Personal and family distress in homeless adolescents

Abstract

Previous research has indicated that homeless children exhibit high rates of behavioral and emotional problems and come from families characterised by conflict and rejection. Further, some evidence exists to show that family variables may relate to adolescent distress differently for homeless males and females. In this study, 117 homeless adolescents were compared to a sample of non-homeless youths on the self reported incidence of personal and family problems. The homeless children reported the highest incidence of all behavioral and emotional problems, parental marital discord, overprotection, and the lowest levels of parental care and acceptance. Sex effects were not evident in reported levels of personal or family problems. However, substantially more variance in the adolescents level of behavioral and emotional disturbance was predictable from family measures for females than males. Overall, the results point to the importance of incorporating family distress models in the understanding and remediation of adolescent homelessness.

Risk Factors for Running Away Among a General Population Sample of Males and Females

“…Comparison studies find that homeless adolescents report higher rates of family conflict and lower rates of parental warmth, care, and support compared with their housed counterparts (Dadds et al, 1993;Schweitzer et al, 1994). In addition, studies on homeless and runaway adolescents find that child maltreatment leads to running away (Tyler et al, 2001;Whitbeck et al, 1997).…”

Invited Commentary: Seeking a Coherent Strategy in our Response to Homeless and Street-Involved Youth: A Historical Review and Suggested Future Directions

“…In this time and into the 1990s, the predominant perspective once again retreated from macro-level explanation to one involving abuse and instability amongst families of origin. Research focused largely on high incidences of physical and sexual abuse and neglect in home and emphasized general histories of dysfunction and instability including frequent reports of domestic violence, parental criminality and substance abuse, poverty, frequent moves and changes of school (Dadds et al 1993;Maclean et al 1999;Molnar et al 1998;Ringwalt et al 1998). While abusive and chaotic home environments had received some peripheral attention previously (e.g., Gilpin 1930), this was the first time such an explanation came to the forefront.…”

A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Child Maltreatment on Later Outcomes among High-risk Adolescents

“…Indeed, research finds that runaways report having experienced high rates of physical and/or sexual abuse (McCormack et al 1986;Tyler and Cauce 2002;Tyler et al 2001a) and poor parenting (Dadds et al 1993;Schweitzer et al 1994) while at home. Finally, lower school engagement and/or poorer academic performance have also been associated with experiencing maltreatment and/or conflict with parents (Crozier and Barth 2005;Hagan and McCarthy 1997;Leiter and Johnsen 1994;.…”