Naleah Chisolm
Global Connections
Abstract
Homelessness is an event that can prove to be traumatic for youth. It can result in
negative social and psychological consequences. The turbulence from the constant moves,
family breakups, and loss of contact with family can severely impact a childs everyday life. It
starts with internal conflict, which is the psychological aspect of it, and later spreads into the
community, which is the social aspect of it. A child can develop PTSD, behavioral issues, and
depression. One of the leading causes of youth homelessness is violence and trauma. These
traumatic events, if severe enough, can leave a child with PTSD which will make them
vulnerable if they interact with their trigger. Violence can also lead to a child experiencing
behavioral issues, such as aggression or withdrawal. Depression can branch out into several
other psychological consequences like suicidal thoughts or anxiety. These things can spread from
internally to externally and change how a homeless child interacts with their community and
society. Common social consequences are low self-esteem, trust issues, social isolation. All
consequences, whether they be social or psychological, have a detrimental effect on the childs
everyday life from the point of childhood to adulthood. Proper healthcare, like mental health
screening at homeless shelters and monitoring for things like signs of PTSD or depression could
help to diminish these consequences from being seen later in life and prove to help the well-
Table of Contents
Table of Contents.3
Introduction.....4
Literature Review....5
Limitations...9
Body......10
Conclusion.16
References....17
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 4
Introduction
Many of Americas very own children are thrown into the harsh world of homelessness
and when they escape it they are left with metaphorical battle scars. Youth homelessness can be
defined as anyone aged 18 or younger who is without a permanent home, this includes living on
the streets, in a car, in a shelter, or bouncing from couch to couch, for any period longer than one
to two months. Youth homelessness is a major issue that needs to be fixed for two major reasons;
the psychological damage and the damage that can be done unto the childs social aspects of life.
In January, 2013 there were 610,042 homeless people and 138,149, 23%, homeless children
under the age of 18. In 2014, there were 45,205 unaccompanied homeless children. This is
obviously a major issue because the Department of Justice estimates that every year 1.7 million
teens will experience homelessness. Homelessness is even a big issue in the city of Virginia
Beach. According to PIT data, count of homeless children seen in a single day, there are on
average 122 homeless children exposed to the elements and this cruel world every day. As of
February, 2015 the number of homeless children in the United States has reached a record high
and additionally a quarter of this homeless youth population need mental health services (Kulze,
2015). Youth homelessness usually goes hand in hand with social and psychological disorders.
Though they have a very strong correlation, this does not mean that one is caused by the other.
Homeless youth are more likely to suffer from extreme levels of distress, low self-esteem,
depression, mental health problems and behavioral problems because they are victims of or
witnesses to abuse. The psychological and social well-being of our children can be ensured with
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 5
one simple solution; each homeless shelter should have at least one person that specializes in the
field of psychology or psychiatry. Diagnosing these social or psychological disorders before they
worsen can prove extremely beneficial, especially since, around 80% of homeless youth (18-21)
Literature Review
Homeless found that the reasons behind youth homelessness fall into one of
institutional care, leave home and go out on their own. When the family of a
child goes through a financial hardship that causes them to lose their
housing then the entire family becomes homeless but on occasion , due to
such as child welfare policies, the child becomes separated from their family.
