Date

5-20-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Stacey Gaines

Keywords

Adulthood, foster care, mental health, spiritual fortitude, success, transition, trauma

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

In 2022, over 200,000 American children exited foster care settings, with many reporting feeling underprepared to face the demands of adulthood (Children’s Bureau, 2023; Haggman-Laitila et al., 2018). Adults with foster care backgrounds are more prone to struggle with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development, which may hinder brain development throughout emerging adulthood years (Avery & Freundlich, 2009). This study introduced spiritual fortitude as a potential protective factor against poor transitions to adulthood and against mental health struggles among adults with foster care backgrounds. Spiritual fortitude involves development and practice of spiritual coping mechanisms to build resilience (Van Tongeren et al., 2019). 129 participants over the age of 18, and who had previously aged out of foster care settings, completed self-report surveys including a demographic questionnaire and the Spiritual Fortitude Scale (SFS-9). Chi-square analyses, ANOVA analyses, and independent samples t-tests were conducted to examine results. Results of this quantitative survey study showed a statistically significant association between mental health and successful transitions to adulthood. In addition, participants who reported successful transitions to adulthood demonstrated higher levels of spiritual fortitude. There was no statistically significant difference in spiritual fortitude among participants with and without foster care backgrounds. Findings of this study suggest that development of spiritual fortitude throughout childhood years may reduce social-emotional stressors and aid in development of resilience, independence, and confidence among foster care youth as they transition to adulthood.

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