrities. She
would make jokes about being so dark that she would disappear in the dark”. Participants
overwhelmingly reported more dark skinned girls being unhappy with their skinned
color. 40% of participants stated that they did not know how their youth felt about their
skin color because it was never mentioned. Participant 19 stated “I don’t think she felt
any type of way about her skin. She never talked about it…so I can do is say I don’t
know”. This was a popular response when discussing skin color. Lastly, only 25% of
participants stated that their youth was blatantly happy about their skin complexion.
Participant 8 stated that their youth would “spend her spare time taking pictures of herself
37
and would compare herself to Beyoncé….One time she said, see I’m not hecka black like
some of these other girls. I would be ugly if I was dark”.
In regards to their body, 50% of participants stated that their youth was not happy
with their body. Participants stated that youth “felt too fat” and “always wore clothes to
hide her body”. The other 50% were happy with their bodies and would “wear tight
clothes to show off their cleavage and butt”.
Overall, the findings indicated that 70% of caregivers stated that their youth did
not have a positive self-image and 30% of caregivers believed their youth did have a
positive self-image. On the other hand, 85% of caregivers believed that their youth had a
desire to succeed, compared to 15% who stated that their youth did not have a desire to
succeed. These findings do not support the hypothesis. According to the findings, selfimage does not affect African American female foster youth’s drive to succeed.
In addition to questions on self-image, participants were asked to rate their
youth’s self-esteem on a scale of zero to ten. Zero represented a youth who was
completely lacking self-esteem as indicated by their lack of motivation to get through the
day, which was illustrated by poor attendance in school, a lack of involvement in
extracurricular activities and having an overall negative attitude. Ten represented a youth
who had a high level of self-esteem which was expressed by their positive attitude and an
increased motivation to excel in academics and extracurricular activities. It was
hypothesized that a high self-esteem rating would positively correlate a positive selfimage. However, the majority of the participants did provide not give responses to
support that hypothesis. For example, many participants described their youth as having a
38
positive self-image as indicated by positive responses on the self-image questions.
However, when questioned on the self-esteem rating, many participants gave their youth
a score of 5 or below which indicated that their youth had low self-esteem.
Based on the findings, self-image was not determined to not be a variable that
affected African American female foster youth’s drive to succeed. For this reason,
variables pertaining to inner self esteem were explored. There were 14 categories that
discussed were in the interview. Each variable was an illustration of how determined the
youth was to succeed. Figure 2 outlines the 14 variables that were explored in this
research.
Participants were asked if their youth had employment or if they were interested
in gaining employment. 15% of participants stated that their youth had after school or
summer jobs. Participant 11 stated that her youth “liked to make her own money. She did
not like that she had to rely on us to give her money. Although it was just a McDonald’s
39
job, it taught her how to be responsible”. The other 85% stated that their youth was either
too young or was not interested in having a job at all. Participant 13 stated that their
youth “was too young to even think about having a job. She really didn’t understand the
concept of working yet. She was only 13”. Participant 15 stated that her youth “really
didn’t care about having a job because she would get money not matter what”.
Employment was explored as a variable that could indicate the youth’s willingness to
work hard and move forward; however, it became a test of maturity. The majority of
participants stated that their youth was not ready to have a job because of the instability
of their lives.
The researcher inquired about volunteerism. Participants were asked if their youth
volunteered or was interested in volunteering. 40% of participants said yes. Participant 2
stated that her youth “was interested in going to college and was working on collecting
volunteer hours. She helped out a pet store cleaning cages on the weekend”. 60% of
participants stated that their youth were not interested in volunteering for several reasons.
Participant 20 stated that their youth “already had a lot of meetings to go to due to her
mental illness. She would not be able to volunteer because it would just add more stress
to her life”. Similar to employment, volunteerism was explored with the purpose of
learning about their willingness to work and get involved in something that could provide
valuable experience for the future. However, this research showed that volunteerism was
more of a “readiness” issue rather than a work ethic issue.
