A total of 100 subjects were ultimately recruited to participate in the study; subjects completed the survey instrument developed by the researcher. It took three rounds of random selection to complete the sample. Efforts to ensure that it would be about evenly divided between males and females were insufficient; a total of 71 males (71 percent) and 29 females (29 percent) ultimately completed the research project after providing informed consent. The following table presents selected demographic data.
Demographic Profile of the Sample
African-Am. 19 10 9
Latino 15 11 4
Other 13 10 3
Age (Avg. Yrs) 16.7 16.9 16.5
Employed 30/30% 20/20% 10/10%
(Avg. Months) 10.7 12.4 9.1
Subjects reported that on average, they began living on the street prior to age 15; some subjects stated that they have lived on and off the streets from age 12 on.
The study also sought to garner information from subjects as to their reasons for leaving home. Table 2 presents responses of subjects to a question asking them to identify their primary reasons for leaving home. These responses total more than 100, as subjects were allowed to select more than one reason for choosing to leave their home environment.
Family problems 80 60 20
Abuse 56 40 16
/caretakers 11 10 1
Presenting Problems and Service Utilization
The subjects were asked to identify other problems, issues or concerns that currently impact upon their lives and/or which have impacted upon their lives in the past and which may have influenced their decision to leave their home environment. They were also asked to specific identify what types of services they have received or are currently receiving from a variety of se...