The psychosocial profile of adolescent risk of homelessness

Abstract

The findings highlight the potential we have to quickly and simply detect adolescents showing significant risk of homelessness. This sizable minority of adolescents report risks often equivalent to homeless adolescents. It is hoped that stakeholders working with young people will utilise this screening potential to identify and intervene effectively with this significant subpopulation of youth, and their families, while they are still at home and school.

The role of risk and protective factors in the modification of risk for sexual victimization, sexual risk behaviors, and survival sex among homeless youth: A meta‐analysis

“…This study has attempted to contribute to this research gap. Literature on childhood and early adolescent experiences of homeless youth commonly show these youth have not received adequate family care and protection, reporting histories of family breakdown, violence, substance use, mental health problems, and poor peer relationships (Bearsley‐Smith et al, ; Hyde, ; Martijn & Sharpe, ). The findings of this meta‐analysis are important in showing that established risk factors for homelessness should also be examined as modifiable risk factors for the experiences and behavior youth encounter, and engage in, while homeless.…”

“…For instance, legislation pertaining to engagement in street prostitution and sex work (and associated legal penalties) may impact engagement in sexual risk behavior and survival sex (Heerde et al, ). Prior studies have reported gender differences in health risks among homeless youth with females in comparison to males often reported as experiencing higher levels of trauma and injury resulting from victimization or assault (Barry, Ensign, & Lippek, ; Bearsley‐Smith et al, ), engaging in unprotected sex and being diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (Tevendale, Lightfoot, & Slocum, ). From a developmental perspective, the age of the young person may influence their sexual behavior.…”

“…KEYWORDS homelessness, meta-analysis, sexual risk behavior, sexual victimization, survival sex, youth 1 | INTRODUCTION Youth homelessness is a multifaceted and significant social problem. It is commonly acknowledged that homeless youth have often experienced maltreatment and abuse in their family of origin (Bearsley-Smith, Bond, Littlefield, & Thomas, 2008;Hyde, 2005;Martijn & Sharpe, 2006), and some have been required to make an early transition to an adult-level of independence through their emancipation from out-of-home care settings or the care of child protective services (Heerde, Hemphill, Broderick, & Florent, 2012a;Heerde, Scholes-Balog, Tollit, & Hemphill, 2012b). For these youth, the experience of homelessness creates additional vulnerability to negative physical, psychological and social, and health and behavioral outcomes that do not occur in isolation from one another , 2016aKennedy & Baron, 1993;Pears & Noller, 1995).…”

“…Due to the requirement to make transitions within cognitive, physical, and social domains, adolescence is recognized as the period of peak incidence for mental health problems (e.g., depression) and problem behaviors (e.g., violence); with these problems and behaviors among the top causes of morbidity and mortality for youth today (Gore et al, 2011). For homeless youth, these problems and behaviors are compounded by the disruption homelessness causes to healthy adolescent physical, emotional, social, and psychological development (Farrow, Deisher, Brown, Kulig, & Kipke, 1992), as well as their prior experiences of maltreatment and abuse (Bearsley-Smith et al, 2008) and revictimization while homeless (Heerde & Hemphill, 2016b;Heerde, Hemphill, & Scholes-Balog, 2014;Heerde, Scholes-Balog, & Hemphill, 2015).…”

Sexual Risk Behaviors, Sexual Offenses, and Sexual Victimization Among Homeless Youth

“…Homeless youth are recognized as having experienced incidences of family violence, childhood abuse (physical, psychological, and sexual), family conflict, and low levels of parent attachment (Bearsley-Smith, Bond, Littlefield, & Thomas, 2008;Martijn & Sharpe, 2006). For some of these youth, separation or removal from the family unit may have been the result of contact with child protective services (Heerde, Hemphill, Broderick & Florent, 2012).…”