Lastly, residential instability can lead youth homelessness. Some youth that
go to foster care become too old to stay in the system and are therefore
forced to leave. There are also the cases of children who are homeless with
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 6
Additionally, most shelters make the inhabitants get out during the day to
look for jobs and be productive so if the family or child isnt back to the
shelter early enough there is no guaranteed housing. The National Center for
Family Homelessness determined that there are six main causes for youth
the National Center for Children in Poverty found, through an article (Aratani,
2009), that the top three leading causes for homelessness among children
are lack of affordable housing, poverty, and domestic violence. Along with
includes that the impact of the Great Recession of 2007, which is still
homelessness. People are still having trouble getting jobs and back on their
feet which ties in with the economic problems expressed previously. The
Washington Post claims that one of the biggest reasons for such a drastic
youth claimed that they left because of experiencing abuse and about 20-
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 7
40% identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay or transgender. Also, 46% of teens say
that family rejection due to their sexual orientation or gender identity was a
cause for them becoming homeless (Durso, L.E., and G.J. Gates)
children experienced homelessness in the U.S. That means that in 2.5 million
children were living in cars, shelters, with other family members, or the
streets. From 2012 to 2013 the United States experienced and 8% increase
States are under 18, that is an overwhelming amount of youth that are on
their own and must suffer for reasons out of their control. Homeless youth
are more susceptible to adopt unsafe sex habits, abuse drugs and alcohol,
psychological issues. They are also more likely to have a hard time getting
like these, and many others, are why homeless youth has been classified as
disrespecting authority, and trust issues only scrape the surface of the social
issues that come with being a homeless or previously homeless youth . Being
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 8
self-esteem. In fact, most homeless youth stay homeless for longer than they
need to because their self-esteem plummeted to such a low point that they
are ashamed to even ask for help. From the age of four to the age of six a
child is beginning to ponder and understand what normal is. This period is
very important for the development of a child because also at these ages is
when a child learns how to truly interact with others, usually in a school
setting. Usually what the homeless child will see as normal is living in their
development, they are egocentric and unable to see things from others
viewpoints. When the child interacts with other children they might come
across the feeling that their normal isnt actually everybody elses
normal and this is when problems begin to arise. A homeless child may
2005, 14% of homeless youth had clinical levels of depression and in the
abuse can go two ways: PTSD or behavioral issues. Some children were so
deeply affected by their abuse experience that it begins to take over their
lives and they can become easily triggered by everyday things that remind
them of the abuse or abusive situation. The other way is behavioral issues,
such as aggression. Like I stated earlier, the ages of four to six is when a
child learns whats normal. If they experience violence to an extent it will get
embedded in their mind that this is what normal is and they will act
Limitations
Lack of resources. As a high school, students I cannot access all the information needed
to verify the claims of the resources that I can find. For example, I simply cannot go out and
interview all the homeless people and homeless shelters and ask if they have experienced any of
the mentioned consequences for numerous reasons. Firstly, some may not be willing to answer
my questions because most people dont want to admit that theyre homeless or in need of help.
Its in human nature to want to seem like we have things under our own control so some of the
homeless may not even answer honestly. Also, if a homeless shelter doesnt have a professional
who can deem whether someone is experiencing things like PTSD or depression then they cant
make that claim. Without evidence their claims would be invalid. Lastly, because of my location
I cannot easily go and collect my own data and do my own studies about the homeless youth in
all of America.
Time. To do this senior project, students are only given the time frame of September to
about May. Since the consequences of homelessness are constantly changing, with some being
taken off the list because they are no longer seen in homeless youth to some being added since
they are suddenly being seen more often, this is not enough time to truly grasp and take in all the
Bias. Most of my resources come from organizations that advocate for the well-being of
children. They are also usually non-profit organizations that need funding to stay up and running.
Due to both factors combined, the resources that I did find may embellish things to make them
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 11
seem more harmful than they are and I have no ability to decline their information and say that it
is false. Also, as a youth myself I sympathize with these homeless children and I have a personal
bias.
