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Peer-Reviewed Articles
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2025
Systematic Review of Education Outcomes for Students with Foster Care Experience
Okpych, N. J., Whitman, K., Lee, J., Neria-Piña, L., Jackson, L. A., Day, M. (2025). Secondary and postsecondary education outcomes of students with experience in foster care: Systematic review of the literature from 2000-2023. AERA Open, 11(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584251331454
Article summary17: Systematic review of education outcomes for students w/ experience in foster care
2023
Relationships that Persist and Protect: The Role of Enduring Relationships
Okpych, N. J., Park, S., Powers, J., Harty, J. S., Courtney, M. E. (2023). Relationships that persist and protect: The role of enduring relationships on early-adult outcomes among youth transitioning out of foster care. Social Service Review, 97(4), 619-674. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/724736
Article summary 16: Relationships that persist and protect. Enduring relationships for foster youth
Bibliography: Key PSE Studies for Youth with Foster Care Backgrounds
Okpych, N. J., Geiger, J. M., & Johnson, R. M. (2023). Postsecondary education experiences and attainment among youth with foster care backgrounds. In E. Mullen (Ed.) Oxford Bibliographies in Social Work. New York: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/OBO/9780195389678-0326
Article summary 15: Key studies on PSE experiences and attainment for youth with foster care history
Improving Postsecondary Education Data in NYTD
Okpych, N. J. (2023). Estimating a national college enrollment rate for youth with foster care histories using the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD): Limitations of NYTD and a call to revise and relaunch. Journal of Public Child Welfare. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2022.2153961
Article summary 14: Postsecondary ed. enrollment estimates for youth with foster care backgrounds
2022
Impact of Covid on CSPs
Lopez, K. M., Geiger, J. M., Okpych, N. J., Gamez, S. I., & Larregui, D. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on campus-based support programs serving students with foster care experience: Focus groups with administrators and students. Children and Youth Services Review, 143, 106696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106696
Article summary 13: Impact of Covid-19 on Campus Support Programs for Students with FC Experience
Connected to Education and Employment at 21
Geiger, J. M. & Okpych, N. J. (2022). Connected after care: Youth characteristics, policy, and programs associated with postsecondary education and employment for youth with foster care histories. Child Maltreatment, 27(4), 658-670. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595211034763
Article summary 12: Connected to education and employment at 21 for youth with foster care histories
2021
Social Capital Ties that Bridge and Bond
Okpych, N. J. & Gray, Lori. (2021). Ties that bond and bridge: Exploring social capital among college students with foster care histories using a novel social network instrument (FC-Connects). Innovative Higher Education, 46(6), 683-705. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-021-09553-x
Article summary 11: Bonding and bridging ties among college students with foster care backgrounds
Barriers to College Degree Completion
Okpych, N. J. & Courtney, M. E. (2021). Barriers to degree completion for college students with foster care histories: Results from a 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of College Student Retention, 23(1), 28-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025118791776
Article summary 9: Barriers to degree completion for college students with foster care histories
2020
Roles of CSPs and ETVs on college persistence
Okpych, N. J., Park., S., Sayed, S., & Courtney, M. E. (2020). The roles of campus-support programs (CSPs) and Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs) on college persistence for youth with foster care histories. Children and Youth Services Review, 111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104891
Article summary 8: The role of CSPs and ETVs on Persistence for Youth with Foster Care Backgrounds
Impact of Extended Foster Care on College Outcomes
Okpych, N. J. & Courtney, M. E. (2020). The relationship between extended foster care and college outcomes for foster care alumni. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 14(2), 254-276. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2019.1608888
Article summary 7: Impact of extended foster care on college outcomes for foster care alumni
2019
Longitudinal Analyses of Educational Outcomes
Okpych, N. J. & Courtney, M. E. (2019). Longitudinal analyses of educational outcomes for youth transitioning out of care in the U.S.: Trends and influential factors. Oxford Review of Education, 45(1), 461-480. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2019.1592747
Article summary 6: Education outcomes for youth transitioning out of foster care
2018
Role of Avoidant Attachment on College Outcomes
Okpych, N. J. & Courtney, M. E. (2018). The role of avoidant attachment on college persistence and college completion for older youth in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 90, 106-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.05.014
Article summary 5: Avoidant attachment and college outcomes for students with foster care experience
2017
Who Goes to College? Factors Influencing College Enrollment
Okpych, N. J. & Courtney, M. E. (2017). Who goes to college? Social capital and other predictors of college entry for foster care youth. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 8(4), 563-593. https://doi.org/10.1086/694897
Article summary 4: Factors affecting odds of college enrollment for youth foster care w/ histories
2015
Receipt of Chafee Independent Living Services in the U.S.
Okpych, N. J. (2015). Receipt of independent living services among older youth in foster care: An analysis of national data from the U.S. Children and Youth Services Review, 51, 74-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.01.021
Article summary 3: Receipt of Chafee independent living services in the U.S.
2014
Does Education Pay for Youth with Foster Care Histories?
Okpych, N. J. & Courtney, M. E. (2014). Does education pay for youth formerly in foster care? Comparison of employment outcomes with a national sample. Children and Youth Services Review, 43, 18-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.04.013
Article summary 2: Does education pay for youth formerly in foster care?
2012
Policy Framework Supporting PSE for Youth Aging Out of Care
Okpych, N. J. (2012). Policy framework supporting youth aging-out of foster care through college: Review and recommendations. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(7), 1390-1396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.02.013
Articles summary 1: Policy framework to support postsecondary ed. for youth aging out of foster care
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