Given high levels of health
and psychological costs associated with the family disruption of homelessness,
identifying predictors of runaway and homeless episodes is an important goal.
The current study followed 179 substance abusing, shelter-recruited adolescents
who participated in a randomized clinical trial. Predictors of runaway and
homeless episodes were examined over a two year period. Results from the
hierarchical linear modeling analysis showed that family cohesion and substance
use, but not family conflict or depressive symptoms, delinquency, or school
enrollment predicted future runaway and homeless episodes. Findings suggest that
increasing family support, care and connection and reducing substance use are
important targets of intervention efforts in preventing future runaway and
homeless episodes amongst a high risk sample of adolescents.
In the U.S., approximately 1.7 million adolescents runaway
each year, with an estimated 19.4% of adolescents experiencing a
runaway/homeless episode by the time they are 18-years-old (Hammer,
Finkelhor, & Sedlack, 2002; Pergamit,
2010). Furthermore, 51.2% of runaway adolescents report multiple
runaway/homeless episodes (Pergamit,
2010). While some adolescents chose to leave home, others are forced
or encouraged to leave home (Hammer
et al., 2002). Runaway adolescents are exposed to several risks both
prior to and after leaving home (Hammer
et al., 2002). The majority of these adolescents report negative
family environments, with high rates of family conflict and low rates of
support and connection (Slesnick et al., 2009). While away from home,
adolescents are exposed to further risks, with many adolescents reporting
substance abuse and depressive symptoms (Greene, Ennett, & Ringwalt, 1997;Thompson,
Pollio, Constantine, Reid, & Nebbit, 2002; Yates, MacKenzie, Pennbridge, & Cohen, 1988).
In order to address the risks experienced by these adolescents, interventions
have been developed to address both family and individual challenges.
Crisis shelters are the primary intervention for
runaway adolescents (Greene, Ringwalt, & Iachan, 1997). Since
the majority of adolescents return home following their stay in a shelter,
family therapy interventions have also been developed and recommended for these
families (Slesnick & Prestopnik, 2005).
Following participation in treatment, adolescents report improved outcomes,
including reduced substance use and improved behavioral and emotional
functioning (Barber et al., 2005; Slesnick & Prestopnik, 2005; Slesnick, Erdem, Bartle-Haring, & Brigham, in press).
However, many of the positive effects of treatment fade over time and repeat
runway/homeless episodes are common (Baker
et al., 2003; Pollio,
et al. 2006). Among a study of shelter using youth, Baker
and colleagues (2003) found 18% of first time runaways and
34% of repeat runaways returned to the shelter within a year following
discharge. While previous studies have identified factors that predict an
initial runaway episode, less is known about factors that predict repeat
runaway and homeless episodes following participation in treatment. Since both
individual and family factors predict initial runaway episodes, the current
study sought to identify both individual and family factors that predict repeat
runaway and homeless episodes across time following adolescents’ stay in a runaway
shelter and participation in treatment.
Full article at: http://goo.gl/qa8cbX
By:
Human Development
and Family Science, The Ohio State University
1Corresponding Author. Department of Human
Development and Family Science, The Ohio, State University, 135 Campbell Hall,
1787 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210. Phone: (614) 247-8469; FAX: (614) 292-4365. Email: ude.uso@5.kcinsels
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