Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2012 Jun;43(3):354-75. doi: 10.1007/s10578-011-0270-1.
Youth homelessness is a growing concern in the United States. Despite difficulties studying this population due to inconsistent definitions of what it means to be a youth and homeless, the current body of research indicates that abuse, family breakdown, and disruptive family relationships are common contributing factors to youth homelessness. Moreover, the experience of homelessness appears to have numerous adverse implications and to affect neurocognitive development and academics, as well as mental and physical health. Substance use, sexually transmitted infections, and psychiatric disorders are particularly prevalent in this population. Whereas some of these problems may be short-lived, the chronic stress and deprivation associated with homelessness may have long-term effects on development and functioning. Further, difficulties accessing adequate and developmentally-appropriate health care contribute to more serious health concerns. Suggestions for future research and interventions are discussed.
美国的青年无家可归问题日益严重。尽管由于对青年和无家可归者含义的定义不一致，研究这一人群存在困难，但目前的研究表明，虐待、家庭破裂和不良的家庭关系是导致青年无家可归的常见因素。此外，无家可归的经历似乎有许多不良影响，会影响神经认知发展和学业成绩，以及心理健康和身体健康。在这一人群中，药物滥用、性传播感染和精神障碍尤为普遍。虽然其中一些问题可能是短暂的，但与无家可归相关的长期压力和贫困可能对发展和功能产生长期影响。此外，难以获得足够和适合发展的医疗保健也导致了更严重的健康问题。讨论了未来研究和干预措施的建议。
