ABSTRACT
Substance abuse pervades almost every aspect of the lives of the majority of homeless and runaway adolescents. Often they come from families where relatives and caretakers are substance abusers (Whitbeck & Hoyt, 1999). Once on their own, alcohol and drugs are ubiquitous. Whether in shelters, on the streets, or living on their own, they are exposed to alcohol and drug users (Hagen & McCarthy, 1997; Johnson, Whitbeck, & Hoyt, 2005b) and the high-risk behaviors associated with substance abuse. Affiliation with substance abusers and engaging in substance abuse themselves place them at special risk for physical and sexual victimization (Tyler, Hoyt, Whitbeck, & Cauce, 2001a; Tyler, Whitbeck, Hoyt, & Cauce, 2004), high-risk sexual behaviors (Booth & Zhang, 1997; Kipke, Montgomery, Simon, Unger, & Johnson, 1997; Kipke, O'Conner, Palmer, & MacKenzie, 1995; Koopman, Rosario, & Rotheram-Borus, 1994; Rotheram-Borus, Luna, Marotta, & Kelly, 1994), suicidal ideation (Yoder, 1999; Yoder, Hoyt, & Whitbeck, 1998), hunger and malnutrition (Whitbeck, Chen, & Johnson, 2006), health problems (Yates, MacKenzie, Pennbridge, & Cohen, 1988), and mental health problems (Whitbeck, Johnson, Hoyt, & Cauce, 2004a). Alcohol and drug use also are strongly associated with externalizing behaviors resulting in arrests (Chen, Thrane, Whitbeck, & Johnson, 2006), victimizing behaviors (Hagen & McCarthy, 1997; Whitbeck & Hoyt, 1999), and survival sex (Rotheram-Borus et al., 1992).