In regards to sports, 40% of participants said that their youth participated in sport
activities. Some described this involvement as an after school activity that kept them
40
focused on something other than their home life. Others such as participant 9 stated that
their youth “would play sports with community kids”. This participant believed that her
youth “was very active and wanted to feel normal by doing things other kids did”. She
described her youth as being “overwhelmed with always going to services, therapy and
other system activities”. The other 60% stated that their youth had no desire to participate
in sports because of group home restrictions and difficulty with transportation. Of the
60% that made this statement, one participant stated that “it would have been too much
work to get her there and back. It ended up being more of a hardship rather than
something that she really enjoyed”.
Although only 40% of participants stated that their youth participated in sports,
65% stated that their youth had a hobby that they used as a coping skill. Participants
described hobbies such as sewing, scrapbooking, doing nails, reading, and many others.
The researcher inquired about the youth’s participation in church and their
spirituality. Church was described as attending a religious service of their choice,
whereas, spirituality was described as their acknowledgment and connectedness to a
higher being. 40% of participants stated that their youth participated in church on a
weekly or monthly basis. Participant 18 stated that her youth “made it a habit to go to
church every Sunday”. This participant reported that her youth would “participate in
church activities and seemed to really enjoy it”. In regards to spirituality, 60% of
participants stated that they believed their youth has some sense of spirituality. This was
indicated by their youth listening to gospel music, having a bible, wearing a crucifix
necklace, praying, etc. The researcher inquired about ways in which their youth used their
41
spirituality. Participant 11 stated that her youth “called her mom when she was in crisis
and prayed with her”. However, participant 11 also stated that her youth did not attend
church because she “never wanted to go”.
The researcher inquired about youth’s desire to be role models for others. This
was defined as leading by example when impressionable people (e.g. younger children)
were present. 45% of participants described their youth as role models. Participant 3
stated that her youth “only acted right when her younger brother and sister came to visit.
She would talk to them on the phone about doing the right thing. She even shared when
she would get good grades”. This participant believed that her youth was “motivated by
the fact that her younger brother and sister looked up to her”.
The researcher also inquired about the youth’s desire to learn a trade or a
vocation. This would be indicated by the youth talking to the caregiver about their desire
to learn a trade/vocation or if the caregiver observed something that would indicate their
interest in learning more. 45% of participants stated that their youth were interested in
learning a trade/vocation. For example, participant 1 stated that that their youth “had very
low self-esteem because she was 14 and read at a 1st grade reading level. But she really
wanted to learn how to cook. She had several cook books and would just look at the
pictures. She was always eager to help out in the kitchen”. The participant stated that
cooking was eventually used as an incentive when she was having a bad day.
Participants were also asked if their youth was a part of any positive social
groups. These groups were defined as school clubs, church groups and any other group
that would provide a positive influence due to their participation. 45% of participants
42
stated that their youth was a part of a positive social group. Most of the participants stated
that their youth were involved in school clubs or after school activities. Of the 55% that
stated that their youth was not a part of a positive social group, many of those participants
were group home staff. Many of the group home staff indicated that their youth attended
school on site and therefore only left the facility to attend outings or go on a home visit.
One group home staff stated that their youth “hung out with a positive group of girls in
the group home. None of them were ever a problem. It seemed to work for several
months but after a while, that group deteriorated”.
School attendance was an important variable that was discussed. The researcher
asked about the youth’s attendance in school and the kind of grades they received. 50%
of participants stated that their youth went to school almost every day and the other 50%
stated that their youth rarely attended school. Of the 50% whom had youth who attended
school on a regular basis, most of them reported that their youth were earning average to
excellent grades. Participant 10 stated that their youth “never wanted to miss school. She
even took on extra classes. She was motivated to do well”. Participant 14 stated that their
youth “frequently skipped school. When she was at school, she would get suspended for
fighting or something”. Factors that could also affect school attendance and school
performance are IQ and mental health, however; these factors were not discussed.
