Discovering sources of resilience among homeless LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care in Israel: An ecological framework

Background: LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care experience multiple stressors due to being a minority group, in out-of-home care, and rejected by their families. Therefore, they tend to be vulnerable. Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the sources of the resilience of homeless LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care in the Israeli context. The research question was: What are the experiences, perceptions, and constructions of “resilience” among LGBTQ+ youth who aged out of out-of-home care for homeless LGBTQ+ youth in Israel? Methods: The study employed a critical constructivist grounded theory approach. Thirty-one in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with LGBTQ+ youth aged 16 to 32 (average age of 21.5) and analyzed. Results: The data analysis presents the sources of resilience according to four levels. (1) The individual level refers to self-acceptance, faith and hope, and creativity and productiveness. (2) The interpersonal level refers to friends and peer groups, educational institutions, employment environments, professionals, and LGBTQ+ out-of-home care services. (3) The macro level refers to public visibility of the LGBTQ+ community and financial support. (4) Finally, the chrono level refers to the development of rights and recognition over time. Conclusions: An ecological model was implemented to conceptualize resilience among LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care in Israel. This multidimensional model was used to construct resilience sources that could assist in overcoming adversities among these youth. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.