This study investigated the relationship between coping styles and problem behaviors among a sample of substance-abusing homeless youth. Homeless youth (n = 268) were recruited through the only drop-in center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Results revealed that youth with higher task-oriented coping reported less delinquent behaviors while those with higher emotion-oriented coping reported higher levels of anxiety/ depression and higher delinquency. Contrary to expectations, youth utilizing higher avoidance-oriented coping skills showed fewer HIV risk behaviors, fewer anxiety/depressive symptoms, and less frequent alcohol use. Findings emphasize the need to examine coping strategies in the context that individuals are situated.
Achenbach, T.M., & Edelbrock, C.S. (1982). Manual for the child behavior checklist and child behavior profile. Burlington, VT: Child Psychiatry, University of Vermont.
2.
American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edn, Text Revision). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.
Bandura, A., Barbaranelli, C., Caprara, G.V., & Pastorelli, C. (1996). Multifaced impact of self-efficacy beliefs on academic functioning. Child Development, 67, 1206-1222.
5.
Beasley, M., Thompson, T., & Davidson, J. ( 2003). Resilience in response to life stress: The effects of coping style and cognitive hardiness. Personality and Individual Differences, 34, 77-95.
6.
Billings, A.G., & Moos, R.H. ( 1982). Coping, stress, and social resources among adults with unipolar depression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 46, 477-491.
7.
Dempsey, M. ( 2002). Negative coping as mediator in the relation between violence and outcomes: Inner-city African-American youth. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 72, 102-109.
8.
Duncan, D.F. ( 1996). Growing up under the gun: Children and adolescents coping with violent neighborhoods. Journal of Primary Prevention , 16, 343-356.
Fitzpatrick, K.M., Irwin, J., Lagory, M., & Ritchey, F. ( 2007). Just thinking about it: Social capital and suicide ideation among homeless persons. Journal of Health Psychology, 12, 750-760.
11.
Flick, U. ( 2007). Homelessness and health: Challenges for health psychology . Journal of Health Psychology, 12, 691-695.
12.
Flick, U., & Röhnsch, G. (2007). Idealization and neglect: Health concepts of homeless adolescents. Journal of Health Psychology, 12, 737-749.
13.
Gonzalez, N.A., Tein, J., Sandier, I.N., & Friedman, R.J. (2001). On the limits of coping: Interaction between stress and coping for inner-city adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 16, 372-395.
14.
Grimm, L.G., & Yarnold, P.R. (2006). Reading and understanding more multivariate statistics. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .
15.
Johnson, T.P., Aschkenasy, J.R., Herbers, M.R., & Gillenwater, S.A. (1996). Self-reported risk factors for AIDS among homeless youth. AIDS Education and Prevention , 8, 308-322.
16.
Kadden, R. (1995). Cognitive-behavioral coping skills therapy manual: A clinical research guide for therapists. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.
17.
Kann, L., Nelson, G.D., Jones, J.T., & Kolbe, L.J. ( 1989). Establishing a system of complementary school-based surveys to annually assess HIV-related knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors among adolescents . Journal of School Health, 59, 55-58.
18.
Kelly, K., & Caputo, T. ( 2007). Health and street/homeless youth. Journal of Health Psychology, 12, 726-736.
19.
Kipke, M.D., Montgomery, S.B., Simon, T.R., & Iverson, E.F. ( 1997). Substance abuse disorders among runaways and homeless youth. Substance Use and Misuse, 32, 969-986.
20.
Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, S. ( 1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.
21.
Masten, A.S. ( 2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56, 227-238.
22.
McCarthy, B., & Hagan, J. ( 1992). Surviving the street: The experiences of homeless youth . Journal of Adolescent Research, 7, 412-430.
Miller, W.R. ( 1996). Form 90: A structured assessment interview for drinking and related problem behaviors. Project MATCH Monograph Series , 5. Bethesda, MD: US Department of Health.
25.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. ( 2000). The role of rumination in depressive disorders and mixed anxiety/depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 109(3), 504-511.
26.
Rafnsson, F.D., Smari, J., Windle, M., Mears, S.A., & Endler, N.S. ( 2006). Factor structure and psychometric characteristics of the Icelandic version of the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) . Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1247-1258.
27.
Rector, N.A., & Roger, D. ( 1996). Cognitive style and well-being: A prospective examination . Personality and Individual Differences, 21, 663-674.
28.
Rew, L., Fouladi, R.T., Land, L., Wong, Y.J. ( 2007). Outcomes of a brief sexual health intervention for homeless youth. Journal of Health Psychology, 12, 818-832.
29.
Robertson, M.J., & Toro, P.A. ( 1999). Homeless youth: Research, intervention, and policy. In L. B. Fosburg & D. L. Dennis (Eds.), Practical lessons: The 1998 national symposium on homelessness research (pp. 3-1: 3-32). Washington, DC.
30.
Shaffer, D. ( 1992). The diagnostic interview schedule for children-2.3 version . New York: Columbia University .
31.
Slesnick, N., & Tonigan, J.S. ( 2004). Assessment of alcohol and other drugs used by runaway youths: A test-retest study of the Form 90. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 22, 21-34.
32.
Sobell, L.C., & Sobell, M.B. ( 1992). Timeline follow-back. In R. Litten & J. Allen (Eds.), Measuring alcohol consumption (pp. 41-72). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.
33.
SPSS Inc. (2008). SPSS, Version 17. Chicago, IL: SPSS Inc.
34.
Stein, J.A., & Nyamathi, A. ( 1999). Gender differences in relationships between stress, coping, and health risk behaviors in impoverished, minority populations. Personality and Individual Differences, 26, 141-157.
35.
Steinhausen, H., & Metzke, C.W. ( 1998). Youth self-report of behavioral and emotional problems in a Swiss epidemiological study. Journal of Youth and Adolescence , 27, 429-441.
36.
Unger, J.B., Kipke, M.D., Simon, T.R., Johnson, C.J., Montgomery, S.B., & Iverson, E. ( 1998). Stress, coping, and social support among homeless youth . Journal of Adolescent Research, 13, 134-157.
37.
Votta, E., & Farrell, S. ( 2009). Predictors of psychological adjustment among homeless and housed female youth. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 18, 126-132.
38.
Windle, M., & Windle, R.C. ( 1996). Coping strategies, drinking motives, and stressful life events among middle adolescents: Associations with emotional and behavioral problems and with academic functioning. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 551-560.
