Tehila Refaeli

Readiness for Independent Living Among Youth on the Verge of Leaving Juvenile Correctional Facilities

A growing body of literature has documented the dismal outcomes of youth placed in juvenile correctional facilities (JCFs) upon their return to the community. However, very little is known as to how well equipped are the youth with the necessary skills for reintegration. In the current study, the authors examine self-reports of readiness for independent living among adolescents in correctional settings on the verge of leaving care, and explore how individual, placement, and social support characteristics predict such perceived readiness. A sample of 116 adolescents (aged 15-20) placed in Israeli JCFs responded to structured self-report questionnaires. The results indicated that most adolescents perceived their readiness to leave care as high, with girls showing significantly lower levels of perceived readiness when compared with boys. Higher levels of self-esteem and optimism as well as support from peers and staff were related to better readiness. From these findings, implications for theory and practice are proposed.

Alumni of National Civic Service: Comparing the experience of at-risk and mainstream volunteers

This article describes the perspectives of alumni of National Civic Service (NCS) in Israel on its impact at the individual level. We compared 250 young women who were identified as youth at risk with 295 mainstream volunteers. Overall, the two groups show similar outcomes that are typical to this developmental stage of life. Yet youth at risk experience more difficulties. While NCS aims at increasing equality between groups, it seems that it is not enough to bridge the gaps between the groups. The findings imply a need for a continued intervention to accompany the at-risk alumni that would leverage the progress made during the NCS period.

Researching Care Leavers in an Ethical Manner in Switzerland, Germany, Israel and China

The aim of this chapter is to explore what constitutes an ethical approach to researching youths leaving care by identifying core ethical principles, and examining the challenges of maintaining an ethical culture in the fieldwork. The discussions are supported with case studies from four countries: China, Germany, Israel and Switzerland. The discussion of the basic procedures follows the research chronology of entering the field, completing the interview and leaving the field. In the following section, it draws attention to the importance of developing professional relationships, assessing and managing risks and empowering looked-after youth. These case studies, from different countries, illustrate that the ethical challenge is common in the international context, and that cultural differences can be an important factor in certain circumstances..

Personal and Environmental Predictors of Depression Among Victims of Intimate Partner Violence Comparison of Immigrant and Israeli-Born Women

In the present study, ecological theory was used as a basis for predicting depression among women who survive intimate partner violence (IPV). The predictors examined in the study derived from three ecological systems: the microsystem (background variables and frequency of the violence), the ontogenic system (personal resources), and the mesosystem (support resources). One hundred twenty-five women who immigrated from the Former Soviet Union and 149 Israeli-born Jewish women filled in questionnaires when they entered shelters for victims of IPV. The research findings indicate that background variables, including immigration, did not contribute significantly to the women’s depression. Frequency of violence contributed slightly to depression, whereas the women’s sense of mastery and social support contributed most significantly. The results highlight the need to strengthen these resources when women are in shelters, and to conduct further research to determine whether these results also hold true for women who receive services for prevention of violence in the community.

Self-Esteem, Life Satisfaction, and Positive Future Perception among at-Risk and Comparison Group Participants in National Civic Service

ABSTRACT This study focuses on a program designed to engage at-risk youth in the National Civic Service (NCS) in Israel with the goal of enabling them to better integrate into normative adult lives. This exploratory study employed a cross-sectional design and compared groups of at-risk female volunteers (N = 426) with comparison groups of not at-risk participants in the NCS (N = 456). For both of them, three sub-groups were examined at different stages of their service: the beginning, near the end, and about one year after finishing the service. In both the at-risk and comparison groups, self-esteem was higher among the alumni compared to those at earlier stages of the program. Life satisfaction was generally much lower among the at-risk group, but after service completion, both groups reported higher life satisfaction. There were no significant differences between the groups in their future perceptions. The implications of these findings for policy and practice are discussed.