Resilience,Loneliness, and Psychological Distress Among Homeless Youth

Extant quantitative research on loneliness among homeless youth has grouped loneliness with other elements of psychological distress. The current study seeks to determine if loneliness has a different relationship with resilience than does psychological distress among street youth. Using data from 47 participants, linear regression was conducted. Results indicate that homeless youth experiencing higher psychological distress reported lower resilience scores. However, levels of resilience are not significantly associated with feelings of loneliness when psychological distress was accounted for. This study has implications for how researchers and clinicians conceptualize and address feelings of loneliness among homeless youth.     

Attachment and Sexual Health Behaviors in Homeless Youth

PURPOSE: To explore relationships and group differences in attachment-related constructs (social connectedness and social support) and sexual health behaviors in a sample of homeless youth. DESIGN AND METHODS: An exploratory design, this study analyzed baseline data from an ongoing intervention study. Survey data were collected by audio, computer-assisted self-interview (A-CASI) from a nonprobability sample of homeless youth (n = 176). RESULTS: Social connectedness was positively correlated with period of time homeless, while social support was positively related to sexual self-concept and to self-efficacy and intention to use condoms. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The street group that homeless youth identify with may be a potential resource for peer-mentoring and skill-building regarding healthy sexual behavior.     

Predictors and Motivational Taxonomy of Youth Elopement From Residential Mental Health Placement

This study examined predictors of initial elopement from residential care settings (RCS) in a large sample of youth receiving residential treatment in Hawai‘i (n = 1,261) and analyzed mandated reports from a subsample of elopement events (n = 300) to classify behavioral motivations of eloped youth. Given youth were nested within facilities (k = 16), a multi-level logistic regression was conducted. After controlling for other factors, youth in unlocked facilities diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorders were most likely to elope. Three major elopement motivational categories emerged: peer influence, escape from negative stimuli inside the RCS, and approach toward reinforcing stimuli outside the RCS. Each of these categories was associated with at least one youth characteristic (e.g., gender, diagnosis). Common motivational sub-categories included escape from anger- or frustration-inducing events, desire to use substances, and unspecified peer involvement. Programmatic implications are discussed.     

Mental Ill Health in Homeless Women: A Review

Research indicates that homeless women are reported to experience more mental health issues than women who are not homeless and are an increasing proportion of the overall homeless population. In addition, homeless women are more likely to have alcohol and/or other drug use disorders. We provide a comprehensive review of the contemporary literature that revealed homeless women experience a range of mental health problems including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol and other drug use disorders. Studies in this literature review indicate that some women have pre-existing mental health issues which precipitate homelessness while others develop mental illness because of their homelessness; domestic violence was also recognised as an antecedent to homelessness, although further research is needed in this area. The results of this study indicate that the homeless cohort is a complex one with distinct needs. We provide information that can help refine assessment processes and plan appropriate services to address the mental health needs of homeless women. Finally, recommendations for mental health nursing practice in regard to caring for homeless women are made.     

Relationships of Sexual Abuse, Connectedness, and Loneliness to Perceived Well-Being in Homeless Youth

ISSUES AND PURPOSE. To describe respondents' perceptions of connectedness, loneliness, and well-being; and to explore relationships among these variables.
DESIGN AND METHOD. Survey data from 96 participants, focus group interviews with 32 participants, and 10 individual interviews were analyzed.
RESULTS. Sixty percent of the sample reported sexual abuse, which was significantly related to loneliness and inversely related to connectedness and perceived well-being. Subjects felt lonely and disconnected. They perceived their well-being in terms of current health status.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. High rates of sexual abuse, lack of connectedness, and loneliness may help to explain poor perceived well-being in homeless youth.     

The Mental Health of Homeless School-Age Children

PROBLEM: The mental health of homeless school-age children. METHODS: A convenience sample of 46 homeless children between the ages of 8 and 12 years completed the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and each child's mother completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). FINDINGS: Fifty-seven percent of the children had depressive symptoms and 26% needed additional evaluation for mental health problems. Overall, the CDI and CBCL scores indicated that gender or ethnicity are not related to the children's mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The mental health of homeless schoolage children should be assessed, as they may be at risk for mental health problems.     

