Nyamathi Adeline, Slagle Alexandra, Thomas Alexandra, Hudson Angela, Kahilifard Farinaz, Avila Glenna, Orser Julie, Cuchilla Manuel
University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2011 Spring;5(1):9-18. doi: 10.1353/cpr.2011.0012.
Art has been shown to be an empowering and engaging entity with numerous benefits to vulnerable populations, including the homeless persons and young adults. However, little is known how homeless young adults perceive the use of art as messages that can communicate the danger of initiating or continuing drug and alcohol use.
The purpose of this study was to solicit perspectives of homeless, drug-using young adults as to how art can be used to design messages for their peers about the danger of initiating or continuing drug and alcohol use.
Qualitative methodology via focus group discussions was utilized to engage 24 homeless young adults enrolled from a drop-in site in Santa Monica, California.
The findings revealed support for a myriad of delivery styles, including in-person communication, flyers, music, documentary film, and creative writing. The young adults also provided insight into the importance of the thematic framework of messages. Such themes ranged from empowering and hopeful messages to those designed to scare young homeless adults into not experimenting with drugs.
The findings indicate that in addition to messages communicating the need to prevent or reduce drug and alcohol use, homeless young adults respond to messages that remind them of goals and dreams they once had for their future, and to content that is personal, real, and truthful. Our research indicates that messages that reinforce protective factors such as hope for the future and self-esteem may be as important to homeless young adults as information about the risks and consequences of drug use.
艺术已被证明是一种具有赋权作用且引人入胜的事物，对弱势群体有诸多益处，包括无家可归者和年轻人。然而，对于无家可归的年轻人如何看待将艺术用作传达开始或持续使用毒品和酒精的危险性的信息，我们知之甚少。
本研究的目的是征求无家可归、使用毒品的年轻人对于如何利用艺术为同龄人设计关于开始或持续使用毒品和酒精的危险性的信息的看法。
通过焦点小组讨论采用定性方法，让24名从加利福尼亚州圣莫尼卡的一个临时接待点招募的无家可归年轻人参与研究。
研究结果显示支持多种传播方式，包括面对面交流、传单、音乐、纪录片和创意写作。这些年轻人还深入探讨了信息主题框架的重要性。此类主题从赋权和充满希望的信息到旨在吓唬年轻无家可归者使其不尝试毒品的信息不等。
研究结果表明，除了传达预防或减少毒品和酒精使用必要性的信息外，无家可归的年轻人对能让他们想起曾经对未来的目标和梦想的信息以及个人、真实和诚恳的内容也会做出反应。我们的研究表明，强化诸如对未来的希望和自尊等保护因素的信息，对无家可归的年轻人可能与关于毒品使用风险和后果的信息同样重要。
