Suicide, high-risk behaviors, and coping style in homeless adolescent males' adjustment

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the association among suicide behaviors, high-risk behaviors, coping style, and psychological adjustment (i.e., depressive symptomatology, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems) in homeless and non-homeless adolescent males (aged 16 to 19 years). Methods Data were obtained from 100 homeless youth accessing an emergency shelter (Ottawa, ON). The comparison group was comprised of 70 youth accessing local community drop-in centers that lived with their parent(s)/guardian(s) and had never stayed in a shelter. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Student's t-tests, and regression statistics. Results Relative to non-homeless youth, homeless youth were more likely to report drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, legal problems, academic difficulties, and mental health problems. Homeless youth presented with a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation, past suicide attempts, depressive symptomatology, and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Disengagement coping was a predictor of suicidal ideation, past attempts, depressive symptoms and both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in homeless youth. Conclusions Relative to non-homeless youth, findings indicate that homeless youth reported greater use of a disengaging coping style and are at greater risk for high-risk behaviors, past suicide attempts, and clinically elevated levels of depressive symptoms and behavior problems.