TY - JOUR
T1 - Trauma, Family Factors and the Mental Health of Homeless Adolescents
AU - Milburn, Norweeta G.
AU - Stein, Judith A.
AU - Lopez, Susana A.
AU - Hilberg, Amanda M.
AU - Veprinsky, Anna
AU - Arnold, Elizabeth Mayfield
AU - Desmond, Katherine A.
AU - Branson, Katie
AU - Lee, Alex
AU - Bath, Eraka
AU - Amani, Bita
AU - Comulada, W. Scott
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer International Publishing AG.
PY - 2019/3/15
Y1 - 2019/3/15
N2 - Family factors, such as poor family functioning and trauma, have been associated with negative outcomes for homeless adolescents. Further study is needed to better understand how family factors and trauma jointly relate to mental health problems and externalizing behaviors among homeless adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the influence of trauma (encompassing traumatic events experienced prior to, and after, becoming homeless) and family factors (poor family functioning and family conflict) on mental health problems and externalizing behaviors (substance use, delinquent behaviors, and sexual risk) among 201 homeless adolescents, ages 12 to 17 years. Trauma, poor family functioning, and family conflict significantly predicted greater mental health problems, delinquent behaviors, high-risk sexual behaviors and substance use. Overall, the findings suggest that family factors appear to be key to understanding mental health problems and externalizing behaviors among homeless adolescents. Implications, limitations and future directions are addressed.
AB - Family factors, such as poor family functioning and trauma, have been associated with negative outcomes for homeless adolescents. Further study is needed to better understand how family factors and trauma jointly relate to mental health problems and externalizing behaviors among homeless adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the influence of trauma (encompassing traumatic events experienced prior to, and after, becoming homeless) and family factors (poor family functioning and family conflict) on mental health problems and externalizing behaviors (substance use, delinquent behaviors, and sexual risk) among 201 homeless adolescents, ages 12 to 17 years. Trauma, poor family functioning, and family conflict significantly predicted greater mental health problems, delinquent behaviors, high-risk sexual behaviors and substance use. Overall, the findings suggest that family factors appear to be key to understanding mental health problems and externalizing behaviors among homeless adolescents. Implications, limitations and future directions are addressed.
KW - Externalizing behaviors
KW - Family
KW - Family conflict
KW - Homeless adolescents
KW - Mental health
KW - Mental health problems
KW - Trauma
KW - Youth high-risk behaviors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062039890&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85062039890&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s40653-017-0157-9
DO - 10.1007/s40653-017-0157-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 32318178
AN - SCOPUS:85062039890
SN - 1936-1521
VL - 12
SP - 37
EP - 47
JO - Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma
JF - Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma
IS - 1
ER -