Psychosocial differences between Mexican girls at risk of homelessness and those unsheltered, sheltered or emergency sheltered
Psychosocial differences between Mexican girls at risk of homelessness and those unsheltered, sheltered or emergency sheltered
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DOI:
10.1080/17450128.2017.1367111
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发表时间:
2018-01-01
影响因子:
1.1
通讯作者:
Aguilar-Villalobos, Javier
中科院分区:
文献类型:
--
作者:
Castanos-Cervantes, Susana;Turnbull, Bernardo;Aguilar-Villalobos, Javier
Homeless girls are one of the world's most vulnerable sociocultural groups. Homeless girls experience forced labor victimization, sexual exploitation, abuse, discrimination and marginalization at higher rates than the general population. As a result, they often present internalized and externalized psychological disorders and lack functional problem solving, coping and emotion regulation skills, which can negatively affect mental health and well-being. Despite these serious disparities, few research studies have addressed homeless girls' mental health and well-being. Virtually no known research addressing the psychosocial differences between sub-groups of Mexican homeless girls, including girls that are at risk of homelessness and unhoused girls or girls housed in emergency shelters, exists to date. The aim of this study was to examine differences of psychosocial characteristics in homeless girls by subgroup. Working with nongovernmental organizations that serve homeless youth, a convenience sample of 90 Mexican girls between the ages of 11 and 18, including 45 emergency sheltered or unsheltered girls and a comparison group of 45 girls at risk of homelessness, were individually interviewed using psychometric instruments developed by the authors. Findings revealed that emergency sheltered or unsheltered homeless girls experience higher levels of depression, higher levels of dysfunctional emotional regulation strategies, lower indexes of subjective well-being, and experience negative emotions more intensely and frequently than the comparison at risk for homelessness group. This study is limited in its generalizability due to its purposive sampling method. Study implications highlight the need for specific interventions by sub-group to promote the mental health and well-being of homeless girls and girls at risk for homelessness.