EDUCATION AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN - Vol. 40 - No. 4 - Reliability and Validity of the Youth Empowerment Scale–Mental Health in Youth Departing Residential Care and Reintegrating into School and Community Settings

Oct 15, 2026

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Empowerment is established as a key resilience factor in adolescence and as critical for youth with emotional and behavioral disorders to achieve favorable academic, social, and behavioral outcomes, especially during major transitions. Despite existing use of a single empowerment measure for youth with mental health difficulties, its reliability for youth leaving therapeutic residential care was uncertain. This study tested reliability and validity in N=138 youths transitioning to school and community settings. Results support the measure’s reliability and validity, show high empowerment at discharge, and find no significant predictor effects in three multivariate models; limitations and implications follow.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages24

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Abstract

Empowerment as a resilience and transition factor

Empowerment in youth at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders

Empowerment and outcomes during key life transitions

Empowerment and risk-taking behaviors

EDUCATION AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN Vol. 40, No. 4, 2017 Reliability and Validity of the Youth Empowerment Scale–Mental Health in Youth Departing Residential Care and Reintegrating into School and Community Settings Jacqueline Huscroft-D’Angelo Alexandra L. Trout Matthew C. Lambert University of Nebraska-Lincoln Ronald Thompson Boys Town National Research Institute Abstract Empowerment has been established as an important factor in resilience in adolescence. It has also been deemed critical for youth with emotional and behavioral disorders to achieve successful outcomes across academic, social, and behavioral domains, especially during a major transition. There is currently one measure used to evaluate empowerment in youth with mental health difficulties, yet it is unclear if this is a reliable measure for youth in therapeutic residential care. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of this measure of empowerment in a sample of youth departing therapeutic residential care (N = 138) and to examine whether or not specific factors contribute to varied levels of empowerment. Findings indicate that the empowerment measure is reliable and valid for use with youth departing therapeutic residential care. Overall, youth report high levels of empowerment at discharge from care. None of the predictors in the three multivariate general linear models were statistically significant. Limitations and implications are discussed. Keywords: empowerment, residential care, aftercare, youth, education, supports, transition Address correspondence to: Jacqueline Huscroft-D’Angelo, Academy for Child and Family Well Being, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 247D Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, NE 68583–[0732. E-mail: jndangelo@unl.edu](0732. E-mail: jndangelo@unl.edu). This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Education through Grant \#R324A120260 to the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Institute of Education Sciences or the U.S. Department of Education. 548 HUSCROFT-D’ANGELO et al. While some youth skate through adolescence with little uncer tainty, for others, this developmental stage brings about tension and conflict as new found independence, changing peer groups, and pending transitions heighten emotional stress (Scales, Benson, & Roehlkepartain, 2011; Walker, Thorne, Powers, & Gaonkar, 2008). Many studies have evaluated the risks and challenges faced by youth during this period, as well as strategies to prevent high-risk behaviorsand improve resilience (Benson, 2006). One common underlying factor identified in the risk, prevention, and resilience literature is the concept of youth empowerment. Empowerment is “. . . an intentional, ongoing process . . . through which people lacking an equal share of valued resources gain greater access to and control over those resources”(Cornell Empowerment Group, 1989, p. 2). Ultimately, higher levels of empowerment increase one’s ability to promote positive change, to improve quality of life, make sound decisions, or foster alife-style change that is necessary for achieving success (Curtis & Singh, 1996; Turnbull, Turnbull, Erwin, & Soodak, 2006; Walker, Geenen, Thorne, & Powers, 2009). In the last two decades, researchers have consistently found that youth who have higher levels of empowerment demonstrate better outcomes across academic, social-emotional, health, psychological, and behavioral domains (e.g., Benson, 2006; Holden, Crankshaw, Nimsch, Hinnant, & Hund, 2004; Leffert et al., 1998; Scales, Benson, Leffert, & Blyth, 2000; Scales, Benson, Roehlkepartain, Sesma, & van Dulmen, 2006). These findings seem to be robust across gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (Scales et al., 2000; Scales et al., 2006). Empowerment in Youth At-Risk One group of youths who consistently demonstrate poor outcomes across academic, behavioral, soc

FAQs

What is the study’s main purpose regarding the Youth Empowerment Scale?

To examine the reliability and validity of the Youth Empowerment Scale–Mental Health for youth departing therapeutic residential care, and to assess whether specific factors relate to different levels of empowerment.

What do the study findings indicate about empowerment at discharge?

Youth departing therapeutic residential care reported high levels of empowerment at discharge. The empowerment measure was found to be reliable and valid for this population.

Did the study find any significant predictors of empowerment levels?

No. Across three multivariate general linear models, none of the predictors were statistically significant.

Oct 15, 2026

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