Violence and aggression in the lives of homeless children: A review

Abstract

The present review examines the role of violence and aggression in the lives of children in homeless families, focusing on possible connections among family violence and isolation, children's aggression, and children's problems with social isolation and rejection. Exposure to violence appears to come from violence in homeless environments and families as well as from aggression in parent–child relationships; that violence leads to further negative consequences for children through the social isolation that it produces. Diverse consequences of violence and aggression in the lives of homeless children include behavior problems, aggression in peer interactions, social isolation and rejection, and diverse other consequences arising from problematic parenting. The prevalence of aggression for homeless children is further reinforced by the diversity of sources of increased vulnerability to aggression. Different theories relevant to addressing sources of youth violence converge in predicting aggression among homeless youth; identified risk factors for youth violence overlap with risks linked to homelessness. Yet, pervasive violence may characterize the lives of many housed children living in extreme poverty as well. Overall, conclusions reached in this review emphasize the need to address violence and aggression in intervention programs for homeless children.