Prevalence of Psychological Distress and Psychiatric Disorders Among Homeless Youth in Australia: A Comparative Review

Kamieniecki, Gregory W.

doi:10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00910.x

Cited by 76 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…RHY frequently turn to or are exposed to alcohol and other drugs, which can result in significant patterns of abuse and sometimes even clinical dependence (Bannon et al 2012;Bender et al 2014;Kipke et al 1997;Tyler 2013). Regarding mental health, researchers have documented high levels of depressive symptoms and psychological distress (Edidin et al 2012;Kamieniecki 2001;Toolis and Hammack 2015), as well as suicidality and suicide attempts (Fulginiti et al 2016;Moskowitz et al 2013). Consistent with the well documented high-prevalence of severe mental illness among homeless youth and adults (Henry et al 2016; National Health Care for the Homeless Council 2015), severe mental illness has also been found to be a significant concern among RHY, particularly post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and other major mood disorders (Davies and Allen 2017;Edidin et al 2012;Nyamathi et al 2005).…”

Section: The Health and Mental Health Of Rhymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Support Networks and the Mental Health of Runaway and Homeless Youth

2017

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Abstract:In response to growing concerns about the rising number of runaway and homeless youth (RHY) in the U.S., researchers have sought to improve the scientific understanding of health and mental health needs, as well as the social resources available to these youths. In this paper, we examine the relationship between personal support network resources and the mental health status of a sample of RHY (N = 693) surveyed in metro-Atlanta, Georgia. The results suggest that having more supportive network ties reduces the risk of youth experiencing significant symptoms of a severe mental illness. We also find that older youth and youth who have been homeless for six months or longer have fewer personal support network resources. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for future research and services for this exceptionally vulnerable population.

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Section: The Health and Mental Health Of Rhymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Support Networks and the Mental Health of Runaway and Homeless Youth

2017

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“…This is an appropriate sample as research has shown that both suicidality and psychological disorders are more common among homeless adolescents than among community-dwelling youths (Kamieniecki 2001;Whitbeck et al 2004a). For homeless adolescents, lifetime suicide attempt rates have ranged from 18% (Yates et al 1988) to 53% (Smart and Ogborne 1994), and lifetime suicidal ideation rates have been as high as 28% (Booth and Zhang 1996) to 62% (Unger et al 1997).…”

Section: Contributions Of the Present Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Dimensional Model of Psychopathology Among Homeless Adolescents: Suicidality, Internalizing, and Externalizing Disorders

Yoder

Longley

Whitbeck

et al. 2007

J Abnorm Child Psychol

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The present study examined associations among dimensions of suicidality and psychopathology in a sample of 428 homeless adolescents (56.3% female). Confirmatory factor analysis results provided support for a three-factor model in which suicidality (measured with lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts), internalizing disorders (assessed with lifetime diagnoses of major depressive episode and post-traumatic stress disorder), and externalizing disorders (indicated by lifetime diagnoses of conduct disorder, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse) were positively intercorrelated. The findings illustrate the utility of a dimensional approach that integrates suicidality and psychopathology into one model. KeywordsPsychopathology; Suicidality; Internalizing; Externalizing; Homeless adolescents Dimensions of adolescent suicidality and psychopathology are of increased concern to clinicians and researchers (Bridge et al. 2006;Verona et al. 2004). This interest can be attributed to the relatively high prevalence of adolescent suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (Evans et al. 2005) and to suicide being the third leading cause of death among youths ages 15-24 in the USA (Hoyert et al. 2006). Research also indicates both suicidal ideation and suicide attempts increase the risk for completed suicide (Brown et al. 2000). This pattern of increased liability for suicide risk has led to a broader conceptualization of a suicide spectrum ranging from suicidal ideation to attempted and completed suicide (Lewinsohn et al. 1996).Moreover, psychiatric disorders are among the strongest correlates of adolescent suicidality (Bridge et al. 2006). Mood disorders are robust correlates, but post-traumatic stress disorder, conduct disorder, and substance use disorders are also associated with suicidality (Bridge et al. 2006;Evans et al. 2004). Krueger (1999), informed by the work of Achenbach (Achenbach and McConaughy 1997), developed a dimensional model of psychopathology and clustered psychiatric diagnoses into internalizing and externalizing disorders. As specific psychiatric disorders from both clusters are related to suicidal ideation and attempts, there is interest in linking the suicide spectrum to these broader dimensions of psychopathology (Hills et al. 2005;Verona et al. 2004).Our study expands on this work by including the internalizing and externalizing dimensions of psychopathology in a structural model of adolescent suicidality using a sample of homeless adolescents. Suicidality is measured with lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, internalizing psychopathology with lifetime diagnoses of major depressive episode and posttraumatic stress disorder, and externalizing psychopathology with lifetime diagnoses of conduct disorder, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse. We use confirmatory factor analysis to examine covariances among dimensions of suicidality, internalizing, and externalizing disorders. Internalizing and Externalizing DisordersAchenbach used an empirical approach to derive two broad dimensions (internalizing...