The researcher also inquired about mentorship. Participants were asked if their
youth had a mentor available for them. 50% stated that they had a mentor such as a wrap
worker, CASA worker or counselor whom they could rely on to offer emotional support.
A mentor was also described as a family member or a staff member who had a positive
43
rapport with the youth. Many participants described mentors as people outside of the
home that they could also call when they were unable to talk to them. The youth and
caregiver seemed to benefit from the mentor.
Participants were asked about the youth’s ability to stay away from negativity.
This negativity was defined as gang involvement, drugs, fighting and other activity that
could lead to imprisonment. 55% of caregivers stated that their youth stayed away from
such negativity. For example, participant 16 stated that their youth “used to be in a gang.
It was hard for her to leave because of the repercussions but she eventually did. Since
then, she hasn’t been smoking, drinking or fighting. Her life has really changed for the
better”. This participant stated that this youth was excited about life after foster care. She
was 17 years old and was ready to have a better life.
The researcher asked about the youth’s interest in college. 55% of participants
stated that their youth was interested in college. This would include attending a
community college or a university. Of the 55%, many participants stated that they have
talked about it but may not know how to get there. The other 45% that did not suggest
that they had any interest in college were not ready to discuss that step in their life. For
example, one participant stated that her youth was just entering high school and was
already struggling in school.
Lastly, participants were asked if their youth had an internal drive to do better.
This was a general question that was asked at the very end of the questionnaire. A “drive
to do better” was described as the youth showing the caregiver that they wanted to be
successful. 85% of caregivers stated that their youth had the drive to do better.
44
Participants made statements such as “she really does want to do well but when things
don’t go as planned, she just can’t control her anger” or “She does want to do better but
when her family is not around then she feels alone and doesn’t care anymore”. Few
participants, only 15%, stated that they did not believe that their youth had the drive to do
better. One participant stated that her youth “didn’t care about anything. She was going
nowhere fast”.
Caregivers were asked which categories they felt their foster youth utilized to help
them cope with their obstacles. Many of the caregivers stated that their connection to
their biological family really impacted their ability to overcome obstacles. Family was
identified as a variable that greatly impacted the youth while they were in foster care.
According to caregivers, when the youth did not feel like their family had given up on
them, they were more likely to do better. Others felt that the youth really benefited from
out of home activities such as church and after school activities. Many participants
stressed the importance of integrating these youth into the normal communities because
the foster care community could be somewhat isolating.
Interpretations to the Findings
Self-image does not have a significant impact on African American female foster
youths’ drive to overcome obstacles. The data indicates that self-image does not greatly
impact their self-esteem.
One participant described her youth as “feeling good about herself”. She stated
that “she always had her hair done and wore nice clothes”. However, when the researcher
inquired about the girl’s motivation to succeed, the participant stated that “she never
45
wanted to do anything besides hang out. She felt good about herself but she never wanted
to do anything productive”. This was a youth who had high self-esteem but had no drive
to better her. Another participant stated something similar. She reported that her foster
daughter “loved her body and everything to do with herself” but she never “went to
school and was constantly fighting with other girls”.
These are two examples of how self-image and high self-esteem would no
automatically correlate with an increased drive to succeed. The same was true for girls
with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem did not always correlate with a lack of motivation
to succeed.
One participant described a girl in her group home as “not motivated to do
anything with her hair.” She described her as “very lazy in her appearance” and never
“wanting to do things to make herself feel good”. However, in terms of her motivation to
succeed, the participant stated that she always went above and beyond to get good grades.
In her case, the participant believed that she was setting a good example for her siblings.
This caregiver believed that the youth cared more about her siblings succeeding than
about her appearance.
Many caregivers discussed girls with pseudo-confidence. Pseudo-confidence can
be defined as someone who pretends to have a positive self-image or high self-esteem but
is actually lacking those characteristics. The majority of the participants described many
of the African American female foster youth as having “fake confidence” which was
displayed when in groups of peers. Foster parents and group home staff all discussed
46
personal conversations that they have had with these youth and subsequently learned that
they were silently suffering with deep rooted insecurities.
