The Effects of Trauma Events on Substance Use and Depressive Symptoms among Homeless Youth

<p>Research suggests that many homeless youth have a history of childhood abuse, intimate partner violence (IPV), and street victimization. These trauma events are independently linked to risk behaviors, but the effects of multiple trauma events are less understood. The goals of this study were to 1) examine the relationship of each trauma event with substance use and depressive symptoms, 2) examine the relationship of multiple trauma events with substance use and depressive symptoms, and 3) examine the relationship between trauma, substance use, and depressive symptoms using three models for understanding risk: additive, exacerbation and saturation. </p><p>Participants were part of a larger longitudinal study, were between the ages of 14 to 20 years, and met criteria for homelessness and substance abuse. The sample (N = 270) was primarily male (53%) and African American (66%) with an average age of 18.7 years (SD = 1.2). Among participants, 54% of youth reported a history of childhood abuse, 42% of youth reported a history of IPV, and 48% of youth reported a history of street victimization within the past 12 months. Youth were engaged on the streets and through a homeless youth drop-in center. The assessment interview was conducted at the drop-in center and youth were compensated with a $25 gift card.</p><p>In regard to the first goal, findings indicated that substance use was positively associated with the individual trauma events of street victimization and length of homelessness. Contrary to expectations, substance use was negatively associated with childhood abuse. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with childhood abuse, IPV and length of time homeless. For the second goal, as expected, the experience of multiple trauma events was associated with greater substance use and depressive symptoms. And finally, one-way ANOVAs were used to test the additive, exacerbated and saturated risk models. Findings showed support for a saturation risk model in which alcohol use and depressive symptoms leveled off at a moderate level of risk. Additional risk was not associated with additional problem behaviors, which suggests that youth with a low and a moderate number of trauma events significantly differed in alcohol use and depressive symptoms, but there were no significant differences in risk behaviors among youth with a moderate and a high number of trauma events.</p><p>In conclusion, findings suggest that each trauma event and multiple forms of trauma impact risk behaviors differently among homeless youth. Clinicians should screen for different types of trauma experiences and offer tailored and integrated interventions and resources to homeless youth. That is, findings suggest that homeless youth may need on-going treatment services for substance use, depressive symptoms and trauma, with early intervention services critical for prevention of continuing risk experiences and problem behaviors. Future research should explore the longitudinal relationship of trauma events and risk behaviors to better understand this vulnerable and understudied population of youth.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Science

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Carmona, Jasmin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Slesnick, Natasha
• Bonomi, Amy

• Developmental Psychology
• Homeless Youth
• Trauma
• Substance Use
• Depressive Symptoms

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1356019823

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1356019823