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Family risk factors and prevalence of dissociative symptoms among homeless and runaway youth
- Authors:
- TYLER Kimberley A., CAUCE Ana Marie, WHITBECK Les
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 28(3), March 2004, pp.355-366.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Three hundred and twenty-eight homeless and runaway youth were interviewed using a systematic sampling strategy in metropolitan Seattle. Homeless young people were interviewed on the streets and in shelters by outreach workers in youth service agencies. The current study revealed widespread prevalence of dissociative symptoms among these young people. Multivariate analyses revealed that sexual abuse, physical abuse, and family mental health problems were all positively associated with dissociative symptoms. No gender differences were found for any of the models. Dissociative behavior is widespread among these youth and may pose a serious mental health concern. Some young people experience numerous stressors, and with few resources and little support available, many may invoke maladaptive strategies such as dissociative behavior to handle such situations, which may in turn be detrimental to their mental health. Unless youth are provided with programmes and intervention, the cycle of abuse that they have experienced at home is likely to continue on the street.
On your own without a net: the transition to adulthood for vulnerable populations
- Editors:
- OSGOOD D. Wayne, et al, (eds.)
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 401p.
- Place of publication:
- London
In the decade after high school, young people continue to rely on their families in many ways-sometimes for financial support, sometimes for help with childcare, and sometimes for continued shelter. But what about those young people who confront special difficulties during this period, many of whom can count on little help from their families? This book documents the special challenges facing seven vulnerable populations during the transition to adulthood: former foster care youth, youth formerly involved in the juvenile justice system, youth in the criminal justice system, runaway and homeless youth, former special education students, young people in the mental health system, and youth with physical disabilities. During adolescence, government programs have been a major part of their lives, yet eligibility for most programs typically ends between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. This critical volume shows the unfortunate repercussions of this termination of support and points out the issues that must be addressed to improve these young people's chances of becoming successful adults.
Agency-based tracking of difficult-to-follow populations: runaway and homeless youth programs in St. Louis, Missouri
- Authors:
- POLLIO David E., THOMPSON Sanna J., NORTH Carol S.
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 36(3), June 2000, pp.247-258.
- Publisher:
- Springer
This study explored agency-based tracking methods for runaway and homeless youth in the USA. 118 Programme discharges from three federally funded agencies serving runaway/homeless youth in Missouri were tracked for a follow-up study of this population. Sixty-nine percent of the sample was successfully located and fifty-nine percent interviewed. Significant findings included: fewer contact attempts over fewer days were made for individuals successfully interviewed, individuals tracked through Division of Family Services were less likely to be located and interviewed, and individuals successfully located were significantly younger. The report provides encouraging evidence that even relatively unsophisticated protocols for tracking agency clients developed in collaboration with community agencies can yield follow-up samples that are acceptably representative of programme participants.
Mental health and emerging adulthood among homeless young people
- Author:
- WHITBECK Les B.
- Publisher:
- Psychology Press
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 298p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- New York
This book reports a three year longitudinal study on mental health problems of homeless young people, in their mid teens to early twenties, from urban areas of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. The data, collected at three month intervals, covers emerging adulthood among runaways and homeless young people, mental health, unintentional and intentional injuries, adult roles, social networks, intimate relationships and economic adjustments, and lost and new opportunities. Homeless young people suffer many stresses and psychological consequences of missing key adolescent, developmental tasks are discussed. The author, and collaborators, focus on mental health and depression in Chapters 3 and 4, traumatic histories, substance misuse patterns and dissociative symptoms in chapters 5, 6 and 7, and physical injuries, self-harm, suicide ideation and health services utilisation in chapters 8, 9, 10 and 11. Social networks at home and on the streets, sexuality, relationships and pregnancy, and survival strategies, hunger, education and housing are covered in Chapters 12, 13 and 14. Psychological problems associated with victimisation experienced before and after running away are noted to shape behaviour, interpersonal relationships and chances of future adjustment to conventional life. Some, more serious, consequences and continuities of mental health problems are discussed in chapters 15 and 16.
Factors associated with homelessness of adolescents under supervision of the youth protection system
- Authors:
- ROBERT Marie, PAUZE Robert, FOURNIER Louise
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adolescence, 28(2), April 2005, pp.215-230.
- Publisher:
- Academic Press
There are two factors that limit our knowledge of the risk factors associated with homelessness among runaway adolescents, namely (1) visible homelessness subjects, whereas most adolescents in fact use “private” resources and (2) failure to use an adequate control group to identify risk factors associated specifically with homelessness. This study compares the characteristics of two groups of youths under the supervision of the youth protection system, according to the presence or absence of periods of homelessness. The results throw light on the factors underlying the shift from “at risk” to “homeless”, showing that youths with experience of homelessness are more likely to have been placed in substitute home environments, have experienced significant relationship difficulties with one of their parents (deterioration of the parent/youth relationship and parental abuse) and to have been diagnosed with behavioural disorders. The findings suggest that the decision to place young people under supervision is based more on the dynamic between risk factors rather than on the existence of behavioural problems.