Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Trauma and Adversity in the Lives of People Experiencing Homelessness

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Homelessness Prevention and Intervention in Social Work

Abstract

Childhood experiences, both positive and negative, can have a tremendous impact on future violence, victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. As such, early experiences are an important public health issue. Much of the foundational research in this area has examined the prevalence and consequences of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledge ACEs as preventable and have therefore prioritized improving outcomes across the nation. Experiencing accumulated early-in-life adversities may lead to health-risk behaviors, such as substance abuse, and later-in-life health and social problems, including homelessness. Many social service agencies as well as the community at large are not thoroughly informed about these issues, often not recognizing when an individual has a history of trauma, which can then leave these concerns unaddressed. This chapter outlines trauma research with a focus on ACEs and homelessness and overviews Restorative Integral Support (RIS), an inclusive model for addressing ACEs and trauma by building resilience in programs and communities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Baron, S. W., & Hartnagel, T. F. (1998). Street youth and criminal violence. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 35(2), 166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bender, K., Brown, S. M., Begun, S., Barman-Adhikari, A., & Ferguson, K. (2016). Coping styles associated with victimization profiles among homeless youth. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 97(3), 171–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Busen, N. H., & Engebretson, J. C. (2008). Facilitating risk reduction among homeless and street-involved youth. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 20, 567–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018a). Adverse childhood experiences. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/. Accessed 5 August 2018.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018b). About the CDC-Kaiser ACE study. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about.html. Accessed 5 August 2018.

  • Cutuli, J. J., Desjardins, C. D., Herbers, J. E., Long, J. D., Heistad, D., Chan, C. K., & Masten, A. S. (2013). Academic achievement trajectories of homeless and highly mobile students: Resilience in the context of chronic and acute risk. Child Development, 84(3), 841–857.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danese, A., Moffitt, T. E., Pariante, C. M., Ambler, A., Poulton, R., & Caspi, A. (2008). Elevated inflammation levels in depressed adults with a history of childhood maltreatment. Archives of General Psychiatry, 65(4), 409–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong, M., Anda, R. F., Felitti, V. J., Dube, S. R., Williamson, D. F., Thompson, T. J., & Giles, W. H. (2004). The interrelatedness of multiple forms of childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Child Abuse and Neglect, 28, 771–784.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dupre, M. (2008). Educational differences in health risks and illness over the life course: A test of cumulative disadvantage theory. Social Science Research, 37(4), 1253–1266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edidin, J. P., Ganim, Z., Hunter, S. J., & Karnik, N. S. (2012). The mental and physical health of homeless youth: A literature review. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 43(3), 354–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Esaki, N., & Larkin, H. (2013). Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among child service providers. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 94(1), 31–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 14(4), 354–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garner, M. D. (2011). Thinking practice: The social work integral model. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 92(3), 255–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Germain, C. B., & Gitterman, A. (1980). The life model of social work practice: Advances in theory and practice. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gould D. A., Stevens, N. G., Ward, N. G., Carlin, A. S., Sowell, H. E., Gustafson, B. (1994). Self-reported childhood abuse in an adult population in a primary care setting: Prevalence, correlates, and associated suicide attempts. Archives of Family Medicine. (3), 252–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guarino, K., & Bassuk, E. (2010). Working with families experiencing homelessness: Understanding trauma and its impact. Zero to Three, 30(3), 11–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, A., Poza, I., & Washington, D. (2011). “Homelessness and trauma go hand-in-hand”: Pathways to homelessness among women veterans. Women’s Health Issues, 21(4S), S203–S209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, M., Zonneville, M., & Bassuk, E. (2013). The SHIFT study: Final report. Needham, MA: The National Center on Family Homelessness.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henry, M., Watt, R., Rosenthal, L., & Azim, S. (2017). The annual homelessness assessment report to Congress. https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2017-AHAR-Part-1.pdf. Accessed 5 Aug 2018.

  • Hopper, E., Bassuk, E., & Olivet, J. (2010). Shelter from the storm: Trauma-informed care in homeless service settings. The Open Health Services and Policy Journal, 3, 80–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horwitz, A. V., Widom, C. S., McLaughlin, J., White, H. R. (2001). The impact of childhood abuse and neglect on adult mental health: A prospective study. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, (42), 184–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeshin, B. R., & Campbell, K. (2011). Screening homeless youth for histories of abuse: Prevalence, enduring effects, and interest in treatment. Child Abuse and Neglect, 35(6), 401–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, M. M., Ford, J. D., Howard, D. L., & Bradford, D. W. (2010). Assessing trauma, substance abuse, and mental health in a sample of homeless men. Health and Social Work, 35(1), 39–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kral, A. H., Molnar, B. E., Booth, R. E., & Watters, J. K. (1997). Prevalence of sexual risk behaviour and substance use among runaway and homeless adolescents in San Francisco, Denver, and New York City. International Journal of STD and AIDS, 8(2), 109–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin, H., Felitti, V., & Anda, R. (2014). Social work and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) research: Implications for practice and health policy. Social Work in Public Health, 29(1), 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin, H., Lee, E., Esaki, N., Demasi, M., Trifoso, S., Briar-Lawson, K., et al. (2018). The effects of protective factors and adverse childhood experiences on behavioral health services use: Findings from a population-based sample. Social Work in Health Care, 57(7), 548–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin, H., & Park, J. (2012). Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), service use, and service helpfulness among people experiencing homelessness. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 93(2), 85–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin, H., Beckos, B., & Shields, J. (2012). Mobilizing resilience and recovery in response to adverse childhood experiences (ACE): A restorative integral support (RIS) case study. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 40(4), 335–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin, H., & Records, J. (2007). Adverse childhood experiences: Overview, response strategies, and integral theory. Journal of Integral Theory and Practice, 2(3), 1–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larkin, H., & Records, J. (2011). Restorative Integral Support (RIS) for trauma wellness. https://web.archive.org/web/20170623125735, http://posttraumawellness.org/. Accessed 25 June 2018.

