Adolescent Girls in Child Protective Services: Romantic Relationships and Resilience

Project title:

Girls in Child Protective Services: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Self-perceptions, Interpersonal Connections, and Academic Resilience

About this project:

This study was conducted in partnership with York Region Children’s Aid Society in order to explore the role of interpersonal relationships on risk and resilience amongst girls in care. Using a mixed methods design, girls answered questions about their relationships with caregivers, friends, and romantic partners in addition to sexual health behaviours, emotional well-being, dating violence, and academic success. Currently, graduate students are analyzing data concerning self-perceptions, interpersonal connections, and academic resilience, friend and romantic partner conflict, as well as girls’ conceptions of ideal romantic relationships.

Data collection:

Participants included 44 girls between the ages of 12-20 who were involved within child protective services.

Publications and Presentations:

Connolly, J, & Trejos, E., Correlates of risky sexual behaviors in foster girls: A USA- Canada cross-national comparison. Paper Presentation, American Society of Criminology, Atlanta, GE, November 2018.

Connolly, J., Wincentak, K., Baird, K., & Benvenuto, K., Continuity and Discontinuity Across Caregiver, Friend and Romantic, Relationships of Girls in Child Protective Services, Invited Symposium Presentation, International Society Study of Behavioral Development, Goldcoast, Australia, July 2018.

Wincentak, K., Baird, K., Benvenuto, K, and Connolly, J. Experiences of Abuse in the Romantic Relationships of Girls in Child Protective Services: A Mixed Method, Multi-Informant Study. Paper presented as part of a symposium at the Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, April 2018.

Wincentak, K., & Connolly. J. Romantic development among girls in the care of child protective services. Paper presented in a symposium: Risk and Vulnerabilities Among Adolescent Girls RR: Systematic Reviews to Inform Child and Youth Policy, Canadian Psychological Association Biennial Meeting, June 2017.

Wincentak, K., & Connolly, J. Adolescent Girls in Child Protective Services: A study of Romantic Relationships and Resilience.  Paper presented at the Society for Research on Adolescence Biennial Meeting, Baltimore, MA, April 2016.

Contact:

For more information about this project, please contact Katherine Wincentak at kwincent@yorku.ca