The most shocking of the results was the percentage of African American female
foster youth who had a desire to succeed despite having low self-esteem. According to
the data collected, 85% of African American female foster youth had a desire to succeed
but only 30% had a positive self-image. Many of the youth described were involved in
hobbies which distracted them from their trials and tribulations and/or were motivated by
their religion.
Summary
Overall, participants all indicated the importance of support. The African
American female foster youth all had a variety of support networks. Group home staff,
foster parents, mentors, CASA workers, etc. each played a part in the child’s drive to
overcome their obstacles. The few children that were determined to have no drive to
succeed were all lacking a support network.
Based on the caregiver’s perspective, self-image did not correlate with the youth’s
desire to succeed. In most circumstances, self-image did affect their self-esteem but it did
not affect their motivation to succeed. Motivation to succeed was greatly affected by the
amount of social support around them.
The results of the research indicate that self-esteem alone is not a variable that
African American female foster youth can rely on to get them through hardships. As
illustrated by the results, this population would require a combination of other
47
environmental factors such as mentorship, spirituality, social support, and many others.
Caregivers of this population should be encouraged to read the attached pamphlet – A
Guide to helping African American female foster youth. This is a best practice summary
of best practice techniques that would be helpful for caregivers.
Best Practices for Foster youth:
A Guide to Helping African American Female Foster Youth Overcome Adversity
Based on this research and other available studies relevant to this population; a
quick reference was created to support caregivers of African American female foster
youth. This pamphlet will incorporate practice strategies that have been successful in the
past as well as new practice tools suggested by the author.

Increase cultural pride and subsequently enhance their self-esteem by:
o
taking your youth to cultural festivals that portray African Americans as
confident and positive leaders in the community
o providing information on African American leaders to reinforce the
success of African Americans and dispel negative stereotypes
o allowing your youth to connect with biological family and learn how their
culture is represented in their own lives
o encouraging them to learn about hair care

Provide social support that encourages youth to make positive choices
48
o Surround your youth with role models
o Encourage them to explore spirituality and/or embrace their current
religion by taking them to the religious services of their choice
o Utilize

Foster their inner drive to succeed
o Show an interest in their special talent or hobby by participating with them
or allowing them to teach you about it.
o Praise them for their achievements – even the small ones as this will
encourage them to experience what success feels like.
o Get them excited about their future by talking about their options and
taking steps to make it possible. This may include taking tours of college
campuses, visiting vocational schools or allowing them to shadow a
person in the career of their choice.
CHAPTER 5
49
CONCLUSION, SUMMARY AND RECCOMENDATIONS
Summary of Study
The purpose of this research was to examine what variables allowed African
American female foster youth to overcome socially constructed obstacles. Such obstacles
could be described as social stigmas that are based on race, sex, gender and class. Based
on the literature, these social constructs greatly affect African American female foster
youth due to their oppressive circumstances.
Individually, African Americans, females and foster youth have all been
categorized an oppressive and marginalized populations that are vulnerable to poverty,
developing mental illness and having high unemployment rates. Historically, each of
these populations has had rates high of imprisonment, homelessness or the victims of
violent crimes. Theoretically it can be assumed that individuals that possess all these
labels would be three times as likely to experience the hardships associated with their
marginalized populations.
Based on the statistics, this research looked for the exception. African America
female foster youth have not always been victims of their circumstances. What variables
affect whether this population will overcome their socially constructed hardships? This
research hypothesized that African American female foster youth, with high self-esteem
would have a greater chance at overcoming these obstacles. The literature suggests that a
positive self-image correlates with high self-esteem and that could impact their drive to
succeed.