Body
2007. The U.S Conference of Mayors collected data to determine the leading
causes behind youth homelessness. They found that the top three reasons
Over 60% of the people in those 170,000 homeless families were under the
age of 18. A shocking 52.6% were under six years of age, 32.5% were of age
six to twelve, and 14.8% are thirteen to seventeen years of age. 1.4 million
students were homeless in the United States at the beginning of the 2013-
2014 school year. This increasing trend of homeless youth in the United
States has led this country to where it is now; with a historic high of
point during the year. That means that nearly 2.5 million children were living
Take that and add the 80% of youth who use alcohol and drugs to self-
that homeless youth are a high risk group the Youth Association
youth who partake in alcohol or drug use. The results portrayed that, in the
homeless youth are more likely to partake in high risk behaviors as well as
thoughts, low self-esteem, and low self-efficacy. All of these aspects and
factors combined turn into a diabolical concoction that is sure to wreak havoc
youth are more at risk to developing issues that will later affect them in life
and as said by Mitchell and Rosenthal (1994) For homeless youth, additional
social problems make this group separate and distinct from the rest of the
noticed immediately and other times the effects are seen years down the
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 13
road; it depends on the severity and the individual child. Regardless of when
the effects are seen, they will continue to affect the child throughout their
entire life. The three psychological consequences that are seen most often
their health, its been proven that depression could lead to obesity, heart
problems, and high blood pressure, as well as impacting the mental health of
to diagnose and treat the homeless youth suffering from all forms of
with suicide/suicidal thoughts. Due to the fact that correlation does not
imply causation one cant assume that depression causes suicide or suicidal
youth had clinical levels of depression and 11% attempted suicide in the last
abuse in some fashion at some point in their life. This abuse will most likely
lead to trauma, which on the most severe cases turns into Post-Traumatic
losing stable shelter, not knowing where the next meal will be coming
from, and losing connections with family members are all likely causes of
PTSD in homeless youth. PTSD is also a major concern because of the fact
that it could develop while the person is homeless or after they get back on
their feet and start to get their life together. Similar to depression, living with
PTSD is no walk in the park. Simple situations like seeing someone beg for
money or things that remind the sufferer of their previous life while they
activated, it varies from person to person, it may take a while to get said
person back to how they were before. Some people when they get triggered
they simply need to step outside and take a breather while others become
moves from place to place. The most common types of behavioral issues are
contact of someone close to them or a loved one usually they refrain from
making close bonds with in the future. They withdrawal themselves from
others as a fear of losing another close contact. Theres also the case of
witnessed. Age four to six is when a child learns what normal is. If they
often witnessed or experienced violence they will assume that that is the
way that things are supposed to be. Growing up with that mindset ensures
with these three. Anxiety is also being noticed more in homeless children.
Anxieties like specific phobias, situational anxiety, and panic disorders are
usually the worst case scenarios because they impact all aspects of
life. Even anxiety that impacts how you interact with others, social anxiety,
plays a key role in how a homeless child will make it through life. Behavioral
least one thing; they have a detrimental impact on all aspects of the
the psychological, it is essential to delve into the social as well. The social
others and their community from the point of homelessness, onward. The
most popular social consequences seen with homeless children are trust
Trust issues are commonly associated with turbulence in the life of the
moves, no shelter whatsoever for a period of time, and the most apparent
reason for trust issues, loss of family or loss of communication with a family
member. Often times the family members care about the well-being of a
child so they put them somewhere that they know the child will be taken
care of, like foster care or child only shelters, despite the wants of the
child. This causes family split-ups which is major turbulence in the childs
life. In the future the child either takes an extensive amount of time to
true, close, and trusting relationships with others and all due to the
Low self-esteem plays a part in every single aspect of the childs life. A
study showed that most homeless children stay homeless longer than they
need to due to the fact that they are too ashamed to ask for help. Not only
can low self-esteem prove to be a problem during the homelessness but also
after the child is out of homelessness. Low self-esteem can also be linked to
they are in a school environment they are more likely to participate in risky
having unsafe sex in order to try and boost their confidence and fit in. It can
also lead to other dangerous behaviors that may affect not only the suffering
child, but also the children or others in the childs life. The child could
become a bully and feel the need to lower the self-esteem of others in an
isolation. When a child learns that their definition of normal isnt like
everybody elses they may feel as if they dont feel in or belong. As a result
of this they dont experience shunning from other children and later in life
maybe even from other adults. They also make no attempts to develop
relationships with others because it seems hopeless to even try to fit in.
