Predictors and correlates of unstable housing experiences among a child welfare-involved sample

ABSTRACT

The study examined whether youth demographics, family factors, and maltreatment type were related to unstable housing and whether unstable housing predicted delinquency and marijuana use. Participants included 216 child welfare-affiliated adolescents (mean age = 18.2 years). Youth with more lifetime residences were more likely to experience unstable housing although Latino youth (compared to White, Black, or multiethnic/biracial) were less likely to experience unstable housing. Unstable housing was associated with subsequent delinquency. Caregiver type (parent vs. relative/unrelated caregiver) was not related to unstable housing, thus homelessness prevention programs should include youth who remain with their parents and those with non-parent caregivers.

KEYWORDS:

• Unstable housing
• homelessness
• adolescent
• child welfare
• delinquency
• juvenile

Acknowledgments

The authors want to acknowledge the National Institutes of Health for three grants that supported this research: K01- HD069457 (PI: Negriff); RO1-HD39129 (PI: Trickett); R01- DA02456902 (PI: Trickett). The authors would also like to acknowledge Penelope K. Trickett, PhD for her conceptualization of this study.

We acknowledge that this submission has not been published previously and is not being considered for publication elsewhere.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse [R01- DA02456902];Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [K01- HD069457,RO1-HD39129].

Notes on contributors

Janet U. Schneiderman

Janet U. Schneiderman is the interim dean of the Department of Nursing. Her research focuses on the intersection of social work and nursing. She has been studying the physical health and behavioral outcomes of childhood maltreatment and child welfare involvement for the past 15 years.

Andrea K. Kennedy

Andrea K. Kennedy is a post-doctorate fellow at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Her dissertation studied on the multidimensional factors of adolescent obesity. She is especially interested in how maltreatment affects childhood weight problems.

Theresa A. Granger

Theresa A. Granger is a family nurse practitioner. She is a nursing expert focusing on homelessness, the social determinants of health, and community involvement.

Sonya Negriff

Sonya Negriff is a developmental psychologists. Her research uses a biopsychosocial approach to understand the pathways from child maltreatment to mental health and risky behaviors.