Future expectations of Brasilian street youth

Abstract

Future expectations of youth surviving on the streets of Porto Alegre, Brasil, were examined. The sample consisted of 35 boys and 34 girls aged 10-18 (M age 14.4) who participated in a sentence completion task and semi-structured interviews. Responses to two incomplete sentences regarding the future revealed a mismatch between hoped-for and expected events. When completing the sentence, "In the future, I hope…" the majority of youth gave optimistic (but generally non-specific) responses. In contrast, the sentence "For me, the future…" elicited more pessimistic responses. Few gender or age-related differences emerged. Findings are discussed in light of prior research with general populations of adolescents as well as studies of street youth. Taken as a whole, results suggest that life on the street shapes and constrains how youth see their futures. Implications of the findings for policy makers and practitioners are addressed.

Capacity for Survival: Exploring Strengths of Homeless Street Youth

“…Little respect is given to those with limited street smarts or those who remain connected to traditional sources of support, demonstrating these youths' conviction concerning the significance of independence and its role in homelessness. Gaining experience on the street significantly shapes these young people's behaviors and perceptions (Raffaelli & Koller, 2005).…”

Life on streets

“…A recent study in Brazil too, concluded the same. 11 Other studies report 69-79% substance use. 12,13 The higher incidence in these studies was seen probably because these were conducted among street children who were regularly exposed to street conditions including substance use.…”

Experience of Emotional Stress and Resilience in Street-Involved Youth: The Need for Early Mental Health Intervention

“…Casual, unskilled employment often does not provide enough income for street youth to afford stable accommodation. 16,20 Limited education, a lack of marketable job skills and the generalized emotional and cognitive instability associated with homelessness itself contribute to these youth's dependency on the "street economy" (e.g. sex trade, panhandling, drug running) as their primary source of income to meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.…”