Loma Linda University TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects 6-2017 An Examination of Foster Youth Socialization to Dating and Sexual Behaviors Rhoda L. Smith Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd Part of the Health Policy Commons, Social Policy Commons, Social Work Commons, and the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Smith, Rhoda L., "An Examination of Foster Youth Socialization to Dating and Sexual Behaviors" (2017). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 468. http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/468 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects by an authorized administrator of TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY School of Behavioral Health in conjunction with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ________________________________ An Examination of Foster Youth Socialization to Dating and Sexual Behaviors by Rhoda L. Smith ________________________________ A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Social Policy and Social Research ________________________________ June 2017 © 2017 Rhoda Smith All Rights Reserved Each person whose signature appears below certifies that this dissertation in his/her opinion is adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree Doctor of Philosophy , Chairperson Colwick Wilson, Director, Innovation, Research and Grants, Kettering Health Network Beverly Buckles, Professor of Social Work and Social Ecology Jenny Jones, Professor of Social Work, Clark Atlanta University Susanne Montgomery, Professor of Social Work and Social Ecology iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Wow, what a journey! It has been a wonderful ride, full of wonderfully high peaks and many, many deep valleys. God is good and He has been faithful to me in this and every endeavor! I praise and thank Him for his grace and mercy, as there is no way I could be here without Him! He has provided me with a wonderful support system and this is for ALL of us… I want to thank my parents, Natalie and Benjamin Crowe, who always taught me to climb any mountains placed in my path, because that’s how you learn to climb. I love and thank you both for always believing in my dreams. Rest well in Heaven! To my husband, Mr. G! I appreciate you for keeping a positive attitude! For all of the days I thought I couldn’t and you always believing I would… for putting up with tantrums and nursing me back to health. For listening to drafts read aloud, rants about child welfare, for bringing cookies to Anna and me on library days (lol) and promises of only 18 months to go since we met and all through our marriage. I love you and can’t wait to be regular, married people! Anna and Shane! Thanks for sharing your weekends for the past 3 ½ years. I will never be able to repay you for committing to library days at CSUF, food and shelter during data collection. We finally did it…#nocheerleaders! To my children, Rhonda, Karla, Seaton and Jessica… you are the wind beneath my wings, my true ambassadors of quan! I love you all to the moon and back! Thank you all for your inspiration and support. I pray that you will continue to dream and pray without ceasing, because as you can see, prayers get answered and dreams do come true! iv To Luke, Zeke….thank you for being the 2 best grandsons in the entire world! Because of you, I know what it means to love, love, love someone to pieces!! To my brothers and sisters, Kermit, Jody, Varick, Natonia and Vandetta - thank you all for all of your love and support. It truly does take a village and you are definitely the village from which I came…. To my Academy family! Thank you for a soft place to land and for the pool to dive into…. To Kelley, my best friend of over 50 years, you’ve always been there and always had my back. From paying for my first college class and for believing that as a 21 year old, I could take 2 children to Purdue University, I owe you the world for every hair- brained scheme lol. You are a rock and my bffl! To Nece! My fellow PhD girl from 72nd Street, who knew how far our dreams would take us? We are the proof that if you want it bad enough, you can do it. Thank you for all of your support, prayers and love. To Pat and Doug! You have been with me throughout everything. The love and support that I have received from you both is what true agape love is like. I am so grateful to have you in my life and I owe so much of who I am today to you both. Doug your dedication to Pat since the fall and TBI is what true marital commitment is all about. She has also demonstrated raw strength through this entire ordeal. I love you both so much! To Mary G! My CPS partner in crime. Thank you for your support, encouragement, reading countless drafts and writing endless referrals. I appreciate the clothing, the lunches, dinners and love. Thank you so much! v To Candice, Wendy & Judy – LLU is a dream because of people like you and your dedication to students. Thank you so much Sheri… for hanging with me until the end. I will forever be grateful to you because you definitely went above and beyond. To all of the wonderful and caring medical professionals, doctors and nurses in the LLU Heart and Surgical Hospital, the Cancer Center and the main hospital, thank you for the loving care during my many stays and for believing in my ability to be healed! To Dr. Sigrid James… thank you for being a wonderful mentor! You demonstrated what it means to shoot for the stars. I appreciate your work ethic and your quest for excellence. To Kathy K! You have been a sister, truly! For driving, laptops and anything else our family needed – you have been there! I would not be here without you and your support! I thank you and love you forever! To Phyl… thank you for the coffee and banana split ice cream and support. We have shared so many life events, and our friendship has weathered it all. Thanks for sharing your family and grands with me! Teri and Tanika!! I love you as true sister/daughters. You are always there, praying for me and never stopped believing with me and for me. Thank you both! Sistahs Bookclub - I love you all, thanks for reading and sharing! You are an awesome group of women and I appreciate your always being a great time when we connect, a shoulder to love, cry, sleep or laugh on! To my MFP & Smith College families – Thank you for seeing the potential in my ideas and supporting me in all endeavors toward finishing doctoral studies and pursuing an academic career! I can truly say that I did not get here alone. We are linked forever! vi My Accountability Sister Circle! Denise, Camille, Angela, Tanya, Michelle and Kim! I thank God the day we found one another and for Sundays. Thank you for the push, pull, shove and slaps that I needed along the way. You kept it real, in love and in truth! You are the epitome of what Sistah Docs do, we lift as we climb!! Love, hugs and kisses to you all. To the best committee in the world- Drs. Buckles, Wilson, Montgomery and Jones – I owe so much to you all. Thank you for your support, belief, faith and encouragement. I won’t let you down! Thank you seems inadequate, as I could never repay you for all that you have done. You will all be forever in my heart. Last, and certainly not least… thank you SB County for opening the door and for trusting me. To the social workers, foster parents, foster alumni and foster youth - your strength, courage, resilience and your sacrifices have been the inspiration for this work. Thank you for sharing your stories, for the countless and unpaid hours of work that you do. As one of you, I will never stop working to change the system, for the better and for us all! Peace and blessings all, Rhoda vii CONTENT Approval Page .................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iv List of Figures .................................................................................................................... xi List of Tables .................................................................................................................... xii List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... xiii Abstract ..............................................................................................................................xv Chapter 1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Scope of the Problem .........................................................................................8 Challenges to Studying this Issue ......................................................................9 Underlying Research Perspective/Acknowledgements ...................................11 Proposed Theoretical Lens for the Study .........................................................15 Study Aims.......................................................................................................16