Resilient Educational Outcomes: Participation in School by Youth With Histories of Homelessness

Disrupted high school experiences, including dropout, are educational consequences for many youth with histories of homelessness. Using an ecological resilience prediction model (ERPM) based on the literature on resilience in at-risk youth, the study followed 82 youth who were initially homeless for a 2-year period, to identify predictors of participating in school. Female sex and increased duration of rehousing at Time 2 significantly predicted being in school at follow-up. Youth who were not in school reported a greater increase in satisfaction with social support compared to youth who were participating in school at follow-up. The study adds to what is understood regarding the longitudinal consequences of housing instability and discontinuity in school participation in youth by examining ecological predictors of resilience. Implications of findings for policy and program development targeting education and housing for youth are discussed.

Publication Date: 
2010
Pages: 
1-21
Volume: 
20
Issue: 
10
Journal Name: 
Journal of Youth and Society
Location: 
Canada