McCay Elizabeth, Quesnel Susan, Langley John, Beanlands Heather, Cooper Linda, Blidner Rebecca, Aiello Andria, Mudachi Naomi, Howes Carol, Bach Karen
Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto.
J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2011 Nov;24(4):208-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6171.2011.00301.x. Epub 2011 Oct 17.
Street-involved youth experience a range of mental health problems with elevated rates of psychiatric disorders compared with non-homeless youth. The overall objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the impact of a relationship-based intervention for homeless youth receiving services from agencies in downtown Toronto.
The final sample included 15 homeless youth who met the study inclusion criteria. The intervention and comparison groups were compared at baseline and post-treatment on measures of mental health symptoms, hopelessness, self-esteem, resilience, and social connectedness.
Participants receiving the intervention demonstrated a significant improvement in social connectedness, with a trend toward decreased hopelessness. Those participants who did not receive the intervention did not demonstrate any improvements in social connectedness and hopelessness.
This preliminary pilot study suggests that providing a relationship-based intervention to street-involved youth may offer promise to strengthen social relationships and to mitigate overwhelming hopelessness and despair.
与无家可归的青少年相比，涉足街头的青少年经历一系列心理健康问题，精神疾病发病率更高。这项试点研究的总体目标是评估一种基于关系的干预措施对从多伦多市中心各机构接受服务的无家可归青少年的影响。
最终样本包括15名符合研究纳入标准的无家可归青少年。在基线和治疗后，对干预组和对照组在心理健康症状、绝望感、自尊、恢复力和社会联系等指标上进行比较。
接受干预的参与者在社会联系方面有显著改善，绝望感有下降趋势。未接受干预的参与者在社会联系和绝望感方面没有任何改善。
这项初步试点研究表明，为涉足街头的青少年提供基于关系的干预措施可能有望加强社会关系，并减轻压倒性的绝望和无助感。
