A comparison of the quality of life of vulnerable young males with severe emotional and behaviour difficulties in a residential setting and young males in mainstream schooling

Abstract

One hundred and seventy-four males completed a quality of life (QoL) assessment utilizing, a generic paediatric quality of life inventory (PedsQL) and the short form (36) health survey (SF36). The adolescents aged 13-16 years were in a Scottish Centre for young males with social, emotional, behavioural and educational problems. To identify similarities and differences, a comparison group (n = 110) of males in the third and fourth year in a mainstream secondary school were also administered the PedsQL and the SF36 self-rating scales. The effectiveness of the PedsQL and the SF36 for assessing QoL for adolescent males was investigated. There were significant differences between the groups in the Centre and between the Centre groups and the comparison group in terms of their QoL. The results between the groups were found in the PedsQL subscales 'physical functioning' where secure > comparison (P = 0.04); secure > residential (P = 0.008); and PedsQL subscale 'social functioning' day > comparison (P = 0.026); secure > comparison (P = 0.037). SF36 subscales 'role physical functioning' secure > residential (P < 0.001); day > residential (P < 0.001). SF36 'role mental functioning' day > residential (P = 0.001). This study provides a unique insight into the complex dimensions influencing the QoL of this specific group of young people.

Gender aspects of health‐related quality of life of youth in secure residential care in Sweden

“…In a study of 400 Norwegian youth in residential care, using the KNDL‐R instrument (Jozefiak & Kayed, ; Jozefiak et al, ), the authors reported that youth in residential care had poorer quality of life with regard to physical and emotional wellbeing, self‐esteem and peer relations, in comparison with patients in child and adolescent psychiatry and the general population. Damnjanovic et al () found a similar pattern in a study of 216 youths, 8‐ to 18‐year‐olds, who were in residential care in Serbia, using the Pediatric Quality of Life inventory, while Carroll, Duffy, and Martin (), in a study of 13‐ to 16‐year‐old young males in residential care in Scotland, found quite a similar quality of life among these young males in residential care as in the general population.…”

Self- and proxy reports of quality of life among adolescents living in residential youth care compared to adolescents in the general population and mental health services

“…The subjective component to an individual’s well-being [ 13 , 14 ] has not received the same attention as mental health and psychosocial problems [ 15 , 16 ]. We have only found seven publications addressing QoL among adolescents in child welfare [ 17 – 23 ], but two publications [ 21 , 22 ] were based on the same QoL data. Two studies [ 17 , 19 ] had a small sample size, limiting the generalizability of the results.…”

“…It is unclear, whether the Polish version of the KINDL was reliable. Only three studies included QoL reports from youths living in RYC [ 17 , 21 , 23 ]. Of these, only two were representative, allowing for comparisons.…”

“…Responders living in RYC reported significantly poorer QoL than those living in foster care or in biological families. In contrast, a Scottish study by Carrol et al [ 23 ] found no difference in QoL as measured with the PedsQL TM between adolescents living in residential care and a control group [ 23 ]. In these two studies adult proxy reports were not available to provide a supplementary perspective in addition to self-reports.…”

Impact of Residential Care Culture on Quality of Life of Care Leavers

“…However, some findings are counterintuitive. Carroll, Duffy, and Martin (2014) found that quality of life in certain groups in residential care was higher than in adolescents from mainstream schools. The highest scores were reported among children in a day-group setting, followed by children in secure placements, while children from mainstream schools came third (comparison group), and the worst results were found among the young people in the residential group.…”