Abstract
Homeless youths' use of substances is highly related to experiences of trauma and the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms. The current study approached homeless young people to elicit their perspectives regarding how their substance use and trauma experiences are interrelated. Recruited from a homeless youth service settings, youth (n = 50) participated in qualitative, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews that queried youth on two broad topics: how substances might place youth at risk for victimization and how substances may be used as a coping strategy. Youth identified several ways substance use placed them at further risk (e.g., decreasing awareness of potential danger, increasing physical risk through overdose or addiction, disconnecting them from support systems, and increasing risk for violence related to criminal behavior). They also described multiple ways in which substances temporarily helped them cope with past trauma (e.g., escaping difficult thoughts, improving negative moods, relaxing, and socializing with others). Many youth (68%) described using substances as a "temporary fix" or "band-aid" to cope with memories of past trauma that eventually placed them at higher risk for further victimization. Adaptations to existing prevention services that incorporate the interconnectedness between substance use and trauma are suggested.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2392-2399 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Children and Youth Services Review |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Homeless youth
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance use
- Victimization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Education
- Sociology and Political Science
Cite this
Substance use and victimization : Street-involved youths' perspectives and service implications. / Bender, Kimberly; Thompson, Sanna J.; Ferguson-Colvin, Kristin; Komlo, Chelsea; Taylor, Chelsea; Yoder, Jamie.
In: Children and Youth Services Review, Vol. 34, No. 12, 2012, p. 2392-2399.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Substance use and victimization
T2 - Street-involved youths' perspectives and service implications
AU - Bender, Kimberly
AU - Thompson, Sanna J.
AU - Ferguson-Colvin, Kristin
AU - Komlo, Chelsea
AU - Taylor, Chelsea
AU - Yoder, Jamie
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Homeless youths' use of substances is highly related to experiences of trauma and the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms. The current study approached homeless young people to elicit their perspectives regarding how their substance use and trauma experiences are interrelated. Recruited from a homeless youth service settings, youth (n = 50) participated in qualitative, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews that queried youth on two broad topics: how substances might place youth at risk for victimization and how substances may be used as a coping strategy. Youth identified several ways substance use placed them at further risk (e.g., decreasing awareness of potential danger, increasing physical risk through overdose or addiction, disconnecting them from support systems, and increasing risk for violence related to criminal behavior). They also described multiple ways in which substances temporarily helped them cope with past trauma (e.g., escaping difficult thoughts, improving negative moods, relaxing, and socializing with others). Many youth (68%) described using substances as a "temporary fix" or "band-aid" to cope with memories of past trauma that eventually placed them at higher risk for further victimization. Adaptations to existing prevention services that incorporate the interconnectedness between substance use and trauma are suggested.
AB - Homeless youths' use of substances is highly related to experiences of trauma and the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms. The current study approached homeless young people to elicit their perspectives regarding how their substance use and trauma experiences are interrelated. Recruited from a homeless youth service settings, youth (n = 50) participated in qualitative, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews that queried youth on two broad topics: how substances might place youth at risk for victimization and how substances may be used as a coping strategy. Youth identified several ways substance use placed them at further risk (e.g., decreasing awareness of potential danger, increasing physical risk through overdose or addiction, disconnecting them from support systems, and increasing risk for violence related to criminal behavior). They also described multiple ways in which substances temporarily helped them cope with past trauma (e.g., escaping difficult thoughts, improving negative moods, relaxing, and socializing with others). Many youth (68%) described using substances as a "temporary fix" or "band-aid" to cope with memories of past trauma that eventually placed them at higher risk for further victimization. Adaptations to existing prevention services that incorporate the interconnectedness between substance use and trauma are suggested.
KW - Homeless youth
KW - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
KW - Substance use
KW - Victimization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868330095&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84868330095&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.09.008
DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.09.008
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84868330095
VL - 34
SP - 2392
EP - 2399
JO - Children and Youth Services Review
JF - Children and Youth Services Review
SN - 0190-7409
IS - 12
ER -