A number of studies have looked at the many domains of physical and mental health risk experienced by homeless youth, and the high rates of suicidal thoughts, suicide, deliberate self-harm and mortality associated with those risks. However, considering the extreme forms of adversity faced by homeless youth, it may be pertinent to ask why mortality rates in this population are not higher.
A study by Kristin Cleverley, McMaster University, and Sean A. Kidd, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, explored resilience and its relation to suicidality in 47 homeless and street-involved youth in Ontario.
EENet has developed a Research Snapshot of their article “Resilience and suicidality among homeless youth”, Journal of Adolescence, Volume 34, Issue 5, October 2011, 1049-1054.
Research Snapshots are brief, clear language summaries of research articles presented in a user-friendly format. To read EENet’s clear language summary of this article, go to www.ehealthontario.ca.