Major
Psychology
Research Abstract
Current and former foster youth experience increased risk for behavioral, cognitive, and emotional problems due to maltreatment and experiences in foster care. Nonetheless, research indicates a gap between the need for mental health services and service use. The current study describes a sample of self-referring, emancipated foster youth seeking long-term psychotherapy to understand reasons youth seek psychotherapy. This study further compares a subset of youths’ data with reports collected from respective therapists to examine differences in perceptions of symptoms.
Faculty Mentor/Advisor
Dr. Saralyn Ruff
Descriptive Analysis of Emancipated Foster Youth Seeking Mental Health Treatment
Current and former foster youth experience increased risk for behavioral, cognitive, and emotional problems due to maltreatment and experiences in foster care. Nonetheless, research indicates a gap between the need for mental health services and service use. The current study describes a sample of self-referring, emancipated foster youth seeking long-term psychotherapy to understand reasons youth seek psychotherapy. This study further compares a subset of youths’ data with reports collected from respective therapists to examine differences in perceptions of symptoms.