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Youth Homelessness and Social Stigma

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Abstract

Building upon previous exploratory qualitative research (Kidd SA (2003) Child Adol Social Work J 20(4):235–261), this paper examines the mental health implications of social stigma as it is experienced by homeless youth. Surveys conducted with 208 youths on the streets and in agencies in New York City and Toronto revealed significant associations between perceived stigma due to homeless status and sexual orientation, pan handling and sex trade involvement, and amount of time homeless. Higher perceived stigma was also related to low self esteem, loneliness, feeling trapped, and suicidal ideation, with guilt/self-blame due to homeless status having the strongest impact on mental health variables.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Program on Recovery and Community Health, Centre for Mountain Health Services, Mental Health Rehabilitation, 100 West 5th St., Hamilton, Ontario, L8N 3K7, Canada

    Sean A. Kidd

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  1. Sean A. Kidd
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Correspondence to Sean A. Kidd.

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Sean Kidd is an assistant professor with the McMaster Department of Psychiary and Behavioural Neurociences. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Windsor, Ontario, in 2003. His primary research areas are suicide and resiliency among homeless youth and the application of qualitative methodologies in psychological research.

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Kidd, S.A. Youth Homelessness and Social Stigma. J Youth Adolescence 36, 291–299 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9100-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9100-3

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