Exploring the Role of School Engagement in Predicting Resilience Among Bahamian Youth

In the simplest terms, resilience is doing better than expected, particularly given the presence of some disadvantage that threatens positive outcomes. Like many other countries worldwide, The Bahamas has areas of poverty that provide many challenges for families raising children. Although the consequences of poverty are rampant, not all the youth who are raised in these conditions succumb to these effects. This study sought to identify the internal and external factors that are predictive of resilience in a sample of 103 urban Bahamian students. Ninth- and 11th-grade students from two local public schools completed surveys. Of special interest to this study was the relationship between school engagement and resilience. Although school engagement was significantly positively related to resilience, it was overshadowed by other factors when included in the resilience regression model. Relationships with parents and nonparental adults, involvement in meaningful activity, and self-efficacy were significant predictors of resilience in this sample of urban Bahamian students

The Context of Resilience among At-Risk Bahamian Youth

Many children are raised in environments that are not conducive to healthy development, yet grow up to be productive, well-adjusted adults. Resilience is the term used to refer to better than expected outcomes. The purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to identify the challenges that exist to undermine development among youth growing up in urban areas of Nassau, Bahamas, and secondly, to gain a culturally sensitive understanding of positive adaptation or resilience among this group. Additionally, the study sought to identify the positive factors that serve to buffer the effects of the risk factors and ultimately promote resilience. A mixed method approached was utilized for this study; interviews were first conducted with older youth and then Grade 9 and Grade 11 students in two local public schools completed surveys. Relationships with parents and nonparental adults, self-efficacy, and involvement in meaningful activity were the factors that were significant predictors of resilience in this sample of urban Bahamian students

The Journey of Hope on the Road to Resilience: Former Residents\u27 Experiences in Child Care Facilities

When children are placed in out-of-home care, they are spared from further dangers associated with their home life. However, due to a number of other risk factors, children placed in out-of-home care, as a group, have typically had less positive outcomes than their counterparts. Nevertheless, even in the presence of various challenges, there are individuals who are raised in out-of-home care who do excel and overcome their challenges. In this study, ten young adults, between the ages of 18-31, were engaged in interviews where they shared the good and bad experiences of living in child care facilities in The Bahamas and their personal meanings of hope. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework guided the research project, including the analysis and interpretation of the interviews. A fairly positive picture of residential living within the facilities emerged from the stories, where these former residents built significant relationships, received opportunities for educational development, and overall had access to fun experiences. Reviewing their experiences through the resilience theoretical framework revealed the presence of many protective mechanisms, including good problem solving skills, intelligence, positive relationships, access to supportive learning environments, and involvement in civic groups, which were all facilitative of the success of these individuals. Hope was also significant for many of the participants, with hope generally described as a belief or expectation for something that was meaningful and positively affecting their lives. Their hopes were impacted by people, their academic pursuits, and also by their past experiences. The implications of these findings as applied to the Bahamian Social Services system are discussed