Mobile Phone and Social Media Use of Homeless Youth in Denver,Colorado

The purpose of this study was to investigate homeless youth mobile phone and social media use, to plan health promotion efforts. Nearly half (46.7%) of runaway/homeless youth in this sample (n = 181) owned a mobile phone and a majority of those devices were smart phones. Ownership did not vary significantly by shelter location, though regular use of Facebook was more prevalent among those in housing programs or camping, than those living on the streets. Over 90% of youth in the sample reported using Facebook. Such media use might facilitate parent, family, and health provider communications with homeless youth.     

高校图书馆员工心理健康与社会支持及应对方式的相关性研究

目的探讨高校图书馆员工的社会支持、应对方式与心理健康的相关程度.方法应用精神症状自评量表（SCL-90）、社会支持评定量表（SSRS）、简易应对方式量表（SCSQ）对421名高校图书馆员工进行心理测评、分析.结果支持利用度与SCL-90部分因子负相关（P＜0.05或P＜0.01）;消极应对与SCL-90部分因子正相关（P＜0.05或P＜0.01）.社会支持各因子与积极应对呈显著正相关（P＜0.01）.不同职称的社会支持,除支持利用度维度外,其余3个维度都有显著性差异（P＜0.05或P＜0.01）.在消极应对维度,经两两比较后初级与中级职称有显著性差异（P＜0.05）.不同年龄组社会支持与应对方式无差异（P＞0.05）,经两两比较,个别年龄组之间在主客观支持与积极应对上有差异（P＜0.05）.结论图书馆员工的社会支持和应对方式与其心理健康水平有密切关系.     

Promoting Resilience and Recovery in a Buddhist Mental Health Support Group

Communities of faith are important arenas for psychiatric mental health nurses to promote emotional well-being and support recovery for persons with mental health problems. This article describes an innovative faith-based mental health group, based on Buddhist philosophy and practice and established by an advanced practice psychiatric nurse, that uses psychoeducation, peer support, and faith encouragement to help participants find hope and meaning in the experience of mental health problems. A brief overview of Buddhism and selected concepts relevant to the philosophical framework of the Buddhist mental health support group is followed by a review of the common themes of the group discussions. These include: finding value in the illness experience; differentiating the proper role of treatment from that of Buddhist practice in optimizing mental health; and experiencing a deeper sense of joy, despite current suffering.     

Juvenile Mental Health Courts for Adjudicated Youth: Role Implications for Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses

TOPIC: Juvenile mental health courts for adjudicated youth. PURPOSE: To describe the role of psychiatric nurses in reducing mental health disparities for adjudicated youth via juvenile mental health courts. SOURCES: ISI Web of Knowledge; Sage Journals Online; HighWire; PubMed; Google Scholar and Wiley Online Library and websites for psychiatric nursing organizations. Years included: 2000–2010. CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile mental health courts may provide a positive and effective alternative to incarceration for youth with mental health problems with psychiatric nurses playing a key role in program implementation.     

Mothering on the Margins: Homeless Women with an SUD and Complex Mental Health Co-Morbidities

The purpose of this study was to explicate students' perceptions of working with at-risk teens in a service-learning experience. In rural North Carolina, nursing students co-facilitated a wellness series for at-risk teens. A focus group explored students' perceptions. The focus group of ten students was recorded with participants' written consent and transcribed verbatim. Heideggerian hermeneutics guided thematic analysis. Five themes described students' perceptions: (a) Catching ourselves, (b) Learning how to drive home a concept, (c) Teaching is difficult, (d) Self as teacher/Self as learner, and (e) Seeing myself as a nurse. There was an overarching pattern of “Standing in their shoes.”     

军队医院聘用护士心理状况及社会支持现状的分析

目的：探讨军队医院聘用护士心理状况及社会支持现状。方法2012年9月,便利抽样法选取某三级甲等军队医院的220名招聘护士为研究对象,采用90项症状清单（symptom checklist 90,SCL-90）、社会支持量表（social support rating scale,SSRS）和自制的一般情况调查表对其进行调查,并分析结果。结果军队医院聘用护士 SCL-90各因子同国内常模相比,人际敏感、焦虑和抑郁因子得分明显增高,差异均有统计学意义（P ＜0．05或 P ＜0．01）;职称、婚恋和家庭结构不同的聘用护士在支持总分和主观支持上差异均有统计学意义（P ＜0．05或 P ＜0．05）;职务、婚恋、支持总分和利用度是影响聘用护士心理状况的主要因素（P ＜0．05或 P ＜0．01）。结论军队医院聘用护士的心理健康水平同社会支持密切有关,并受多种因素的综合影响,应积极改善护理人员的的社会支持,消除消极影响因素。     

