Discrimination and exiting homelessness among homeless adolescents.

Abstract

This paper examines how newly homeless adolescents' discrimination experiences were associated with exiting homelessness after six months. A sample of 262 homeless adolescents, aged 12 to 20 years, were recruited and followed longitudinally (six-month retention rate = 88%). Discrimination was related to being gay, lesbian, or bisexual (LGB). Discrimination from family was related to exiting homelessness. Other than those who were LGB, adolescents who reported discrimination from their families were more likely to exit homelessness than adolescents who did not report such discrimination. Suggestions for future research include focusing on the experiences of LGB homeless adolescents, the role of families in the lives of homeless adolescents, and other aspects of discrimination, including salience, frequency, intensity, and duration. KeywordsDiscrimination; homeless adolescents; racial/ethnic minority adolescents; gay, lesbian or bisexual adolescents Previous research suggests that marginalized adolescents who are homeless, a racial/ethnic minority, or lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) will experience discrimination (Corrigan et al., 2003;Crosby, Bromley, & Saxe, 1980;Crow, Folk, & Hartman, 1998;Hebl, Foster, Mannix, & Dovidio, 2002;Herek, 1991;Krieger, 1999;Major, Quinton, McCoy, & Schmader, 2000;Mays, Ponce, Washington, & Cochran, 2003;Snipp, 2003;Williams, Neighbors, & Jackson, 2003). Discrimination is intolerant behavior to those who are perceived to be different, including harassment that stems from bias and emotional responses such as fear and hate (Hewstone, Rubin, & Willis, 2002). Research on discrimination and homelessness is limited, but mentally ill people have reported discrimination due to being homeless (Corrigan et al., 2003). Discrimination against homeless people has not been widely studied, but stigma has. Stigma (a negative characteristic that can be ascribed to an individual) is associated with both bias, such as prejudice, and discrimination (Link & Phelan, 2001). For example, Phelan, Link, Moore, and Stueve (1997), in a large survey of adults in United States, found the label of "homeless" was more stigmatizing than the label of "poor." Adults reported more social distance in terms of being friends with, hiring, and living in the same community with a Corresponding author: Norweeta G. Milburn, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, California 90024, Tel. No. (310) Fax No. (310) 794-8297, E-mail: nmilburn@mednet.ucla.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: The following manuscript is the final accepted manuscript. It has not been subjected to the final copyediting, fact-checking, and proofreading required for formal publication. It is not the definitive, publisher-authenticated version. The American Psychological Association and its Council of Editors disclaim any responsibility or liabilities for errors or omissions of this manuscript version, any version derived from this manuscript by NIH, or other third parties. The published version is a...

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