Joshua A. Ginzler

Challenges Faced by Homeless Sexual Minorities: Comparison of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Homeless Adolescents With Their Heterosexual Counterparts

OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to identify differences between gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) homeless youths and their heterosexual counterparts in terms of physical and mental health difficulties. METHODS A sample of 84 GLBT adolescents was matched in regard to age and self-reported gender with 84 heterosexual adolescents. The 2 samples were compared on a variety of psychosocial variables. RESULTS GLBT adolescents left home more frequently, were victimized more often, used highly addictive substances more frequently, had higher rates of psychopathology, and had more sexual partners than heterosexual adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Homeless youths who identify themselves as members of sexual minority groups are at increased risk for negative outcomes. Recommendations for treatment programs and implications for public health are discussed.

The Characteristics and Mental Health of Homeless Adolescents Age and Gender Differences

A large and heterogeneous sample of 364 homeless adolescents was interviewed about residential and family histories, as well as about their experiences while homeless.They were also administered a diagnostic interview and various self-report measures of emotional and behavioral functioning. Analyses were conducted to provide a better description of these youth, with a special focus on gender and age heterogeneity. Results of analyses suggested that homeless youth came from generally troubled backgrounds and had elevated rates of psychiatric disorders. For boys, their histories typically included physical abuse during childhood, physical assault on the street, and elevated rates of externalizing disorders. For girls, histories were more often marked by sexual abuse during childhood, sexual victimization on the streets, and elevated rates of internalizing disorders. Implications of these results for service delivery are discussed.

Short-term effects of a brief motivational intervention to reduce alcohol and drug risk among homeless adolescents

The short-term results of a randomized trial testing a brief feedback and motivational intervention for substance use among homeless adolescents are presented. Homeless adolescents ages 14-19 (N = 285) recruited from drop-in centers at agencies and from street intercept were randomly assigned to either a brief motivational enhancement (ME) group or 1 of 2 control groups. The 1-session motivational intervention presented personal feedback about patterns of risks related to alcohol or substance use in a style consistent with motivational interviewing. Follow-up interviews were conducted at 1 and 3 months postintervention. Youths who received the motivational intervention reported reduced illicit drug use other than marijuana at 1-month follow-up compared with youths in the control groups. Treatment effects were not found with respect to alcohol or marijuana. Post hoc analyses within the ME group suggested that those who were rated as more engaged and more likely to benefit showed greater drug use reduction than did those rated as less engaged. Limitations of the study are discussed as are implications for development of future substance use interventions for this high-risk group.

Project-Based Housing First for Chronically Homeless Individuals With Alcohol Problems: Within-Subjects Analyses of 2-Year Alcohol Trajectories

OBJECTIVES Two-year alcohol use trajectories were documented among residents in a project-based Housing First program. Project-based Housing First provides immediate, low-barrier, nonabstinence-based, permanent supportive housing to chronically homeless individuals within a single housing project. The study aim was to address concerns that nonabstinence-based housing may enable alcohol use. METHODS A 2-year, within-subjects analysis was conducted among 95 chronically homeless individuals with alcohol problems who were allocated to project-based Housing First. Alcohol variables were assessed through self-report. Data on intervention exposure were extracted from agency records. RESULTS Multilevel growth models indicated significant within-subjects decreases across alcohol use outcomes over the study period. Intervention exposure, represented by months spent in housing, consistently predicted additional decreases in alcohol use outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Findings did not support the enabling hypothesis. Although the project-based Housing First program did not require abstinence or treatment attendance, participants decreased their alcohol use and alcohol-related problems as a function of time and intervention exposure.

Sequential Progression of Substance Use Among Homeless Youth: An Empirical Investigation of the Gateway Theory

We examined the sequence of substance-use initiation in 375 street youth (age 13–21) who were interviewed from 1994–99 in Seattle, Washington. Based on the “gateway theory,” participants were categorized into six profiles to describe the order in which they initiated use of various substances (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, other drugs), or classified as nonprogressors if they had not tried all three classes of drugs. Youth progressing in the hypothesized gateway order (i.e., alcohol preceding marijuana, followed by other drugs) initiated their use at an earlier age than youth who had not progressed through all three substance classes. However, there was no relationship between a substance initiation profile and current substance-use. Implications include the recognition that street youth may follow different patterns of use than normative groups, and that interventions geared toward youth who use substances heavily must include contextual factors, in addition to substance-use history.

'I Want Child Care He's Gonna Be Happy In': A Case Study of a Father's Child Care Experiences

Research Findings: This in-depth single case study explores the experiences of a single father with finding and maintaining child care for his son. This American middle-income, Caucasian father lives and works in Minnesota. Findings include difficulty locating and maintaining child care, dissatisfaction with child care quality, concerns about paying for care, and using grandparents as a secondary form of care. Practice or Policy: This article contributes to the literature because it is the only case study available about a fathers involvement in child care and how single fathers engage with nonparental care.