Social Determinants of Methadone in Pregnancy: Violence,Social Capital,and Mental Health

Mothering and methadone can occur together with the right resources and support. Methadone mothers need to be seen in the context of their social risks and environment. Societal attitudes, social capital, and other contextual variables can be changed through policy. The purpose of this article is to describe the contextual risks experienced by drug abusing mothers in order to direct further research and policy changes that protect their children. Research has focused on biological or genetic determinants, but now social risks and environmental factors are shaping current literature about substance abuse in pregnancy. Significant risk factors, taken from the literature, are detailed, such as intimate partner violence and mental health co-morbidities. Racial differences and the effect of place on pregnant substance abusers are also discussed. Policy recommendations address the barriers substance abusing women face in their journey toward a healthy pregnancy.     

Enhancing Family Engagement in Interventions for Mental Health Problems in Youth

Much progress has been made in helping families improve their relationships and provide effective environments for their children. However, an ongoing challenge in implementing these practices is to actively engage families in interventions for youth. Most effective treatments for youth require some level of caregiver involvement. Research has identified many barriers that prevent families from seeking services for their child and/or from fully participating in these services. Fortunately, a growing literature has now emerged about the necessary ingredients for fostering family participation in psychosocial services. The purpose of this article is to build off the work of Affronti and Levison-Johnson (2009) by describing specific methods for promoting initial and sustained parent motivation in residential care service delivery.     

综合医院低年资护士心理健康与应对方式及社会支持的相关性研究

目的探讨低年资护士的心理健康状况及其与应对方式和社会支持的相关性,为改善低年资护士心理状况及采取相应的干预措施提供科学依据.方法采用症状自评量表、社会支持评定量表和简易应对方式问卷对231名注册<5年的低年资护士进行问卷调查.结果本研究中低年资护士在强迫、敌对、恐怖、偏执、精神病性等5项症状上均高于全国护士常模,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),抑郁因子得分低于全国护士常模组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);低年资护士积极应对维度平均分高于消极应对维度平均分,两种应对方式的差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);本科及以上学历的护士和大专及以下学历的护士在客观支持方面差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),而其他社会支持方面差异无统计学意义;社会支持得分与SCL-90的9个因子得分呈负相关,而消极应对得分与SCL-90的9个因子得分呈正相关.结论本研究中低年资护士存在一定的心理健康问题,社会支持可促进护士心理健康状况,消极应对方式不利于其心理健康,因此提示护理管理者加强低年资护士应对方式的培训,帮助其学会利用各种有效的社会支持资源,以保持良好的心理健康状态,从而为患者提供优质护理服务.     

Sexual Health Risks and Protective Resources in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Homeless Youth

ISSUES AND PURPOSE: To compare sexual health risks and protective resources of homeless adolescents self-identified as gay (G), lesbian (L), or bisexual (B), with those self-identified as heterosexual, and to determine the differences between these two groups and the differences within the GLB group. DESIGN AND METHODS: A secondary analysis of survey data collected from a nonprobability sample of 425 homeless adolescents between 16 and 20 years of age. RESULTS: Sexual health risks and protective resources differed between those self-identified as GLB and those self-identified as heterosexual. More G/L youth reported a history of sexual abuse and being tested and treated for HIV, and more scored lower on the assertive communication measure than did bisexual or heterosexual youth. Moreover, there were gender differences within the GLB group; more males than females self-identified as homosexual and more females than males self-identified as bisexual. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Sexual health interventions for this population should be both gender- and sexual orientation-specific.     

Homeless Health Needs: Shelter and Health Service Provider Perspective

The effects of homelessness on health are well documented, although less is known about the challenges of health care delivery from the perspective of service providers. Using data from a larger health needs assessment, the purpose of this study was to describe homeless health care needs and barriers to access utilizing qualitative data collected from shelter staff (n = 10) and health service staff (n = 14). Shelter staff members described many unmet health needs and barriers to health care access, and discussed needs for other supportive services in the area. Health service providers also described multiple health and service needs, and the need for a recuperative care setting for this population. Although a variety of resources are currently available for homeless health service delivery, barriers to access and gaps in care still exist. Recommendations for program planning are discussed and examined in the context of contributing factors and health care reform.