  • McCrory, E., De Brito, S. A., & Viding, E. (2011). The impact of childhood maltreatment: A review of neurobiological and genetic factors. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2(48). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2011.

  • McCaskill, P. A., Toro, P. A., & Wolfe, S. M. (1998). Homeless and matched housed adolescents: A comparative study of psychopathology. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27(3), 306–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McEwen, B. S. (2012). Brain on stress: How the social environment gets under the skin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(Suppl 2), 17180–17185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merscham, C., Van Leeuwen, J. M., & McGuire, M. (2009). Mental health and substance abuse indicators among homeless youth in Denver, Colorado. Child Welfare, 88, 93–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metzler, M., Merrick, M. T., Klevens, J., Ports, K. A., & Ford, D. C. (2017). Adverse childhood experiences and life opportunities: Shifting the narrative. Children and Youth Services Review, 72, 141–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, A. E., Hill, L. L., Kane, V., & Culhane, D. P. (2013). Housing chronically homeless veterans: Evaluation the efficacy of a housing first approach to HUD-VASH. Journal of Community Psychology, 41(4), 505–514. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3969137/.

  • Oppenheimer, S., Nurius, P., & Green, S. (2016). Homelessness history impacts on health outcomes and economic and risk behavior intermediaries: New insights from population data. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 97(3), 230–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padgett, D. (2012). Life course adversity in the lives of formerly homeless persons with serious mental illness: Context and meaning. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 82(3), 421–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padgett, D., Stanhope, V., Henwood, B., & Stefancic, A. (2011). Substance use outcomes among homeless clients with serious mental illness: Comparing housing first with treatment first programs. Community Mental Health Journal, 47, 227–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Padgett, D., Hawkins, R., Abrams, C., & Davis, A. (2006). In their own words: Trauma and substance abuse in the lives of formerly homeless women with serious mental illness. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(4), 461–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roos, L. E., Mota, N., Afifi, T. O., Katz, L. Y., Distasio, J., & Sareen, J. (2013). Relationship between adverse childhood experiences and homelessness and the impact of Axis I and II disorders. American Journal of Public Health, 103(Suppl 2), S275–S281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, K. D., Kilmer, R. P., Cauce, A. M., Watanabe, H., & Hoyt, D. R. (2000). Psychological consequences of child maltreatment in homeless adolescents: Untangling the unique effects of maltreatment and family environment. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24(3), 333–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santrock, J. W. (2012). A topical approach to life-span development (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shonkoff, J. P., Boyce, W. T., & McEwen, B. S. (2009). Neuroscience, molecular biology, and the childhood roots of health disparities building a new framework for health promotion and disease prevention. JAMA, 301(21), 2252–2259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shonkoff, J. P., Garner, A. S., The Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption, and Dependent Care, & Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. (2012). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics, 129(1), e232–e246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Travecchio, L., Thomeer, M. A. E., & Meeus, W. (1999). Attachment, social network and homelessness in young people. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 27(3), 247–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorncroft, G. (2011). Physical health disparities and mental illness. The scandal of premature mortality. The British Journal of Psychiatry, (199), 441–442.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, S., Bender, K., Windsor, L., Cook, M., & Williams, T. (2010). Homeless youth: Characteristics, contributing factors, and service options. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 20, 193–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Kolk, B., Roth, S., Pelcovitz, D., Sunday, S., & Spinazzola, J. (2005). Disorders of extreme stress: The empirical foundation of a complex adaptation to trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(5), 389–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilber, K., & Wilber, K. (2000). Integral psychology: Consciousness, spirit, psychology, therapy. Boston: Shambhala.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoder, J. R., Bender, K., Thompson, S. J., Ferguson, K. M., & Haffejee, B. (2014). Explaining homeless youths’ criminal justice interactions: Childhood trauma or surviving life on the streets? Community Mental Health Journal, 50(2), 135–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zielinski, D. (2009). Child maltreatment and adult socioeconomic well-being. Child Abuse and Neglect, 33, 666–678.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zlotnick, C., & Zerger, S. (2008). Survey findings on characteristics and health status of clients treated by the federally funded (U.S.) Health Care for the Homeless programs. Health and Social Care in the Community, 17(1), 18–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

    Stephanie Duncan

  2. University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA

    Stephen Oby

  3. School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA

    Heather Larkin

Authors
  1. Stephanie Duncan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stephen Oby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Heather Larkin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heather Larkin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Welfare, University at Albany (SUNY), Albany, NY, USA

    Heather Larkin  & Amanda Aykanian  & 

  2. School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

    Calvin L. Streeter

Electronic Supplementary Material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Duncan, S., Oby, S., Larkin, H. (2019). Trauma and Adversity in the Lives of People Experiencing Homelessness. In: Larkin, H., Aykanian, A., Streeter, C.L. (eds) Homelessness Prevention and Intervention in Social Work. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03727-7_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03727-7_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-03726-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-03727-7

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation