Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

, Volume 36, Issue 1, pp 95–104 | Cite as

A Dimensional Model of Psychopathology Among Homeless Adolescents: Suicidality, Internalizing, and Externalizing Disorders

  • Kevin A. Yoder
  • Susan L. Longley
  • Les B. Whitbeck
  • Dan R. Hoyt
Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

The present study examined associations among dimensions of suicidality and psychopathology in a sample of 428 homeless adolescents (56.3% female). Confirmatory factor analysis results provided support for a three-factor model in which suicidality (measured with lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts), internalizing disorders (assessed with lifetime diagnoses of major depressive episode and post-traumatic stress disorder), and externalizing disorders (indicated by lifetime diagnoses of conduct disorder, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse) were positively intercorrelated. The findings illustrate the utility of a dimensional approach that integrates suicidality and psychopathology into one model.

Keywords

Psychopathology Suicidality Internalizing Externalizing Homeless adolescents 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the editor and anonymous reviewers for comments and help on earlier drafts of this paper. The Midwest Longitudinal Study of Homeless Adolescents was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (MH57110), Les B. Whitbeck, principal investigator.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • Kevin A. Yoder
    • 1
  • Susan L. Longley
    • 2
  • Les B. Whitbeck
    • 3
  • Dan R. Hoyt
    • 3
  1. 1.Department of SociologyUniversity of North TexasDentonUSA
  2. 2.Veterans Administration Medical CenterSyracuseUSA
  3. 3.Department of SociologyUniversity of Nebraska–LincolnLincolnUSA

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