UC Santa Barbara

The purpose of this study is to understand the experience of living in and transitioning from a group home in Honduras for eighteen and nineteen year old women. From June to August 2015, I gathered data through semi-structured interviews on the lived experiences of eight women from their time in a group home and through to the first year of their transitions. Using a grounded-theory approach I analyzed the discursive themes that emerged in the conversations and explored the connections made by the participants on each theme. Analysis of the women’s discussion about their lives in the group home revealed that they found the experience to be highly structured and routine. Apparently small shifts in the daily routine, discipline and education of the home impacted multiple aspects of their lives, and had a significant effect on their day-to-day experience in the home. The participants’ discussion of their transition suggested that the social and economic isolation of the group home made the transition to independent living difficult. They had little experience with basic skills like transportation and money management. The women’s future goals revealed a strong value for higher education, self-sufficiency, and the ability to support loved ones.