Identifying Homeless Youth At-Risk of Substance Use Disorder

The major contribution of this article is to address the lack of knowledge regarding homeless youth’s experiences of risk, from their point of view. The youth at-risk field has become a burgeoning area of research that tends to magnify vulnerabilities, yet limits our understanding of complex youth experiences. It is important to highlight another dimension of the homeless youth experience that has rarely been promoted, and that is one of adaptability and creativity encompassed within a framework of survivability and resilience - notions that often necessitate taking risks. Drawing on a longitudinal ethnographic study with 18 homeless youth (aged 16 and 17 years old) in Ottawa (Canada), this article paints a more complex understanding of the struggles youth face, in terms of structural (social assistance, housing) and symbolic (stigma, social representations, and identity constructs) constraints. This analysis adds complexity to youth-at-risk discourses and displays the challenges they encounter and the resilient ways in which they seek to overcome obstacles. This paper supports a movement towards recognizing youth strengths and the heterogeneity of their experiences.

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Psychological trait helps identify boys at risk of substance use disorder

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e436662008-001 ◽

2008 ◽

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Substance Use ◽

Substance Use Disorder ◽

Psychological Trait

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A Design Workshop for Youth ‘At Risk’

IDEA JOURNAL ◽

10.37113/ideaj.vi0.161 ◽

2006 ◽

pp. 42-59

Author(s):

Kristine Jerome ◽

Jill Franz ◽

Dianne Smith

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Design Education ◽

Homeless Youth ◽

Teaching Approaches ◽

Community Programs ◽

Learning And Teaching ◽

Award Winning ◽

Youth At Risk ◽

Design Workshop

This paper describes an award winning program offered to homeless youth in 2001. It details the key learning and teaching approaches that underpinned its success. In the description it highlights the potential of embracing ‘design’ as a framework for facilitating change in youth deemed ‘at risk’ of homelessness. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to address the significance of design education in community programs.

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Social Connectedness, Self-Efficacy, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Homeless Youth

Youth & Society ◽

10.1177/0044118x16650459 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 50 (7) ◽

pp. 989-1014 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Stephanie Begun ◽

Kimberly A. Bender ◽

Samantha M. Brown ◽

Anamika Barman-Adhikari ◽

Kristin Ferguson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Substance Use Disorder ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Homeless Youth ◽

Service Providers ◽

Mental Health Outcomes

Homeless youth frequently meet diagnosis criteria for depressive and/or substance use disorder(s). Although prior research has established that both social connectedness and self-efficacy buffer vulnerable youth’s adverse health outcomes, few studies have compared the potential of these protective factors on homeless youth’s mental well-being. The current study analyzes comparative effects of social connectedness and self-efficacy on meeting criteria for major depressive disorder, substance use disorder, and the co-occurrence of both disorders among a sample of 601 service-seeking homeless youth in Austin, Denver, and Los Angeles. Hierarchical logistic regressions indicate that while both social connectedness and self-efficacy constructs are valuable protective factors, social connectedness may offer greater utility, particularly in buffering against more complex mental health outcomes, such as the co-occurrence of depressive and substance use disorders. Accordingly, resource-strapped homeless youth service providers and researchers may benefit from tailoring mental health intervention strategies to further emphasize social connectedness in future efforts.

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