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“…4 We anticipated that there may be different pathways into and out of homelessness in the two settings; therefore, we compared newly homeless and experienced youth (those on the streets a long time) in each country. 5 Homeless youth show very high rates of problem behaviors in both countries (Booth & Zhang, 1996;Inciardi & Surratt, 1998;Kipke, Montgomery, Simon, & Iverson, 1997;Sleegers, Spijker, van Limbeek, & van Engeland, 1998;Greene & Ringwalt, 1996;Kral, Molnar, Booth, & Watters, 1997;Rosenthal, Moore, & Buzwell, 1994;Buhrich & Teesson, 1990;Kamieniecki, 2001;Teesson, Hodder, & Buhrich, 2003). Yet, it is unclear whether newly homeless youth in both countries would have exhibited similar behavioral profiles whether they were in the US and AU.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross‐National Variations in Behavioral Profiles Among Homeless Youth

Milburn

Rice

Mallet

et al. 2006

American J of Comm Psychol

103

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Cross-national comparisons of homeless youth in Melbourne, Australia, and Los Angeles, CA, United States were conducted. Newly (n = 427) and experienced (n = 864) homeless youth were recruited from each site. Compared to Australia, homeless youth in the United States were younger, more likely to be in school or jail, demonstrated fewer sexual and substance use risk acts, fewer suicidal acts, and reported less need for social services. Across sites, experienced homeless youth were more likely to be older, male, engage in sexual and substance use, report greater need for social services, and make greater use of work, substance use, and health-related services. Homeless youth have different behavioral profiles in Australia and the United States, reflecting differences in the effectiveness of service systems in the two countries in keeping youth with fewer problems out of homelessness. KeywordsHomelessness; Australia; homeless shelters; social policy; youth risk behavior Homelessness among youth is a significant problem in both the United States (US) and Australia (AU) (Hammer, Finkelhor, & Sedlak, 2002;MacKenzie & Chamberlin, 2002; Prime Ministerial Homeless Report, 1998). Because AU and the US are similar in several key dimensions, data gathered in AU may inform US policies regarding homeless youth. Both countries are developed nations with large immigrant populations; both have strong national norms for individualism (in contrast to collectivism) (Kim, Triandis, Kagitcibasi, Choi, & Yoon, 1994); and services for homeless youth are similarly organized with a system of community-based shelters, primary health care clinics, foster care, and, to a lesser extent, comprehensive service agencies. Yet, the cross-national differences in service and policy contexts offer important opportunities to examine national variations in youth's pathways into and out of homelessness. In AU, services for homeless youth are organized so that a large number of relatively small communitybased agencies are geographically dispersed throughout the city (Harrison & Dempsey, 1997). In contrast, US services are more likely to be provided at a few large shelters located in the inner city. Further, AU has adopted a harm-reduction approach to substance use (Nguyen & Fox, 2002), has had multiple national social marketing plans for HIV prevention (Ross, Rigby, Rosse, Anagnostou, & Brown, 1990), has adopted a sexual health approach (not the 3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at Center for Community Health, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite #350, LA, California 90024-6521; nmilburn@mednet.ucla.edu. (Harrison, Hillier, & Walsh, 1996), offers universal access to health care (Doctors Reform Society, 2003), provides some school-based prevention services to divert youth from homelessness, and provides a weekly stipend for homeless youth. Moreover, AU has less socioeconomic diversity than the US. Given these contextual differences, our first goal was to document the similarities and differences among homeless youth in Melbourne, AU and Los...

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Prevalence of Psychological Distress and Psychiatric Disorders Among Homeless Youth in Australia: A Comparative Review

Cited by 76 publications

References 34 publications

Social Support Networks and the Mental Health of Runaway and Homeless Youth

Social Support Networks and the Mental Health of Runaway and Homeless Youth

A Dimensional Model of Psychopathology Among Homeless Adolescents: Suicidality, Internalizing, and Externalizing Disorders

Cross‐National Variations in Behavioral Profiles Among Homeless Youth

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