Abstract
Running away from home is a serious problem among American youth. It has been linked to numerous negative social, psychological, and behavioral outcomes. It is well-established that family dysfunction is one reason that youth run away from home. However, less research focuses on how both families and schools influence youths’ likelihood of running away from home. Drawing from a sample of 4,546 youth from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, I examine how youths’ perceptions of their schools’ safety, experiences with bully victimization, and bonds with their families and their schools predict the likelihood of running away from home. I find that youths’ negative perceptions of their schools’ safety increase the likelihood that they will run away from home. Additionally, I discover that youth who have been the victims of bullying are more likely to run away from home compared to their peers who have not been bullied. My findings also suggest a cumulative effect between youths’ perceptions of unsafe schools and experiences with bullying, suggesting that youth are most likely to run away from home when they feel unsafe at school and have been the victim of childhood bullying. These findings are important because they have implications for policy development. My findings suggest that (a) promoting a positive and inclusive school environment and (b) helping youth foster stronger relationships may help deter youth from running away from home.
Highlights
In the United States, it is estimated that one in seven youths between the ages of 10 and 18years-old will run away from home, and youth ages 12 to 17 years old are at an increased risk of homelessness (National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL], 2016)
Most respondents “agreed” that they felt safe at school
In Model 2, I find partial support for my hypothesis that experiences with victimization are statistically significant positive predictors of running away from home
Summary
In the United States, it is estimated that one in seven youths between the ages of 10 and 18years-old will run away from home, and youth ages 12 to 17 years old are at an increased risk of homelessness (National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL], 2016). In addition to experiencing various forms of victimization, runaway youth often experience mental health (Tyler, Schmitz, & Ray, 2018) and substance abuse issues (Martinez, 2006; McMorris, Tyler, Whitbeck, & Hoyt, 2002; Simons & Whitbeck, 1991; Whitbeck, 2017). Compared to their peers, runaways are more likely to be arrested and incarcerated (Biehal & Wade, 1999). Hagan and McCarthy (1998) argue that this may be because running away from home introduces youth to new delinquent opportunities (e.g., prostitution, drug use, etc.), as well as the need to engage in them
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