Dr. Brianna Jackson recently joined our faculty with a research focus on resilience among youth marginalized by inequity. Her work includes studying youth transitioning out of foster care, a group that experiences higher rates than peers of post‑traumatic stress symptoms during a critical period of biological and social development. Dr. Jackson and colleagues sought to understand how these emerging adults navigated the transition to independence, and the experiences and stress factors that might be related to their adaptation. Through interviews with participants, they found a common path of “escaping the trauma, building a life, and changing the system”. Unfortunately, many participants also described health care systems that were stigmatizing. A key clinical implication of this work includes training for healthcare professionals on the foster care system, and the physical and mental health needs of youth and emerging adults within that system. Additionally, trauma-informed care emerged as a pivotal component of effective healthcare delivery. This will require tailored therapeutic approaches to meet diverse needs. Moving forward, Nurses should prioritize early and consistent outreach, streamlined intake processes, and comprehensive, wraparound follow-up care when working with this population.
Jackson, B.*, Holland, M. L., Smye, V., Lowe, S., & Sadler, L. S. (2025), “Finally my turn to write my story”: A convergent mixed methods study exploring the perceptions and experiences of emerging adults who aged out of foster care in Canada. PLOS One, 20(12), e0338574.
*UW-Madison School of Nursing