1
|
Ratliff GA, Cosgrove D, Yang JO, Sarabia R, Harvey TL, Jeffcoat N, Lightfoot M, Adams S, Lund I, Auerswald CL. Keeping young researchers out of harm's way: conducting youth participatory action research with young people experiencing homelessness. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1386714. [PMID: 39022409 PMCID: PMC11252004 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is an approach to conducting research with youth populations in order to effectively engage youth in research that impacts their lives. Young people experiencing homelessness (YEH) are vulnerable to power and social environments in ways that call attention to their experiences in research. Methods The context for this paper was a qualitative YPAR project to incorporate youth voice into the operations of a larger research study that hired youth as researchers. Participant-researchers provided feedback and consultation with senior staff in order to improve their access to resources, safety, and stability. Results Themes that emerged from thematic analysis of reflections, discussions, and meetings showed the need for consistent access to food, the risk of environmental violence targeting youth researchers, the structural and experiential barriers to professional engagement, and the benefits that young researchers experienced as part of their work in the study. Discussion Recommendations and lessons learned are described, notably to ensure that youth are paid and provided food, to construct effective safety plans during fieldwork, and to provide a flexible, inclusive, trauma-responsive approach to supervision of project tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G. Allen Ratliff
- School of Social Work, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Darren Cosgrove
- School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY, United States
| | - Jessica O. Yang
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Richard Sarabia
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Taylor L. Harvey
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Nathan Jeffcoat
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | - Sherilyn Adams
- Larkin Street Youth Services, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ilsa Lund
- Larkin Street Youth Services, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Colette L. Auerswald
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pluck G. Executive function and adult homelessness, true impairment or frontal lobology? Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1359027. [PMID: 38322781 PMCID: PMC10844389 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1359027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Homelessness is associated with multiple risk factors for neurocognitive impairment. Past research with people experiencing homelessness has described "frontal lobe" dysfunction including behavioral disorders and executive cognitive impairments. In the current study, 72 adults experiencing homelessness were assessed with a standardized assessment of executive function, and interviewed regarding neurological and psychiatric history. When compared to a control sample of 25 never-homeless participants, and controlling for level of education, there was little evidence for executive dysfunction in the sample of people experiencing homelessness. Levels of substance abuse, past head injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder were notably high. However, there were no statistically significant associations between cognitive task performance and clinical or substance abuse variables. Gambling was surprisingly infrequent, but risk-taking behavior among intravenous drug users was common. Though in neither case was it linked to executive function. Overall, there was little evidence for executive impairment in this sample of people experiencing homelessness. I suggest that past research has often used inappropriate criteria for "normal" performance, particularly comparing people experiencing homelessness to control data of relatively high education level. This has led to elements of "frontal lobology," that is, clinical neuroscience research that tends to overly link non-typical or pathological behavior to frontal lobe impairment. When appropriate comparisons are made, controlling for education level, as in this study, associations between executive function impairments and adult homelessness may be weaker than previously reported.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Graham Pluck
- Clinical Cognitive Sciences Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Academic Clinical Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu Q, Zhang J, Walsh L, Slesnick N. Heterogeneous trajectories of suicidal ideation among homeless youth: predictors and suicide-related outcomes. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1671-1683. [PMID: 35440358 PMCID: PMC9582044 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422000372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined heterogeneous trajectories of suicidal ideation among homeless youth experiencing suicidal ideation over 9 months in a randomized controlled intervention study. Suicidal homeless youth (N = 150) were randomly assigned to Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CTSP) + Treatment as Usual (TAU) or TAU alone. Youth reported their suicidal ideation four times during a 9-month period. We also assessed pretreatment mental health, demographic information and session attendance as predictors of the subgroups, as well as suicide-related factors as outcomes at the 9-month follow-up. Growth mixture models suggested three distinct trajectory groups among youth: Fast Declining (74.7%), Chronic (19.3%), and Steadily Declining (6.0%). Youth in the Chronic group used more substances at baseline than the Steadily Declining group, were more likely to be White, non-Hispanic than the Fast Declining group, and attended more CTSP sessions than other groups. Contrastingly, youth in the Steadily Declining group all experienced childhood abuse. Finally, youth in the Chronic group showed significant higher risk for future suicide compared to those in the Fast Declining group at 9 months. Findings support the heterogeneity of treatment responses in suicide intervention among homeless youth, with implications to improve treatment efforts in this very high-risk population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wu
