Belonging mediates changes to resilience among separated siblings at camp-based reunification intervention.

• Using a positive youth development framework that focuses on cultivating environmnets centered on belonging and inclusion would benefit youth in care. • Belonging is a mechanism that helps explain changes in resilience among siblings separated due to their placement in foster care. • Belonging is a mechanism of change within the Camp To Belong programming. Previous work has established camp-based sibling reunification impacts to youths' resilience and sense of belonging. The current study tested the mediating effects of belonging on pre-test-post test changes to youth resilience. We examined survey data from 2,260 youth who attended one of 16 camp-based reunification programs in the U.S. and Australia. Youth belonging at camp partially mediated pre-test post-test changes to measures of resilience. In a multi-group model, the indirect effects of belonging on youth resilience differed according to youth individual characteristics. Belonging is a resilience promoting mechanism for youth in out-of-home care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]