Those who we expect to be “self-made adults”.

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on "family support" – namely, the family as a source of support to the child. It also focuses on states in which people lack family support. The book examines the best practices, as well as the international lessons that deserve further dissemination and exploration. It discusses people of various age-cohorts; yet, of special interest are youth, those people who are on the threshold of the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. The book proposes a collection of papers that, together, provide a comprehensive review of the characteristics, dynamics, and development of youth who have no family to lean on, either practically or psychologically. It highlights and discusses major components in the existing literature on understanding and considering youth without family to lean on. The book presents meaning and features of having no family to rely on in various cultural contexts. It includes a sample of existing interventions that aim to support youth without family to rely on. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)