Prevalence of childhood abuse among people who are homeless in Western countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis (original) (raw)
Related papers
Childhood abuse and adult Homelessness
Physical and Emotional Abuse: Triggers, Short and Long-Term Consequences and Prevention Methods, 2013
Childhood abuse has multiple negative impacts on lifetime development. Increased levels of psychiatric problems are well documented, in particular personality disorder and substance abuse. Furthermore, effects can be long lasting and heavily influence the life course of the abused individuals. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that homeless adult populations in industrialised countries tend to report high levels of childhood physical and sexual abuse. Studies of homeless individuals can shed light on the socioeconomic consequences of severe childhood abuse. Furthermore, they provide insights into the impact of such abuse on mental health in a population in which levels of abuse and mental illness are both high. From a systematic analysis of case notes and clinical interviews, we have collected data on 217 homeless adults in the city of Sheffield, England. More than one in four homeless individuals reported levels of physical abuse or sexual abuse during their childhoods, and levels of psychiatric illness were high, particularly schizophrenia and personality disorder. Furthermore, histories of abuse were found to be associated with being female and with having been raised in local authority care. In adulthood, sexual abuse was associated with personality disorder; whereas, physical abuse was more linked with self-harm. The results reveal a complex picture of psychosocial problems linked to childhood trauma among many homeless adults.
Childhood Maltreatment and Revictimization in a Homeless Population
Journal of interpersonal violence, 2015
We examined the hypothesis that exposure to childhood maltreatment increases the vulnerability to Adult Victimization (AV) in a homeless population (N = 500). We also investigated the effects of specific types (emotional, physical, and sexual) and cumulative experience of childhood maltreatment on AV, and whether gender moderates these relationships. All three groups with AV experience (emotional, physical, and sexual) indicated higher exposure to childhood abuse and cumulative maltreatment, and those who were sexually victimized as an adult showed higher exposure to childhood neglect. In addition, exposure to childhood maltreatment had type-specific and cumulative effects on AV. Exposure to all types of childhood abuse maintained a strong direct association with AV, regardless of demographic characteristics, including age, ethnicity, marital status, education level, and housing situation. In addition, exposure to physical neglect showed a significant relationship with Adult Sexual ...
2019
The health and behavioral health consequences of childhood trauma FACT SHEET February 2019 Purpose This fact sheet was developed by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council and the National Network to End Family Homelessness, an initiative of The Bassuk Center on Homelessness and Vulnerable Children and Youth. The purpose is to ensure clinicians working with people experiencing homelessness understand the role of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in health outcomes as well as the options for responding. ACEs and Health Risks Childhood trauma compromises neurological development and increases risk for immediate and long-term adverse health outcomes. The term ACEs originated in a 1998 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente study that documented significant associations between ACEs and negative health outcomes. In that study, 10 family-level ACEs were explored, and findings showed a graded relationship between the number of ACEs with health and behavioral health outcomes in adulthood.
Child Abuse & Neglect, 2000
Objective: This study examined the differential effects of various forms of abuse, as well as their combined effects. The study also sought to separate the factors uniquely associated with abuse from those associated with the more general problems present in an abusive family environment. Methodology: Data were collected from 329 homeless adolescents. Preliminary analyses indicated some degree of matching for family background variables. Any differences in demographic or family characteristics were controlled for statistically. Results: Chi-square analyses revealed significant differences across groups for rates of assault, rape, depression/dysthymia, and attempted suicide. Multivariate analyses (MANOVAs) indicated significant differences in severity of internalizing problems and cognitive problems. Without exception, the group with histories of both physical and sexual abuse exhibited the most severe symptomatology and was at greatest risk for revictimization. Multiple regression analyses suggested that abuse histories were predictive of internalizing problems while family characteristics were more predictive of externalizing problems.
A Systematic Review of the Literature: Exploring Correlates of Sexual Assault and Homelessness
Tropical Medicine & Surgery, 2016
Sexual assault is a traumatic event and the aftermath can be devastating. Victims who of sexual assault may experience comorbid issues while trying to recover from this trauma, such as homelessness. Whether the victim is trying to escape an abusive home situation or is being sexually molested while serving in the armed forces, homelessness has been observed as a trend among those impacted. The purpose of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to provide an extensive summary of the impact that sexual assault has on an individual's life and to also provide information regarding the number of articles pertaining to sexual assault and homelessness. A systematic approach was used to analyze the available literature; using keywords to help identify important articles that were pertinent to the topic. The outcome of the literature review revealed a total of 25 relevant articles relating to the key words. This literature indicated that further education is imperative for caregivers or social workers to better understand the symptoms associated with adolescent homelessness and runaway-ism, as most homeless youth will also meet the criteria for psychiatric disorders.
