What Works to Promote Resilience in the Lives of Street-Involved Boys in León, Nicaragua? A Grounded Theory Model with Implications for Intervention

Abstract

Over 100 million children and youth around the world live in precarious street situations, most of whom are boys living in low- and middle-income country contexts. Although this vast group of youth is exposed to substantial hardship, it is increasingly evident that there are resilient processes underway that allow many of these young people to survive and thrive. The objective of the current research was to examine resilience in a group of male Children and Youth in Street Situations (CYSS) in León, Nicaragua, to identify the factors in the boys, in their relationships and in their environments that facilitate their experiences of resilience. This study used qualitative data collected through individual interviews and focus groups with CYSS, their family members, community members, and staff of a local non-profit. A grounded theory analysis led to the generation of a context-specific model of resilience that specifies those factors associated with the experience of resilience in this sample. The findings of this research contribute to our understanding of resilience as a dynamic, context-specific process that emerges through the interactions between children, their relationships, and their environments. The identification of resilience-enhancing factors present in the lives of CYSS in León is considered a first crucial step in developing culturally and contextually relevant interventions to support the resilience of this group.