Psychosocial risk behaviors in Mexican young women experiencing homelessness

Susana Castaños-Cervantes and Nicole M. Vélez-Agosto

Children and Youth Services Review, 2018, vol. 95, issue C, 235-242

Abstract: Psychosocial risk behaviors in young women experiencing homelessness include substance use and abuse, risky sexual activity and delinquent behaviors. These behaviors negatively impact well-being and diminish quality of life. The purpose of this study was to analyze from a qualitative perspective based on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, a series of psychosocial risk behaviors among a group of 200 Mexican young women experiencing homelessness ages 11 to 20 years old. The participants were selected with a purposive sampling method. Main results showed that social environmental predisposing factors for substance use and abuse, sexual risk behavior, and delinquent activities, included peer's and couple's behaviors, peer initiation of psychosocial risk-taking behaviors, and social pressure. Psychological predisposing factors for substance use and abuse included sensation-seeking and risk perception. The clinical implications of the study highlight the need to consider these social and psychological predisposing factors for psychosocial risk behaviors when designing efficient and sustainable interventions aimed to diminish and prevent these behaviors in young women experiencing homelessness, particularly in the context of Latin American cities.

Keywords: Psychosocial risk behaviors; Homelessness; Young women experiencing homelessness; Substance use and abuse; Risky sexual behavior; Theory of planned behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:95:y:2018:i:c:p:235-242

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.10.041

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