Abstract
The mental health and related quality of life of runaway adolescents are global public health issues. As few intervention studies have considered the family contexts of runaway adolescents, we aimed to develop an intervention tailored specifically to the needs of this population using an Intervention Mapping protocol. First, a literature review and interviews with runaway adolescents and youth shelter workers were conducted to create a logic model of the problem. Second, the behavioral and environmental outcomes were set to adapt to stressful situations and enable families to become more resourceful in dealing with family adversity, based on the results of needs assessment. Performance objectives and changeable determinants were also created by reviewing the pertinent theories and studies. Third, theory- and evidence-based methods to influence changes in the determinants were identified. Fourth, we designed an eight-session family-based mental health program incorporating individual and family approaches for runaway adolescents. Fifth, we determined that mental health nurses at community mental health centers linked to youth shelters would serve as the program implementers. Finally, we planned a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of our program on improving runaway adolescents’ mental health status and perceived family functioning.
Highlights
Runaway adolescents are at a high risk of mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation [1,2]
In the first stage of the Intervention Mapping (IM) process, we identified the mental health problems and related quality of life issues faced by runaway adolescents, the behavioral and environmental factors related to these mental health and quality of life issues, and the determinants of behavioral and environmental factors
We found that the mental health and related quality of life concerns of runaway adolescents comprise an important global public health problem
Summary
Runaway adolescents are at a high risk of mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation [1,2]. Previous studies indicated that runaway adolescents are prone to delinquent/criminal behavior but are likely to become targets of sexual violence and prostitution [4,5]. Various factors contribute to the decision of an adolescent to run away from their home. Adolescents wish to escape an unsupportive, conflicted, or abusive home life or familial poverty [6,7]. In Korea, data from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family indicate that family conflict was identified as the main motivator for running away by 70.0% of runaway adolescents [8]
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