IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v163y2024ics0190740924002640.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Framework and effects of the life story work based group intervention ANKOMMEN for adolescents in residential care in Germany. A qualitative analysis of interviews with participants

Author

Listed:
  • Schepp, Steffen
  • Fegert, Jörg M.
  • Pfeiffer, Elisa
  • Witt, Andreas
  • Rassenhofer, Miriam

Abstract

Adolescents in out-of-home care are a high-risk population due to their accumulation of adverse childhood experiences. Furthermore, out-of-home placement itself is a critical life event. Life story work (LSW) is a method for coping with critical life events. However, the need for a high amount of resources makes its implementation in care settings difficult. To improve the accessibility of LSW in residential care, the ANKOMMEN (English “Arriving”) intervention was developed as a manualized and cost-efficient group intervention. This study aims to explore the experiences of adolescents who took part in the intervention in order to examine how participation benefited them and what contributed to these beneficial effects. For this reason, we analyzed n = 48 individual interviews with adolescents after completing the intervention. The focused interview analysis method was used to transcribe and code the interviews. The qualitative analyses revealed that the framework of the intervention helped the participants to open up and to process parts of their history within the group. Moreover, the group setting was a major contributory factor to the positive effects of the intervention by encouraging the participants to exchange their experiences, through mutual peer support and the normalization of adverse thoughts and feelings. Furthermore, participation in the intervention increased self-esteem and self-efficacy in some participants. It contributed to the improvement of positive relationships, helped clarify placement associated events, thoughts and feelings, and improved the acceptance of the placement. Further research is needed to validate these findings and thus widen the range of application of LSW.

Suggested Citation

  • Schepp, Steffen & Fegert, Jörg M. & Pfeiffer, Elisa & Witt, Andreas & Rassenhofer, Miriam, 2024. "Framework and effects of the life story work based group intervention ANKOMMEN for adolescents in residential care in Germany. A qualitative analysis of interviews with participants," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:163:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924002640
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107692
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740924002640
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107692?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ryan, Joseph P. & Testa, Mark F., 2005. "Child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency: Investigating the role of placement and placement instability," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 227-249, March.
    2. Gallagher, Bernard & Green, Adam, 2012. "In, out and after care: Young adults' views on their lives, as children, in a therapeutic residential establishment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 437-450.
    3. Thompson, Heather M. & Wojciak, Armeda Stevenson & Cooley, Morgan E., 2016. "Self-esteem: A mediator between peer relationships and behaviors of adolescents in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 109-116.
    4. Stott, Tonia & Gustavsson, Nora, 2010. "Balancing permanency and stability for youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 619-625, April.
    5. Koob, Jeffrey J. & Love, Susan M., 2010. "The implementation of solution-focused therapy to increase foster care placement stability," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1346-1350, October.
    6. Watson, Debbie L. & Latter, Sandra & Bellew, Rebecca, 2015. "Adopted children and young people's views on their life storybooks: The role of narrative in the formation of identities," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 90-98.
    7. Kind, Nina & Bürgin, David & Clemens, Vera & Jenkel, Nils & Schmid, Marc, 2020. "Disrupting the disruption cycle – A longitudinal analysis of aggression trajectories, quality of life, psychopathology and self-efficacy in closed youth residential care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    8. Schwartz, Carolyn E. & Sendor, Rabbi Meir, 1999. "Helping others helps oneself: response shift effects in peer support," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 48(11), pages 1563-1575, June.
    9. Ward, Harriet, 2011. "Continuities and discontinuities: Issues concerning the establishment of a persistent sense of self amongst care leavers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(12), pages 2512-2518.
    10. Baker, Amy J.L. & Creegan, Alyssa & Quinones, Alexa & Rozelle, Laura, 2016. "Foster children's views of their birth parents: A review of the literature," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 177-183.
    11. Costa, Mónica & Melim, Beatriz & Tagliabue, Semira & Mota, Catarina Pinheiro & Matos, Paula Mena, 2020. "Predictors of the quality of the relationship with caregivers in residential care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Simmons-Horton, Sherri Y., 2017. "Providing age-appropriate activities for youth in foster care: Policy implementation process in three states," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 383-391.
    2. Kontomichalos-Eyre, Soula A. & Lake, Amelia J. & McGillivray, Jane A., 2023. "Life story work for children and youth in out of home care: A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    3. Holtan, Amy & Handegård, Bjørn Helge & Thørnblad, Renee & Vis, Svein Arild, 2013. "Placement disruption in long-term kinship and nonkinship foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1087-1094.
    4. Thompson, Heather M. & Wojciak, Armeda Stevenson & Cooley, Morgan E., 2016. "Self-esteem: A mediator between peer relationships and behaviors of adolescents in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 109-116.
    5. Shpiegel, Svetlana & Ocasio, Kerrie, 2015. "Functioning patterns among older adolescents in foster care: Results from a cluster analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 227-235.
    6. Williams-Butler, Abigail & Duron, Jacquelynn F. & Costantino, Amanda & Schmidt, Adam, 2020. "Relational permanence and the potential for delinquency among African American adolescents in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    7. Sheerin, Kaitlin M. & Modrowski, Crosby A. & Williamson, Shannon & Kemp, Kathleen A., 2022. "The effect of sexual concerns on placement changes and school transfers for youth in the child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    8. Narendorf, Sarah C. & Brydon, Daphne M. & Santa Maria, Diane & Bender, Kimberly & Ferguson, Kristin M. & Hsu, Hsun-Ta & Barman-Adhikari, Anamika & Shelton, Jama & Petering, Robin, 2020. "System involvement among young adults experiencing homelessness: Characteristics of four system-involved subgroups and relationship to risk outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    9. Mauri, Diletta, 2023. "«Becoming parents as mending the past»: care-experienced parents and the relationship with their birth family," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    10. Khoo, Evelyn & Skoog, Viktoria & Dalin, Rolf, 2012. "In and out of care. A profile and analysis of children in the out-of-home care system in Sweden," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 900-907.
    11. Spielfogel, Jill E. & Leathers, Sonya J. & Christian, Errick & McMeel, Lorri S., 2011. "Parent management training, relationships with agency staff, and child mental health: Urban foster parents' perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 2366-2374.
    12. Marshall, Jane Marie & Haight, Wendy L., 2014. "Understanding racial disproportionality affecting African American Youth who cross over from the child welfare to the juvenile justice system: Communication, power, race and social class," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 82-90.
    13. Ryan, Joseph P. & Hong, Jun Sung & Herz, Denise & Hernandez, Pedro M., 2010. "Kinship foster care and the risk of juvenile delinquency," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(12), pages 1823-1830, December.
    14. Barn, Ravinder & Tan, Jo-Pei, 2012. "Foster youth and crime: Employing general strain theory to promote understanding," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 212-220.
    15. Noble-Carr, Debbie & Barker, Justin & McArthur, Morag & Woodman, Elise, 2014. "Improving practice: The importance of connections in establishing positive identity and meaning in the lives of vulnerable young people," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(P3), pages 389-396.
    16. John F. Helliwell, 2011. "How Can Subjective Well-being Be Improved?," New Directions for Intelligent Government in Canada: Papers in Honour of Ian Stewart, in: Fred Gorbet & Andrew Sharpe (ed.),New Directions for Intelligent Government in Canada: Papers in Honour of Ian Stewart, pages 283-304, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    17. Omar, Nada & Refaeli, Tehila, 2023. "Effects of the removal of Arab children from their homes by court order: The mothers’ perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    18. Heyman, Janna C. & White-Ryan, Linda & Kelly, Peggy & Farmer, G. Lawrence & Leaman, Tara Linh & Davis, Henry J., 2020. "Voices about foster care: The value of trust," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    19. Yang, Jennifer & McCuish, Evan C. & Corrado, Raymond R., 2017. "Foster care beyond placement: Offending outcomes in emerging adulthood," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 46-54.
    20. White, Kevin R. & Wu, Qi, 2014. "Application of the life course perspective in child welfare research," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 146-154.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:163:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924002640. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.