بهبود بهداشت روانی جوانان از طریق پیشگیری مبتنی بر خانواده در پناهگاه های بی خانمان خانواده

This exploratory study examines changes in suicidal ideation among a sample (N = 28) of homeless youth, ages 11–14, residing within family shelters in a large metropolitan area. Changes in suicidal ideation from pretest to posttest are compared across two group approaches to delivering HIV prevention. Youth and their families participating in the HOPE Family Program, incorporating a family strengthening approach, are compared to those receiving a traditional health education-only approach. Multivariate analyses reveal that youth in the HOPE Family Program were 13 times more likely to report a decrease of suicidal ideation. These findings indicate that health education programs integrating a family strengthening approach hold promise for positively impacting mental health outcomes for vulnerable youth.

While there has been an increased focus upon suicidal risk among homeless youth (Rew et al., 2001, Yoder, Longley, Whitbeck and Hoyt, 2008 and Yoder, Whitbeck and Hoyt, 2008), research focusing on self-harm among youth living in family shelters is rare. Further, little is known about effective interventions to decrease thoughts of self-harm among this subpopulation of homeless youth. The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation, the relationship between various risk factors, and the impact of participation in family-based HIV prevention programs upon self-harm among a sample of adolescents residing in urban homeless shelters with their families. Two family-based approaches are compared. Guided by Social Action Theory (Ewart, 1991) it is expected that the program, including a family-strengthening approach aimed at bolstering key family and youth processes including communication, family decision-making, parent leadership and supervision, and youth problem-solving, will have a beneficial impact on youth suicidal ideation.

All independent variables are presented descriptively in Table 1, which also describes how these variables differ in relation to the outcome variable, changes in suicidal ideation. Of the 28 youth with suicidal ideation at baseline who also participated in the posttest phase of the HOPE study, 64% (n = 18) indicated changes in suicidal ideation and then subsequently indicated no ideation at posttest. The remaining 36% (n = 10) of youth that reported suicidal ideation at baseline, also reported suicidal ideation at posttest.