THE PREVALENCE OF PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS IN HOMELESS ADOLESCENTS

This study was designed to gather data on psychotic symptoms in a sample of homeless adolescents. The sample included adolescents who were located in street sites as well as adolescents who were currently using shelter services. Ninety-six adolescents participated in this study (mean age = 16.1 years). The results indicated that 29% of the sample reported the experience of four or more psychotic symptoms on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule psychotic symptom index. These results suggested that the endorsement of psychotic symptoms is a relatively prominent feature of the self-report of psychopathology among homeless adolescents. These symptoms did not only include reports of paranoid ideation, which may be generally elevated as part of the stress of street life, but also included reports of ideas of reference and auditory hallucinations. Moreover, these symptoms were correlated with reports of affective disturbance, abusive life experience, and a particular type of substance use. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1990, 29, 5:724–731. © 1990, The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. All rights reserved.