Psychosocial characteristics of institutionalized adolescents: resilient or at risk?

The primary purpose of this investigation was to provide a psychosocial description of 187 institutionalized adolescents (ages 11-17). The findings suggest that these adolescents may not be as psychologically dysfunctional as is commonly surmised, considering their accumulated life events, family problems, and current displacement. Although the literature is replete with studies that describe characteristics purported to typify at-risk adolescents, there is no substantive demographic base concerning institutionalized adolescents. The authors acknowledge the limitations inherent in their sample and, consequently, offer their findings as a "place to start," and encourage others to follow this line of research.