50
This research primarily explored self-image and self-esteem as variables that
could predict whether African American female foster youth had the drive to overcome
adversity. A variety of other variables (e.g. spirituality, mentorship, school, etc.) were
also explored as possible methods for their drive to overcome adversity. Based on the
data collected, self-esteem and a positive self-image had little to do with one’s desire to
overcome adversity. This research found that the majority of participants stated that their
youth had a personal desire to succeed, were motivated through religion and had hobbies
that all impacted their drive to want to their current oppressive circumstances.
Implications for Social Work
This research supported one of the social work codes of ethics. The NASW code
of ethics state that social workers should “value social justice”. The ethical principle
behind this was that social workers should “challenge social injustice…particularly with
and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people”. This
research hoped to provide information on how to better serve African American female
foster youth. The research has already provided the facts that show why African
American female foster youth are an extremely vulnerable and oppressed group. For this
reason, the purpose of this research was to discover what methods they used to overcome
the obstacles imposed on them by being a part of this population.
The field of social work could greatly benefit from the results of this study
because it will provide insight on what methods help African American female foster
youth succeed despite the obstacles that they have to face. This could potentially decrease
51
recidivism rates and increase the number of youth who do not become victims of their
circumstances.
This research examined the critical variables that could affect the success rate for
African American female foster youth. In this case, the success rate would be defined as
less African American female foster youth living in poverty, dealing with unemployment,
or homelessness. This data provides valuable information that could be utilized in foster
homes, group homes or other areas of micro practice that could be used to support foster
youth.
Eighty five percent of African American female foster youth had an inner drive to
succeed despite their current circumstances. This was the greatest value collected. For
this reason, social workers in the field of child welfare should be encouraged to explore
the child’s desire to succeed due its great significance of their individual desire to
overcome adversity.
This research emphasized the importance of resilience in African American
female foster youth. Child welfare social workers should be mindful of youth who
display little motivation.
Recommendations
Due to the importance of inner desire to succeed, empowerment groups should be
more readily available for African American female foster youth. Such resources would
link the youth to mentors and also allow them to have an increased desire to succeed. In
52
the past, empowerment groups have been used to increase strength and self-esteem in
women. This would be a positive resource for African American female foster youth.
The researcher also recommends that foster parents and group home staff be
trained to identify positive coping strategies that African American female foster youth
utilize to help manage the stress of their circumstances.
It is also recommended that foster parents and group home staff utilize the quick
reference included on this project. A Journey to Success: A Guide to Helping African
American Female Foster Youth Overcome Adversity. This pamphlet provides quick and
easy access to information on how to help the youth get motivated. It summarizes some
of the key findings of this research and is meant to serve the larger population with the
hopes of improving the outcome for African American female foster youth after foster
care.
Limitations
This research project consisted of several major limitations. Firstly, the sample
size consisted of only twenty individuals. More significant data could be collected if the
sample was increased.
This research could be improved if there was direct contact with African
American female foster youth. The researcher chose to communicate with the caregivers
of African American female foster youth due to the feasibility for this type of project. For
this reason, the data collected is not as reliable as it could be. It relied heavily on the
caregivers’ interpretation of the youth’s attitude, self-esteem and motivation. This
53
interpretation could be inaccurate. In the future, this population should be given the
opportunity to provide firsthand information on how they overcome society imposed
obstacles as this would increase the accuracy of the data.
There were several variables such as mental health and prior trauma were not
explored in this research project because of the right to the client’s confidentiality. It
would have been beneficial to learn about the mental health or prior trauma that affected
the youth whom were discussed. This information would have helped to explain some of
the behavioral issues that were discussed in the research. Mental health and prior trauma
could provide insight on how much work would need to be done in order to help the
youth become successful.
Conclusion
African American females in the foster system are an oppressive group that is
highly at risk for homelessness, drug addiction, teen pregnancy and many more. This
vulnerable population is so oppressive due to race, sex and social status. Their affiliation
with a devalued race, an undermined gender and the stigmatized foster system puts this
population at risk marginalization ultimately makes them a vulnerable population.
Despite the hardships that these youth endure on a daily basis, they will continue to
confront obstacles their entire life. It becomes a lifelong journey for African American
female foster youth to cope with such hardships in order to be successful in society.