- Department of Human Development & Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Florida State University
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences, Kent State University
| | - Laura Walsh
- Department of Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University
| | - Natasha Slesnick
- Department of Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chevreau G, Coll M, Barbot F, Castillo MC, Vallat-Azouvi C. Neuropsychological functioning of homeless people in Paris: An exploratory study. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2023:1-12. [PMID: 36803262 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2023.2175321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Homelessness is a multifactorial issue, influenced by structural and individual factors. These factors include health status, which has been reported to be poorer among people experiencing homelessness. Although the somatic and mental health of homeless individuals has already been studied in France, to our knowledge, no research has been conducted on neuropsychological functioning in this country. Studies out with France have identified cognitive impairments as highly prevalent among homeless people, and these impairments are likely affected by local structural factors, such as healthcare access. Therefore, we conducted an exploratory study in Paris to evaluate cognition and associated factors in homeless adults. The second objective was to identify methodological specificities to consider in a future larger-scale study and for the application of the outcomes. For this exploratory phase, 14 individuals were recruited from specific services and were interviewed regarding their social, neurological, and psychiatric history, before completing a set of cognitive tests. The results showed a high diversity of profiles in terms of demographic characteristics, including being a migrant and/or illiterate. A high proportion of participants had signs of traumatic brain injury, anxiety, depressive disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorders. Most cognitive scores were in the low average of normative data. No statistical association was found between identified risk factors and cognitive performance. Future studies should consider the sociodemographic specificities of the homeless population and design appropriate measurement tools to improve the understanding of neuropsychological profiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gaëtan Chevreau
- Laboratoire Psychopathologie et Processus de Changement, Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Paris, France
| | | | - Frédéric Barbot
- Centre d'Investigation Clinique (Inserm CIC 1429), Université Paris-Saclay, AP-HP Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Carmen Castillo
- Laboratoire Psychopathologie et Processus de Changement, Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Paris, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gicas KM, Mejia-Lancheros C, Nisenbaum R, Wang R, Hwang SW, Stergiopoulos V. Cognitive determinants of community functioning and quality of life in homeless adults with mental illness: 6-year follow-up from the At Home/Chez Soi Study Toronto site. Psychol Med 2023; 53:362-370. [PMID: 33926584 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721001550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High rates of physical and mental health comorbidities are associated with functional impairment among persons who are homeless. Cognitive dysfunction is common, but how it contributes to various functional outcomes in this population has not been well investigated. This study examines how cognition covaries with community functioning and subjective quality of life over a 6-year period while accounting for the effects of risk and protective factors. METHODS Participants were 349 homeless adults (mean age = 39.8) recruited from the Toronto site of the At Home/Chez Soi study, a large Canadian randomized control trial of Housing First. Participants completed up to four clinical evaluations over 6 years. Factor scores were created to index verbal learning and memory (vLM) and processing speed-cognitive flexibility (PSCF). The primary outcomes were community functioning and subjective quality of life. Risk factors included lifetime homelessness, mental health diagnoses, medical comorbidity, and childhood adversity. Linear mixed-effects models were conducted to examine cognition-functional outcome associations over time, with resilience as a moderator. RESULTS Better vLM (b = 0.787, p = 0.010) and PSCF (b = 1.66, p < 0.001) were associated with better community functioning, but not with quality of life. Resilience conferred a protective effect on subjective quality of life (b = 1.45, p = 0.011) but did not moderate outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a need to consider the unique determinants of community functioning and quality of life among homeless adults. Cognition should be prioritized as a key intervention target within existing service delivery models to optimize long-term functional outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K M Gicas
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Mejia-Lancheros
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - R Nisenbaum
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - R Wang
