P. David Kurtz

How Runaway and Homeless Youth Navigate Troubled Waters: Personal Strengths and Resources

Little attention has been paid to how runaway or homeless adolescents are able to make successful transitions into adulthood. This article reports on partial findings from an exploratory study of the research question, “How do formerly runaway and homeless adolescents navigate the troubled waters of leaving home, living in high-risk environments, and engaging in dangerous behaviors, to make successful developmental transitions into young adulthood?” This qualitative study involved interviews with 12 formerly runaway or homeless youth. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. This paper reports on findings related to the personal strengths and resources that enabled youth to make successful transitions: learning new attitudes and behaviors, personal attributes, and spirituality. Recommendations for program development and intervention with homeless or at-risk youth are discussed.

From Trauma to Resiliency: Lessons from Former Runaway and Homeless Youth

This exploratory study presents findings on resiliency development in five former runaway and homeless youth. Subjected to chronic trauma, this unique population lacked the protective factors other studies have associated with resiliency development. Five young women were compared and contrasted in relation to the following questions: what factors promote resiliency in runaway and homeless youth and how are resilient youth differentiated from their peers who continue to exhibit high risk behaviours? A multiple case study design was used to explore themes that emerged from in-depth interviews with an original sample of 22 former runaway and homeless youth. These themes included determination, meaning and purpose in life, self-care and readiness to accept help.

How Runaway and Homeless Youth Navigate Troubled Waters: The Role of Formal and Informal Helpers

Most adolescents navigate the transition from adolescence to young adulthood with relative success. However, runaway and homeless youth experience formidable obstacles in their paths and engage in dangerous behaviors that threaten their well being and long-term prospects. This study is part of a larger exploratory research effort aimed at understanding how runaway and homeless adolescents navigate the troubled waters of their adolescence to make successful developmental transitions into young adulthood. The focus of this paper is to report findings related to the formal and informal helping resources that enable runaway and homeless youth to resolve difficulties, deal with hazards, and achieve some level of self-defined success in young adulthood. This study utilized a qualitative research design, and the primary data collection method was in-depth interviews with 12 formerly runaway and homeless young people. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data. Evidence emerged regarding who provided help, the types of help provided, conditions that facilitated acceptance of help, and advice to helping professionals. The findings illustrate the experiences youth had with helpers that they found valuable and experiences they perceived as detrimental.

The consequences of physical abuse and neglect on the school age child: Mediating factors☆

Abstract This follow up study revealed that physically abused school age children continued to function more poorly than their nonmaltreated peers on a variety of academic and socio-emotional measures, and neglected school age children were performing more poorly in school. The results indicate that a high level of stress, particularly stress related to alcohol or drug use by family members, is an important correlate of maltreatment and also contributes significantly to poor child functioning. Parents of abused children reported high levels of depression, and for both abusive and neglectful families, child behavior problems were related to high levels of parental depression. In addition, multiple foster care placements were associated with greater child maladjustment. Children who had experienced multiple forms of maltreatment were more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors. Both groups of maltreated children showed some small but consistent improvements over time, but were still functioning poorly when compared to nonmaltreated children, with SES controlled.

Multisystemic Treatment of High-Risk Juvenile Offenders

A multisystemic treatment program was implemented for eight high-risk juvenile first offenders. Clients had a mean age of 13 years, and included 6 black males, 1 white male, and 1 black female. Research questions were tested in regard to measures of delinquency, family functioning, life skills development, self-esteem, school functioning, delinquent peer group associations, and attitudes toward parenting and child rearing. Treatment included: (1) Case Management; (2) Educational Programs; (3) Family Therapy; (4) Nurturing Program. Results showed significant improvements for adolescents with measures of family relations, life skills, school, delinquency, peers, and for parents in terms of family and parent-child relations.

Status of mental health services for youth in school and community

Many adolescents experience serious mental health problems and many are not getting the help they need. The central issue is not simply one of the supply of services not being able to keep up with the demand for services. In many schools and communities services for youth are available. However, teenagers are frequently unaware of them. Even when they are aware of available services, they are often reluctant to use them. Suggestions are given for improving the utilization of existing services.

Assessment of abuse in runaway and homeless youth

Many youth are leaving abusive living situations and, as a result, becoming runaways and homeless. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study that focuses on discovering how shelter staff actually assess youth for the possible problems of sexual, physical, and family substance abuse. Respondents included a counselor and a supervisor selected from each of four runaway/homeless shelters. The findings reveal that assessment does not follow a structured format or protocol, nor do the respondents rely on a checklist of warning signs or red flags. Rather, they watch for physical signs and atypical behavior that may be an indication of underlying problems. Although respondents seem aware of the importance of assessing sexual, physical, and substance abuse, they bring a wide range in levels of vigilance and skill to the assessment of each problem.

Social Work Services to Parents: Essential to Pupils at Risk.

Pupil performance can be enhanced by social work with their parents.

Effects of Mass-Media and Group Instruction On Increasing Parent Awareness of Early Identification:

The differential outcomes produced by mass-media and group instruction campaigns on immediate and long-term changes in parent attitudes and knowledge regarding early identification were examined. During Phase I, for 3 months, parents in 1 community were exposed to Child Check through mass-media instruction, and in the other community, through group instruction. During Phase II, the campaigns in each community were reversed. A third community received no exposure. Pre- and post-Phase I and post-Phase II surveys were conducted. Group instruction increased parent knowledge of legal rights and services, ensured parents use of the Child Check Diary, and temporarily changed parent attitudes. Mass media did not have an effect on either parent attitudes and knowledge or their use of the Diary.

Evaluation of a School--Juvenile Court team approach to delinquency prevention

The School-Juvenile Court Liaison Project was designed to assist schools and courts in working cooperatively to intervene in and prevent delinquency. Results of the evaluation indicate increased communication and joint service planning between the systems. School and court personnel are talking to each other more often about students who are involved with the court, as well as about general issues of school-court cooperation, and school and court staff are working together more frequently to develop treatment plans for such students. School-court teams have also been successful in developing interagency case staffing councils and prevention-oriented projects in their communities. Factors contributing to the projects success are discussed.