54
For African Americans and foster youth, there are negative stereotypes that are
used to against them. These stigmas can be easily perpetuated if there is not a conscious
decision to disprove those negative perceptions of others. For this reason, African
American female foster youth must actively work to prove those stereotypes as invalid.
The ability for this population to overcome their obstacles and achieve success is
honorable.
This research explored a variety of variables that could help African American
female foster youth succeed. It was hypothesized that high self-esteem influenced by a
positive self-image would contribute to their ability to overcome oppression. However,
this hypothesis was rejected. The results indicated that there was no correlation between
physical self-esteem and their drive to overcome adversity.
This research explored fourteen other variables in regards to possible methods
used to overcome adversity and attest to one’s drive to succeed. Education and
employment were key variables to explore due to the importance of gaining status
mobility and changing one’s socioeconomic status through earning gainful employment.
However, only 15% of participants stated that their youth were interested in employment
but 50% stated that they attended school on a regular basis. Based on this information
alone, one could not exclude employment as a possible method for overcoming adversity.
Many of the youth discussed were too young to be considered for jobs. It is important to
note that 50% of participants were actively engaged in earning an education – which was
a key determinant in gaining employment.
55
Additionally, this research found that 55% of the African American female foster
youth were interested in college. Although only 50% of participants stated that their
youth had regular school attendance and made an effort to do well, there were more
participants that stated their youth were interested in college. This is an important fact to
note because college was considered to be a strong social mobility factor for African
Americans. It also illustrated that these youth had the ability to create goals that would
enable them to be successful in society.
Spirituality and church were also discussed in this research. Fewer participants
stated that their youth were involved in church as opposed to those who said their youth
had some sense of spirituality. 40% stated that their youth attended some sort of religious
service on a weekly or monthly basis. 65% stated that their youth were spiritual as
indicated by their religious belongings (e.g. crucifix, bible, church CD’s). Prior research
found church and spirituality to be an important element for the African American
community. This research found the same to be true.
Caregivers of African Americans in the foster system should explore religion with
their youth. It has been found to provide empowerment and emotional support for those
who are faced with adversity. It also provides the youth with a community of other
African Americans who could possibly mentor them in their time of need.
The variables discussed depend very little on one’s physical self-esteem. They
rely more on one’s natural motivation to succeed and overcome oppression. In this
research it was called inner self-esteem but it is also known as motivation. Motivation in
addition to IQ and ability should be explored with this population in the future. One’s
56
desire to attend college, gain employment or engage in other positive activities is highly
dependent on their personal perception of themselves.
This research was unable to discuss mental health or past trauma. However, those
two factors could also greatly contribute to one’s ability to overcome adversity. Mental
illness has been found to greatly impact one’s ability to function successfully in society.
Past trauma resulting from such as physical abuse, sexual abuse or severe neglect can
also impede on one’s ability to be successful if left unaddressed. Many victims of trauma
are left with unresolved issues that resurface in their lives and impede on their ability to
form healthy relationships in their personal or professional lives.
Overall, the factors that contribute to the success of African American female
foster youth are important to explore. Timely intervention could decrease recidivism rates
and possibly decrease the number of African American female foster youth stuck in the
cycle of poverty. Caregivers of African American female foster youth should be educated
on the vulnerability of this population and be trained on the tools to use with this
population. As shown in this research, caregivers have an abundance of insight on the
youth in their care. If educated, then this insight could be used to help African American
foster youth excel in society. Although this population has a lot going against them,
success is not impossible to achieve. Caregivers, social workers and other professionals
who work with African American female foster youth can help them succeed by simply
being a mentor who encourages them to make positive choices that actively combat the
oppressive obstacles they are forced to face on a daily basis.
