Currently, the risk-oriented focus in forensic youth care is increasingly complemented by a growing interest in strengths-based approaches. Knowledge on how detention and the subsequent period in the community is experienced by adolescents, and which elements are helpful in achieving better lives can contribute to this emerging field. The current study aimed to retrospectively explore adolescents’ experiences from the moment they were detained until 6 to 12 months after they left the institution, identifying positive aspects and strengths. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 adolescents (both boys and girls, 15–18 years old) on average 8 months after discharge from a closed institution in Belgium. A thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 11. Five themes and corresponding subthemes were identified: (1) adolescents’ own strengths and resilience, (2) re-building personally valued lives, (3) making sense of past experiences, (4) moving away from a harmful lifestyle, and (5) (in-)formal supports. Most adolescents are on their way to finding a new balance in life, however, for a subgroup of them, this is still fragile. Adolescents highly emphasize the importance of feeling closely connected to at least one person; to receive practical help with regard to finances, work and housing; and to be able to experience pleasure and joy in their lives. Adolescents’ narratives suggest that starting a journey towards a normative good life often goes along with an initial difficult period because of a sense of loss with regard to their former life. This stresses the importance of targeting rehabilitation towards prosocial goals and enhancing adolescents’ quality of life on those life domains that matter most for them. Furthermore, we stress the importance of helping adolescents in overcoming structural barriers as a first step in supporting them in their trajectories towards better lives.

中文翻译：

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改变的坎坷之路：对以前被拘留的青少年走向更好生活轨迹的回顾性定性研究

目前，法医青年护理中以风险为导向的重点日益得到对基于优势的方法的日益增长的兴趣的补充。了解青少年如何在社区中经历拘留和随后的时期，以及哪些因素有助于实现更好的生活，可以为这一新兴领域做出贡献。目前的研究旨在回顾性探索青少年从被拘留到离开机构后 6 至 12 个月的经历，以确定积极的方面和优势。在比利时一家封闭机构出院后平均 8 个月，对 25 名青少年（男孩和女孩，15-18 岁）进行了深入访谈。使用 NVivo 11 进行了主题分析。确定了五个主题和相应的子主题：(1) 青少年自身的优势和复原力，(2) 重建个人珍视的生活，(3) 了解过去的经历，(4) 摆脱有害的生活方式，以及 (5) （非正式）支持。大多数青少年正在寻找新的生活平衡，但是，对于其中的一小部分人来说，这仍然是脆弱的。青少年高度强调与至少一个人保持密切联系的重要性；在财务、工作和住房方面获得实际帮助；并能够在他们的生活中体验快乐和快乐。青少年的叙述表明，开始走向规范的美好生活的旅程通常伴随着最初的困难时期，因为他们对以前的生活感到失落。这强调了以亲社会目标为目标的康复以及在对他们最重要的生活领域提高青少年生活质量的重要性。此外，我们强调帮助青少年克服结构性障碍的重要性，这是支持他们走向更美好生活的第一步。