A Review of Interventions for Substance Use Among Homeless Youth

Abstract

This review summarizes existing evidence on interventions to address substance use problems among homeless youth. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria of the review. The quality of included studies was analyzed using explicit and well-validated criteria. Interventions evaluated ranged from individual-focused therapies such as brief motivational intervention, community reinforcement approach, and knowledge and skills training, to broader interventions such as family therapy, support groups, and shelter-based health care and housing programs. Participants reported improvements in substance use outcomes over time in most of the studies. However, the superiority of a specific intervention is difficult to determine because of the heterogeneity of the interventions and the few studies conducted on each intervention. Implications for practice and research are discussed.