57
APPENDICES
Appendix A
Consent Form
Consent to Participate in Research
California State University, Sacramento
Date ___________
Title of Research:
Characteristics that help predict positive outcomes for African American female foster
youth
You are being invited to participate in a research study about what characteristics allow
African American female foster youth the ability to overcome oppressive obstacles. This
study is being conducted by Joycelyn Stephens, as part of a graduate student thesis
project in the Department of Social Work at California State University, Sacramento.
You were selected as a possible participant in this study because you have been a
caregiver for African American female foster youth.
There are no known risks if you decide to participate in this research study. There are no
costs to you for participating in the study. The information you provide will be used for
educated purposes only. Statistically significant data may be used to improve outcome for
African American females in the foster system. The interview will take about 30 minutes
to complete depending on the length of the responses. The information collected may not
benefit you directly, but the information learned in this study should provide more
general benefits.
This is a face to face interview. No one will be able to identify you or your answers, and
no one will know whether or not you participated in the study. Individuals from the
Institutional Review Board may inspect these records. Should the data be published, no
individual information will be disclosed.
Your participation in this study is voluntary. By signing this consent form, and speaking
with the researcher about the nature of the research, you are voluntarily agreeing to
participate. You are free to decline to answer any particular question you do not wish to
answer for any reason.
If you have any questions about the study, please contact Faculty member and thesis
advisor Dr. Dale Russell at Drussell@saclink.csus.edu or (916) 287-7170.
58
The California State University, Sacramento Review Board has reviewed my request to
conduct this project. If you have any concerns about your rights in this study, please
contact Dr. Dale Russell.
____________________________________
Participant Name
____________________________________
______________
Participant Signature
Date
59
Appendix B
Questionaire
Participant #___________
INFORMATION ON THE CAREGIVER
A. Type of Caregiver





Foster Parent
Group Home Staff
Adoptive Parent
Guardian
Other_________________________________
B. Race/Ethnicity






Black/African American
White/European
Latino/Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Islander
Native American
Other_________________________________
INFORMATION ON THE FOSTER YOUTH
Age __________
A. Race/Ethnicity






Black/African American
White/European
Latino/Hispanic
Asian/Pacific Islander
Native American
Other
B. Perceived Self Esteem
 On a scale of 0 to 10 how would you rate her self-esteem? 0 is no selfesteem evident by an inability to get out of bed, a complete lack of
confidence, a negative outlook on life and no motivation to do anything.
60
10 is an overwhelming amount of confidence, is motivated to go to start
the day, has a good attitude about life and is motivated for the future.
No Self- Esteem
No motivation
Negative Attitude
0
1
2
Some Self-Esteem
Some Motivation
Average Attitude
3
4
5
6
High Self Esteem
High Motivation
Positive Attitude
7
8
9
10
What displayed behavior affected your rating?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
__________________
C. Perceived Self Image
 What is her attitude about her hair? How do you know?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
________________________________
 What is her attitude about her body? How do you know?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
______________________________
 What is her attitude about her skin color? How do you know?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
______________________________

What is her attitude about her overall image? How do you know?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
61
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
______________________________

Do you think she has a positive Self-Image? YES or NO
D. Methods for Overcoming Challenges
Church
Spirituality
 Attend weekly
 Talks about God
 Attend monthly
 Faith
 Attend special events
 Prays
 Bible study
 Reads the bible
 Other
 Listens to religious music
Positive Social Group
 School clubs
 Church groups
 Other
Employment
 Seeking employment
 Has a job
 Had a seasonal job
 Self-employment (ex. Babysit)
Mentorship

Yes

No
Staying away from negativity
 No drugs
 No gangs
 No fighting
 Other_______________
Role model for younger children
 Yes
 No
School
____ absences per month
____ absences per year
____ GPA
Sports
Yes
No
Interest in College
 Yes
 No
Drive to do better
 Yes
 No
Other


Volunteer
 Yes
 No
Interest in learning a vocation/trade
 Yes
 No
Hobbies
 Yes
 No
62
What are the top three things that helped this youth succeed?
1.
2.
3.
Final Comments:
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