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - S W Hwang
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - V Stergiopoulos
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lafavor T, Gimbel B, Olsen A, Travis A, Weber R. Relationship of parent-rated and objectively evaluated executive function to symptoms of posttraumatic stress and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in homeless youth. Child Neuropsychol 2021; 28:768-790. [PMID: 34957916 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.2016671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Compared to their stably housed peers, homeless, and highly mobile (HHM) youth experience disproportionately greater adversity and risk leading to a wide variety of poor developmental outcomes, and targeted interventions have the potential to mitigate such outcomes. A growing literature highlights the need for accurate diagnosis in high-risk populations given the considerable overlap between posttraumatic symptomology and behaviorally based disorders such as ADHD. Objective testing inferring neurobiological and circuit-based abnormalities in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and ADHD may provide a useful clinical tool to aid accurate diagnosis and treatment recommendations. This novel, exploratory study examined the relation between executive function (EF) as measured by objective testing and parent ratings with symptoms of posttraumatic stress and ADHD in 86 children (age 9 to 11) living in emergency homeless shelters. Parent-rated EF problems suggested broad impairment associated with ADHD symptoms but specific impairment in emotional/behavioral function associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms. While measures of inhibition and shifting EF were strongly associated with symptomology in bivariate correlations, they explained minimal variance in regression models. Internalizing behavior problems were associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms, while externalizing behavior problems were associated with ADHD symptoms. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Lafavor
- School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR, USA
| | - Blake Gimbel
- School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR, USA
| | - Aarika Olsen
- School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR, USA
| | - Alicia Travis
- School of Graduate Psychology, Pacific University, Hillsboro, OR, USA
| | - Rachel Weber
- The Compass Clinic, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Peng L, Yam PPY, Yang LS, Sato S, Li CK, Cheung YT. Neurocognitive impairment in Asian childhood cancer survivors: a systematic review. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2020; 39:27-41. [PMID: 31965433 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-020-09857-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Childhood cancer survivors are at higher risk of developing neurocognitive deficits due to the intensive treatment they received at an early age. Most studies on childhood cancer survivorship have so far focused on the Western populations. Due to the ethnic, genetic, environmental, and cultural differences, clinical data of the Western populations may not be representative of Asian countries. This scoping review systematically summarized the existing clinical evidence of the neurocognitive impairment of Asian childhood cancer survivors. We searched the Embase and Medline databases for studies assessing the neurocognitive functions of survivors in Asia, who were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 19 and completed active treatment. The literature search identified 13 studies involving 2212 participants from five Asian countries: South Korea (n = 4, 30.8%), Taiwan (n = 3, 23.1%), Japan (n = 3, 23.1%), Hong Kong (n = 2, 15.4%), and Thailand (n = 1, 7.7%). The included studies focused on CNS tumors (n = 10, 76.9%), hematological malignancies (n = 7, 53.8%), or heterogeneous cancer diagnoses (n = 3, 23.1%). Collectively, mild-to-moderate impairment in intelligence was observed in 10.0 to 42.8% of survivors, which seemed higher than the reported rate in Western survivors. We speculate that the ethnic and genetic variations in drug responses and susceptibility to adverse chronic toxicities may have contributed to the differences in the prevalence and severity of neurocognitive impairment between these two populations. To better understand the effects of culturally relevant and region-specific environmental risk factors on the post-treatment neurocognitive development in cancer survivors, a holistic approach that addresses the complex interactions between biological, physical, and psychosocial factors is needed. This will aid the development of effective intervention strategies to improve the functional and psychosocial outcomes of cancer survivors in Asian societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liwen Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 8th Floor, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
| | - Perri Pui-Yan Yam
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 8th Floor, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
| | - Lok Sum Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 8th Floor, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
| | - Satomi Sato
- Graduate School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Behavioral Science, St. Luke's International University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chi Kong Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.,Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Hong Kong Children's Hospital, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Yin Ting Cheung
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 8th Floor, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
| |
Collapse
|