Suicidality and Youth Experiencing Houselessness / Unaccompanied Minors
The Role of Bullying
Young people who are houseless face higher levels of bullying compared to their peers who have stable housing, and they also experience more severe thoughts of suicide. The results suggest that bullying may be a key factor explaining the link between homelessness and suicidality. Previous research with low-income youth has shown that they are more likely to be bullied at school, leading to long-term negative mental health consequences, and are more likely to experience depressive symptoms compared to those who are not bullied. For youth experiencing houselessness, being bullied by peers can lead to depression, loneliness, and hopelessness, all of which can contribute to suicidal thoughts and attempts.
The Role of Parental Support
The influence of parental support plays a moderating role in the relationship between bullying and suicidality among homeless youth. When parental support is low, bullying is associated with more severe thoughts of suicide, whereas high levels of parental support eliminate this association. The current study found that homeless youth who received high levels of support from their parents reported that their parents listened to them, provided reliability, and were approachable for conversations. Thus, strong parental support may act as a protective factor by reducing depressive symptoms, loneliness, and hopelessness among these youth. Parental support can moderate the impact of bullying on mental health outcomes, including suicidality; bullied youth with higher levels of parental support are less likely to have suicidal thoughts compared to those with lower levels of support.
Recommendations for Screening Youth Experiencing Houselessness
Monitor homeless youth closely to ensure they receive mental health screenings and regular meetings with counselors, as they are at a higher risk of more severe suicidality.
School personnel should also encourage strong school-family partnerships to involve parents in their child's education and provide opportunities to build supportive relationships between parents and youth. Creating positive parent-youth relationships is crucial for addressing the challenges faced by homeless youth.
Suicide prevention includes helping youth get their basic needs met. Learn more about what resources are available in your community that target supports for youth experiencing houselessness. For example, Youth Era has drop-in centers across Oregon that offer houseless youth access to necessary resources such as food, showers, technology, help with job applications, etc. Familiarize your school personnel with this support, and others, and make them accessible to youth so they know where to go.
Have awareness and sensitivity to the increased likelihood that houseless youth are more hesitant to trust service providers. Consider discussing the role of trust in help-seeking behaviors, and inquire about what the youth needs to feel trust with the school personnel conducting the screening.