The Analysis of Social Support Level in Foster Families in the Context of Their Leisure Time Activities

The objective of this study is to investigate whether there is a correlation between family social support and leisure time activities among adopted children in foster families. It has been assumed that the main factors determining leisure activities in foster families are social family ties, manifested in the form of a strong social support. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) has been used to measure the perception of support and only the first, out of three, family-related source was applied in the research. The study has been conducted from a youth perspective in the context of family leisure and family support and it has tested the types of leisure activities which the foster children and their parents participated in – core and balance. The study group consisting of youth aged 10-21 coming from the city of Poznan and its neighbouring areas. The results show that there is a correlation between family social support at all its levels (low, medium and high) and low/high core index levels both in girls and boys. These findings indicate that, from a youth perspective, core rather than balance family leisure involvement has a stronger relationship with family social support. There is a further need for experimental design in the form of an interventional program in order to effectively scan the casual effects of family support. The findings also suggest that further research is necessary to investigate the correlation between the foster families and individual leisure time activates undertaken by the adopted children

Casual · Developmental psychology · Family support · Geography · Perception · Social support · Family Support in Illness · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Medicine · Psychology · Social Issues in Poland · Social Psychology