Abstract
Runaway and homeless youth often have a constellation of background behavioral, emotional, and familial problems that contribute
to stress and maladaptive behaviors, which, in turn, can lead to self-harming and suicidal behaviors. The current study examined
the roles of stress and maladaptive behaviors as mediators between demographic and psychosocial background characteristics
and self-injurious outcomes through the lens of the stress process paradigm. The model was tested in a sample of runaway and
homeless youth from Los Angeles County (N = 474, age 12–24, 41 % female, 17 % White, 32.5 % African American, 21.5 % Hispanic/Latino). Background variables (gender,
age, sexual minority status, parental drug use history, and emotional distress) predicted hypothesized mediators of maladaptive
behaviors and recent stress. In turn, it was hypothesized that the mediators would predict self-harming behaviors and suicide
attempts in the last 3 months. Females and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) youth were more likely to have self-harmed
and attempted suicide; younger participants reported more self-harming. The mediating constructs were associated more highly
with self-harming than suicide attempts bivariately, although differences were modest. Maladaptive behaviors and recent stress
were significant predictors of self-harm, whereas only recent stress was a significant predictor of suicide attempts. All
background factors were significant predictors of recent stress. Older age, a history of parental drug use, and greater emotional
distress predicted problem drug use. Males, younger participants, and participants with emotional distress reported more delinquent
behaviors. Significant indirect effects on self-harming behaviors were mediated through stress and maladaptive behaviors.
The hypothesized paradigm was useful in explaining the associations among background factors and self-injurious outcomes and
the influence of mediating factors on these associations.
to stress and maladaptive behaviors, which, in turn, can lead to self-harming and suicidal behaviors. The current study examined
the roles of stress and maladaptive behaviors as mediators between demographic and psychosocial background characteristics
and self-injurious outcomes through the lens of the stress process paradigm. The model was tested in a sample of runaway and
homeless youth from Los Angeles County (N = 474, age 12–24, 41 % female, 17 % White, 32.5 % African American, 21.5 % Hispanic/Latino). Background variables (gender,
age, sexual minority status, parental drug use history, and emotional distress) predicted hypothesized mediators of maladaptive
behaviors and recent stress. In turn, it was hypothesized that the mediators would predict self-harming behaviors and suicide
attempts in the last 3 months. Females and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) youth were more likely to have self-harmed
and attempted suicide; younger participants reported more self-harming. The mediating constructs were associated more highly
with self-harming than suicide attempts bivariately, although differences were modest. Maladaptive behaviors and recent stress
were significant predictors of self-harm, whereas only recent stress was a significant predictor of suicide attempts. All
background factors were significant predictors of recent stress. Older age, a history of parental drug use, and greater emotional
distress predicted problem drug use. Males, younger participants, and participants with emotional distress reported more delinquent
behaviors. Significant indirect effects on self-harming behaviors were mediated through stress and maladaptive behaviors.
The hypothesized paradigm was useful in explaining the associations among background factors and self-injurious outcomes and
the influence of mediating factors on these associations.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Empirical Research
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-012-9793-4
- Authors
- Amanda Moskowitz, Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4301, USA
- Judith A. Stein, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 3566 Franz Hall, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA
- Marguerita Lightfoot, Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 50 Beale Street, Suite 1300, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891