Child maltreatment, 2014
Exposure to multiple forms of maltreatment during childhood is associated with serious mental health consequences among youth in the general population, but limited empirical attention has focused on homeless youth-a population with markedly high rates of childhood maltreatment followed by elevated rates of street victimization. This study investigated the rates of multiple childhood abuses (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) and multiple street victimizations (robbery, physical assault, and sexual assault) and examined their relative relationships to mental health outcomes (meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression, and substance use disorder) among a large (N = 601) multisite sample of homeless youth. Approximately 79% of youth retrospectively reported multiple childhood abuses (two or more types) and 28% reported multiple street victimizations (two or more types)...
Assessing Trauma, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health in a Sample of Homeless Men
Health & Social Work, 2010
This study examined the impact of physical and sexual trauma on a sample of 239 homeless men. Study participants completed a self-administered survey that collected data on demographics, exposure to psychological trauma, physical health and mental health problems, and substance use or misuse. Binomial logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relative significance of demographic factors and the four types of trauma exposure associated with three outcomes: mental health, substance abuse, and physical health problems. The authors found that trauma history was significantly associated with more mental health problems but was not associated with substance abuse problems for homeless men. This study reinforces service providers' perceptions that because many homeless men experience the long-term, deleterious effects of not only current stressors, but also abuse and victimization that often begin in childhood, homeless men are a subpopulation in need of proactive prevention services that emphasize long-term continuity of care rather than sporadic crisis-based services. Study findings suggest that mentally ill, homeless men need proactive services that address the sequelae of abuse with care that is specialized and distinctly different from care for homeless adults with substance abuse or physical health care issues.
The Open Health Services and Policy Journal, 2010
It is reasonable to assume that individuals and families who are homeless have been exposed to trauma. Research has shown that individuals who are homeless are likely to have experienced some form of previous trauma; homelessness itself can be viewed as a traumatic experience; and being homeless increases the risk of further victimization and retraumatization. Historically, homeless service settings have provided care to traumatized people without directly acknowledging or addressing the impact of trauma. As the field advances, providers in homeless service settings are beginning to realize the opportunity that they have to not only respond to the immediate crisis of homelessness, but to also contribute to the longer-term healing of these individuals. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) offers a framework for providing services to traumatized individuals within a variety of service settings, including homelessness service settings. Although many providers have an emerging awareness of the potential importance of TIC in homeless services, the meaning of TIC remains murky, and the mechanisms for systems change using this framework are poorly defined. This paper explores the evidence base for TIC within homelessness service settings, including a review of quantitative and qualitative studies and other supporting literature. The authors clarify the definition of Trauma-Informed Care, discuss what is known about TIC based on an extensive literature review, review case examples of programs implementing TIC, and discuss implications for practice, programming, policy, and research. (Marra). Many of these programs sent unpublished program evaluation reports, manuals, or self-assessment tools, for inclusion in this review.
Children and Youth Services Review, 2018
Physical safety is a primary concern among homeless youth because they struggle to secure basic necessities and a permanent place to live. Despite this, studies have not fully examined the numerous linkages that might explain risk for victimization within the context of material insecurity. In this study, we examine multiple levels of both proximal and distal risk factors at the individual (e.g. mental health), family (e.g. child abuse), and environmental levels (e.g. finding necessities) and their associations with physical and sexual street victimization among 150 Midwestern homeless youth. Results from path analyses show that child physical abuse is positively associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, locating necessities, and street physical victimization. Having difficulties finding basic necessities is positively correlated with street physical victimization. Experiencing child sexual abuse is positively associated with street sexual victimization. Additionally, sleeping at certain locations (e.g. violence shelter, in a car) is associated with less sexual street victimization compared to temporarily staying with a family member. These findings have implications for service providers working to improve the safety and well-being of homeless youth.