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Pathways to youth homelessness

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  • Martijn, Claudine
  • Sharpe, Louise

Abstract

Research documents high levels of psychopathology among homeless youth. Most research, however, has not distinguished between disorders that are present prior to homelessness and those that develop following homelessness. Hence whether psychological disorders are the cause or consequence of homelessness has not been established. The aim of this study is to investigate causal pathways to homelessness amongst currently homeless youth in Australia. The study uses a quasi-qualitative methodology to generate hypotheses for larger-scale research. High rates of psychological disorders were confirmed in the sample 35 homeless youth aged 14-25. The rates of psychological disorders at the point of homelessness were greater than in normative samples, but the rates of clinical disorder increased further once homeless. Further in-depth analyses were conducted to identify the temporal sequence for each individual with a view to establishing a set of causal pathways to homelessness and trajectories following homelessness that characterised the people in the sample. Five pathways to homelessness and five trajectories following homelessness were identified that accounted for the entire sample. Each pathway constituted a series of interactions between different factors similar to that described by Craig and Hodson (1998. Psychological Medicine, 28, 1379-1388) as "complex subsidiary pathways". The major findings were that (1) trauma is a common experience amongst homeless youth prior to homelessness and figured in the causal pathways to homelessness for over half of the sample; (2) once homeless, for the majority of youth there is an increase in the number of psychological diagnoses including drug and alcohol diagnoses; and (3) crime did not precede homelessness for all but one youth; however, following homelessness, involvement in criminal activity was common and became a distinguishing factor amongst youth. The implications of these findings for future research and service development are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Martijn, Claudine & Sharpe, Louise, 2006. "Pathways to youth homelessness," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 1-12, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:62:y:2006:i:1:p:1-12
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    1. Phelan, J.C. & Link, B.G., 1999. "Who are 'the homeless'? Reconsidering the stability and composition of the homeless population," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 89(9), pages 1334-1338.
    2. Herman, D.B. & Susser, E.S. & Struening, E.L. & Link, B.L., 1997. "Adverse childhood experiences: Are they risk factors for adult homelessness?," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 87(2), pages 249-255.
    3. Auerswald, Colette L. & Eyre, Stephen L., 2002. "Youth homelessness in San Francisco: A life cycle approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 54(10), pages 1497-1512, May.
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    1. Chris O'Leary & Rob Ralphs & Jennifer Stevenson & Andrew Smith & Jordan Harrison & Zsolt Kiss, 2022. "PROTOCOL: The effectiveness of abstinence‐based and harm reduction‐based interventions in reducing problematic substance use in adults who are experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage homelessnes," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(3), September.
    2. Moschion, Julie & van Ours, Jan C., 2021. "Do transitions in and out of homelessness relate to mental health episodes? A longitudinal analysis in an extremely disadvantaged population," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    3. Pádraig Collins & Chris Barker, 2009. "Psychological Help-Seeking in Homeless Adolescents," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 55(4), pages 372-384, July.
    4. Black, Emma B. & Fedyszyn, Izabela E. & Mildred, Helen & Perkin, Rhianna & Lough, Richard & Brann, Peter & Ritter, Cheryl, 2018. "Homeless youth: Barriers and facilitators for service referrals," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 7-12.
    5. Chris O'Leary & Rob Ralphs & Jennifer Stevenson & Andrew Smith & Jordan Harrison & Zsolt Kiss & Harry Armitage, 2024. "The effectiveness of abstinence‐based and harm reduction‐based interventions in reducing problematic substance use in adults who are experiencing homelessness in high income countries: A systematic re," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(2), June.
    6. Chisom N. Iwundu & Tzu-An Chen & Kirsteen Edereka-Great & Michael S. Businelle & Darla E. Kendzor & Lorraine R. Reitzel, 2020. "Mental Illness and Youth-Onset Homelessness: A Retrospective Study among Adults Experiencing Homelessness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-13, November.
    7. Wershler, Julie L. & Ronis, Scott T., 2015. "Psychosocial characteristics and service needs of Canadian suburban male youth at risk for homelessness," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 29-36.
    8. Suzanne Fitzpatrick & Glen Bramley & Sarah Johnsen, 2013. "Pathways into Multiple Exclusion Homelessness in Seven UK Cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(1), pages 148-168, January.
    9. Hendry, David G. & Woelfer, Jill Palzkill & Harper, Rowena & Bauer, Tyler & Fitzer, Brynn & Champagne, Mike, 2011. "How to integrate digital media into a drop-in for homeless young people for deepening relationships between youth and adults," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 774-782, May.
    10. Turnbull, Bernardo & Hernández, Raquel & Reyes, Miguel, 2009. "Street children and their helpers: An actor-oriented approach," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(12), pages 1283-1288, December.
    11. Myra Piat & Lauren Polvere & Maritt Kirst & Jijian Voronka & Denise Zabkiewicz & Marie-Carmen Plante & Corinne Isaak & Danielle Nolin & Geoffrey Nelson & Paula Goering, 2015. "Pathways into homelessness: Understanding how both individual and structural factors contribute to and sustain homelessness in Canada," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(13), pages 2366-2382, October.
    12. Chloe Charlton & Ravishankar Ram Mani & Sasikala Chinnappan & Ashok Kumar Balaraman & Thangavel Muthusamy & Chitraabaanu Paranjothy & Deepa Suresh & Sunil Krishnan & Kartik Lokhotiya & Gothandam Kodiv, 2022. "Bibliometric and Density Visualisation Mapping Analysis of Domestic Violence in Australia Research Output 1984–2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-14, April.
    13. Thompson, Sanna & Jun, Jina & Bender, Kimberly & Ferguson, Kristin M. & Pollio, David E., 2010. "Estrangement factors associated with addiction to alcohol and drugs among homeless youth in three U.S. cities," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 418-427, November.
    14. Raffaele Mendez, Linda M. & Randle, Camille A., 2021. "Lifted: A thematic analysis of homeless adolescents’ reflections on their lives since beginning a multifaceted, community-based intervention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    15. Bender, Kimberly & Thompson, Sanna J. & Ferguson, Kristin & Komlo, Chelsea & Taylor, Chelsea & Yoder, Jamie, 2012. "Substance use and victimization: Street-involved youths' perspectives and service implications," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2392-2399.
    16. Narendorf, Sarah Carter, 2017. "Intersection of homelessness and mental health: A mixed methods study of young adults who accessed psychiatric emergency services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 54-62.

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