1. Better to bend than to break: Coping strategies utilized by substance-abusing homeless youth.
- Author
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DASHORA, PUSHPANJALI, ERDEM, GIZEM, and SLESNICK, NATASHA
- Subjects
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PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation , *ANALYSIS of variance , *EMOTIONS , *HOMELESSNESS , *JUVENILE delinquency , *PATH analysis (Statistics) , *PROBABILITY theory , *QUESTIONNAIRES , *SUBSTANCE abuse , *RANDOMIZED controlled trials , *CROSS-sectional method - Abstract
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. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2011
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