Coping in Context: Associations Between Resource Availability and Coping Effectiveness Among Emancipated Foster Youth

Emancipated foster youth face unique challenges in the context of few resources as they transition into adulthood. This investigation examined associations between resource availability and coping effectiveness in a sample of 172 emancipated foster youth (66.3% female; Mage 1⁄4 19.63 years; 27.5% Hispanic, 24.0% African American, 15.8% Caucasian, and 32.7% multiracial). Regression analyses evaluated main and interactive relations between resource availability and coping as related to youths’ depressive, anxiety, and substance use symptoms. Findings showed that the effectiveness of individual coping strategies was moderated by the availability of strategy-relevant resources. Youth reported increased depressive, anxiety, and/or substance use problems if they engaged specific coping strategies in the absence of strategy-specific resources. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of coping may be qualified by the availability of strategy-relevant resources. Implications for foster youth who are at heightened risk for resource deficits during emerging adulthood are discussed.