My Own Best Friend: Homeless Youths' Hesitance to Seek Help and Strategies for Coping Independently after Distressing and Traumatic Experiences. Issue 3 (3rd April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bender, Kimberly; Begun, Stephanie; Durbahn, Rebecca; Ferguson, Kristin; Schau, Nick
• Is Part Of: Social work in public health. Volume 33:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 149
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2018-04-03
• Subjects: Homeless youth -- coping strategies -- risk and resilience -- independence; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1080/19371918.2018.1424062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1937-1918

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although homeless youth face extreme adversities, they are often hesitant to seek help from formal and informal supports. The current study qualitatively explored homeless youths' reasons for coping independently and their strategies for doing so. Youth accessing services (N = 145) in three U.S. cities were interviewed about their rationales for not seeking help from others regarding distressing experiences. Analyses illustrated specific barriers to help seeking that prompted homeless youth to cope on their own by utilizing soothing, avoidant, aggressive, and introspective coping strategies. Implications for outreaching to those least likely to seek help are discussed.