Qualitative Research Study
Societal Problem: The world sees aging-out adults from foster care as vulnerable and one of the most disadvantaged populations in terms of success—due to the disadvantage of not being reunified with family or reaching a healthy permanency goal. Research displays interventions that work to assist this population in becoming successful after they age out—if they choose extended care.
The solution to the problem: Exploring the experiences of the shared phenomenon of this unique population's motivational factors that help them see themselves as successful, will increase the likelihood of positive outcomes when they leave extended care. Therefore, if they are encouraged to use more of what works (their inner strengths and resources), they can maintain a lifetime of success once they leave extended care.
Why Qualitative Research?
Qualitative research was my preference for this study because of the importance of me, the "observer," understanding aged-out adults' experiences of seeing themselves as successful despite the challenges in foster care—which will be obtained through entering their worlds. Systemic therapists create a space for meaningful conversations between participants (Boston, 2000). This approach allows the therapist (the observer) to take the position of not being the expert (Boston, 2000). The participants are experts in their worlds (Gergen, 2015). We are invited into their worlds through conversations (Gergen, 2015). Qualitative research is a meaningful process that the observer travels through to achieve an understanding of someone's world.
Who is the qualitative researcher?
Shatoyia Falls is a Ph.D. candidate whose expertise is in teaching the significance of tossing our “emotional trash” so one can be free from the chains of emotional and physical oppression. The emotional trash are those traumas and hidden pains that were never addressed in childhood or today. To identify the emotional trash, she explores the root causes of abnormal behaviors to help one be free emotionally and physically (the Total Salvation Package). For the past eight years, Shatoyia has been an effective psychotherapist, providing individual, child, and family therapy primarily within the child welfare system. She believes in strengthening the family system rather than tearing it down. This is done by using our words to edify children and their parents. Speaking life is a demonstration that removes false identities (given by the opponent) to help one see themselves the way God created them to be in His image. Her life experiences prepared her for the distinctive and powerful purpose God has given her. Though she has experienced many seasons of heartbreak from betrayal, abuse, dislike, rejection, etc., all these have worked to her advantage to assist others in obtaining healing from various cycles of pain and finding their God-given purpose in it.
She is exuberant and authentic in everything she does in God’s Kingdom. Her most important desire is to testify that God is real, which is shown through her nature, which reflects the benefits of the Kingdom. She represents the Kingdom of God well with courageous and recognizable confidence! Shatoyia loves the purpose God gave her to fulfill until the work is finished. You will always catch her uplifting and edifying the body of Christ. God is love, and she demonstrates this characteristic authentically.
The goal of the study:
As she begins the study, the researcher hopes to understand what works in this unique population (aging out adults from foster care) that makes them successful today since aging out of foster care. Also, she is hoping the prospective participants in the study will share common themes (experiences) that help the world understand how they see themselves as successful rather than focusing on the risks and negative stigmas. Through her personal experience growing up in a non-traditional household involved in welfare services, Shatoyia has proven statistics wrong by proving that you can come from a non-traditional household with little or no support while living with welfare assistance and still become successful after turning 18. It takes a renewed and transformed mindset for one to desire to be different from how the world sees them— to be and consider themselves successful. Success is defined in this study as how you see yourself. The researcher saw herself as successful by leaving her household after turning 18 and going straight to college. She could have gone a different way that would not have led her to where she is today.
The results:
I have successfully completed my study and retrieved the experiences of four aged-out female adults who see themselves as successful today. It was very intriguing that, despite their differences, I discovered three universal themes from their experiences. The three universal themes that led them to see themselves as successful were: the value of postsecondary education, support from family, and pride in self-reliance.
In addition to the value of postsecondary education and family support, my study discovered an unpredicted theme of pride in self-reliance, which contributed to young adults aging out of foster care and seeing themselves as successful. My hopes are that family therapists, community life coaches, and solution-focused coaches working with this population have specific conversations centered on pride in self-reliance. These conversations will explore exceptions when support is not present. Once pride in self-reliance is identified, the goal is to encourage them to use more of it for future success after leaving extended care.
Also, once pride and self-reliance are built, more young adults in this population will come to know the hidden strengths and resources they possess to preserve future success. If this type of conversation is not conducted, imagine how many adults in this population would have no idea they are equipped to be successful without depending on support. For adults who have identified their pride in self-reliance, it is always good to encourage them to keep taking the initiative to make things happen.
I am very hopeful that the outcomes of future studies will show statistically that this population is prepared by relying on their own strengths and resources to make things happen if support is not consistent. As a result, they will be capable of maintaining future success.
I have learned the value of entering the world of a shared phenomenon among this unique population to understand them in a new way—that shows they are successful beyond what the world says success looks like for them.
Boston, P. (2000). Systemic family therapy and the influence of post-modernism.
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 6(6), 450–457.
Gergen, K. (2015). An invitation to social construction. SAGE Publications Ltd,
