Latent class analysis of adverse outcomes for youth transitioning out of foster care and early risk factors

Youth transitioning out of foster care are at high risk for adverse outcomes compared to their peers, but the factors that influence those outcomes are complex. Early intervention is key for this population but developing priorities can be a challenge. Researchers and programs serving these youth must be able to effectively target interventions to disproportionately affected youth to receive the best results. Previous studies have not considered the complexity and heterogeneity of assessing multiple youth outcomes in a sound methodological way. For this study, Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to identify youth with similar patterns and outcome experiences, using a practical demonstration with the public National Youth in Transition (NYTD) and Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) databases. This study aims: 1) to apply latent class analysis to determine latent classes of youth who transition out of foster care according to the adverse outcomes they experience; 2) to estimate whether youth sociodemographic characteristics and adverse youth’s experiences before and during foster care is associated with identified latent classes of youth adverse outcomes. Three latent classes were identified: 1) mostly homelessness outcome, 2) little or no adverse outcomes, 3) complex adverse outcomes. Our results further highlight that multiple youth’s experiences before and during foster care, youth sociodemographic characteristics, and events while in foster care are associated with youth’s outcomes once they transition out of foster care. Stakeholders and program administrators at welfare agencies may use these findings to enhance policy and procedures to ameliorate youth outcomes.