The majority of research on homeless youth has focused on the multitude of problems faced by this vulnerable population. The current study, while acknowledging the hazards of life on the streets, seeks to explore the personal strengths and informal resources street youth rely on to navigate their environments. Qualitative data from seven focus groups conducted with street youth ages 18-24 were analyzed using content analysis. These data, rich with interactions among youth participants, highlight three important themes: developing "street smarts," existence of personal strengths, and informal resources relied upon by youth to survive. Results provide valuable insights into the strengths of homeless youth that can be useful to providers in assessing street youths' service needs and increasing the likelihood of long-term positive outcomes.

Although there is a plethora of research on resiliency, there are few studies that examine this concept in Latino immigrant families in the United States. Using key terms such as immigrant, hispanic, Latino, and resiliency, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify characteristics of resilience and understand how these factors uniquely protect Latino immigrant families against stressors related to the migration and assimilation processes. research on resilience among Latino immigrant families indicates 4 major domains: individual characteristics, family strengths, cultural factors, and community supports. A deeper understanding of how these risk and protective factors contribute to resilience with Latino immigrant families will increase the cultural competence of policy, practice, and research with this population. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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This study suggests that African-American youths with diabetes may be at greater risk for poor glycemic control due to the higher prevalence of single parenting and lower levels of adherence found in this population.

OBJECTIVE -To understand the impact of family structure on the metabolic control of children with diabetes, we posed two research questions: 1) what are the differences in sociodemographic, family, and community factors between single-mother and two-parent families of diabetic children? and 2) to what extent do these psychosocial factors predict metabolic control among diabetic children from single-mother and two-parent families?RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -This cross-sectional study included 155 diabetic children and their mothers or other female caregivers. The children were recruited if they had been diagnosed with diabetes for at least 1 year, had no other comorbid chronic illnesses, and were younger than 18 years of age. Interviews and self-report questionnaires were used to assess individual, family, and community variables.RESULTS -The findings indicate that diabetic children from single-mother families have poorer metabolic control than do children from two-parent families. Regression models of children' s metabolic control from single-mother families indicate that age and missed clinic appointments predicted HbA 1c levels; however, among two-parent families, children' s ethnicity and adherence to their medication regimen significantly predicted metabolic control.CONCLUSIONS -This study suggests that children from single-mother families are at risk of poorer metabolic control and that these families have more challenges to face when raising a child with a chronic illness. Implications point to a need for developing strategies sensitive to the challenges of single mothers.