Social isolation also plays a big role in the mental state of the child. If they
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 18
factors and are often seen in combinations in the homeless children because
they relate so closely to each other. Depression can lead to a lower work
ethic for the child in the future. With little to no work ethic in the work
field, or even during high school the future does not look very successful for
likely to have issues with education and employment in the future. With a job
they will become impoverished and be homeless once again. All the
To end this cycle, many solutions are possible but the most obvious
and the least time consuming would be professional help in the shelters.
Many homeless youths suffer longer than they need to due to the fact that
psychiatrists within the homeless shelters will greatly alleviate the anguish
issues before its too late. Also having some kind of counselor just for the
youth to talk about their problems when needed will greatly help them
Conclusion
psychological and social scars that will prove to provide difficulties for them
later in life. Psychological issues deal with how the child interacts with
internal issues they can spread to the community surrounding the child and
at that point is when the issues become social issues. The consequences of
homelessness may be short or long lived but regardless of that, it will impact
children are Depression. PTSD, and behavioral issues. All of these relate to
each other in some way and also branch off into different severities which is
why they are so dangerous. Depression can often be seen linked with
self-harming. PTSD can be linked with depression and can branch off into
anxieties and phobias. Lastly, behavioral issues can branch off into
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 20
aggression towards oneself but even worse is that it could spread to the
the inner being of the child to their surrounding world. Low self-esteem,
social isolation, and trust issues most commonly relate to the social
child to suffer longer than they need to because they are ashamed to ask for
more at risk to having difficulties later in life with employment and education
and low self-esteem just adds to it. Social isolation leads the child to
wrong crowd. Trust issues lead the child to have difficulties forming close
bonds later in life with others; this usually results in constant family breakups
experienced in shelters.
Having a health professional who can diagnose the childs issues and
listen to their problems could make the path of integrating back into society
References
11 Facts About Homeless Teens. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2016, from
https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-homeless-teens
Australian Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2016, from
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/homelessness-human-rights-issue
Bassuk, E. L., & Friedman, S. M. (n.d.). Facts on Trauma and Homeless Children.
Retrieved from
http://nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/promising_practices/Facts_on_Trauma_and_Homeles
s_Children.pdf
Brooks-Gunn, J., & Duncan, G. (n.d.). The Effects of Poverty on Children. Retrieved from
Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
http://www.nn4youth.org/wp-content/uploads/IssueBrief_Youth_Homelessness.pdf
https://www.covenanthouse.org/homeless-teen-issues/statistics
Dillon, K. (n.d.). Family Housing Fund Visible Child Initiative: Childrens Mental Health
Duffield, B., & Lovell, P. (2008, December). The Economic Crisis Hits Home. Retrieved
from http://www.naehcy.org/dl/TheEconomicCrisisHitsHome.pdf
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 22
Foon, A. (2015, April 28). Health and Youth Homelessness. Retrieved from
http://www.awch.org.au/pdfs/conferences/2005/11_Foon_Homelessness.pdf
http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/homeless-and-runaway-youth.aspx
Homeless Children and Youth Causes and Consequences. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13,
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/youth.html
mental-health/
National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University Mailman School of Public
state=US&id=6.
National Center on Family Homelessness. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2016, from
http://www.air.org/center/national-center-family-homelessness
https://www.covenanthouse.org/homeless-teen-issues/statistics
Consequences of Youth Homelessness 23
When the Bough Breaks: The Effects of Homelessness on Young Children - Child Trends.
http://www.childtrends.org/publications/when-the-bough-breaks-the-effects-of-
homelessness-on-young-children
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Affordable Housing Needs 2005:
from http://www.huduser.org/publications/affhsg/affhsgneeds.html
http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/index.cfm
Youth Homelessness - National Coalition for the Homeless. (n.d.). Retrieved December
Ziv, S. (2016). Child Homelessness in U.S. Reaches Historic High, Report Says. Retrieved
historic-high-report-says-285052