Mental Disorders, Comorbidity, and Postrunaway Arrests Among Homeless and Runaway Adolescents

Abstract

This study examined the associations between lifetime mental disorder, comorbidity, and self‐reported postrunaway arrests among 428 (187 males, 241 females) homeless and runaway youth. The analysis examined the pattern of arrests across five lifetime mental disorders (alcohol abuse, drug abuse, conduct disorder, major depressive episode, and posttraumatic stress disorder). The adolescents, ranging from 16 to 19 years old, were interviewed directly on the streets and in shelters in four Midwestern states using computer‐assisted personal interviewing. Extensive self‐reports of early life history, behaviors since running away from home, and diagnostic interviewing (UM‐CIDI and DISC‐R) were used to estimate possible disorders. There was a high level of postrunaway arrests reported by the youth; more than half were arrested at least once after the initial runaway, with the average of 4.4 times. Consistent with the hypotheses, there were differential associations between individual mental disorders and involvement with the criminal justice system. Only externalizing disorders such as substance abuse and conduct disorder were related to arrest. Street youth with multiple externalizing and internalizing disorders were more likely to be arrested than nondisordered youths.

Longitudinal predictors of homelessness: findings from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-97

“…Substance use problems are prevalent among homeless youth with an estimated 70-95% of youth reporting substance use (Booth & Zhang, 1997; Chen et al, 2006; Martijn & Sharpe, 2006) and 69-71% meeting criteria for a substance use disorder (Baer, Ginzler, & Peterson, 2003; Kipke, Montgomery, Simon, & Iverson, 1997). The relationship between substance use and homelessness is somewhat unclear.…”

Factors Associated with Substance Use among Homeless Young Adults

“…Drug use for homeless young people is higher in comparison to their housed counterparts [1]. Previous research has estimated that 39% to 70% of homeless youth abuse drugs or alcohol [2, 3]. Substance use in this population has been reported as two to three times higher than that found among non-homeless young adults.…”

Finding Shelter: Two-Year Housing Trajectories Among Homeless Youth

“…Youth often leave home because of family conflict, dysfunction, abuse, and/or neglect [2][3][4]. Once homeless, they are at increased danger of engaging in substance use and risky sexual behaviors, as well as experiencing physical health problems, educational failure, and victimization [5][6][7][8]. Evidence indicates that the likelihood of these negative outcomes increases when youth are homeless for longer periods of time [9 -12].…”