Posttraumatic symptomatology among the homeless youth in San Bernardino County, California

The homeless youth experience a disproportionate amount of trauma compared to their housed counterparts. These traumatic events come in many forms and increase risk of poor physical, development, and mental health outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the posttraumatic symptomatology among the homeless youth. The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) was used to evaluate the following acute and chronic posttraumatic symptomatology: anxiety, depression, anger, dissociation, sexual concerns, and posttraumatic stress. Twenty-four participants ages 12 to 16 were conveniently sampled within a local organization that supports homeless and runaway youth in San Bernardino, California. Females reported significantly higher anxiety, depression, dissociation, and posttraumatic stress scores compared to the males in the study (Fishers exact test, p-value<0.05). There were no differences found in any of the posttraumatic symptoms among the different age groups or between the races. The high scores found are likely due to multiple subsequent traumatic events throughout their childhood and can negatively affect their mental and physical development. It is therefore a public health imperative to prioritize homeless youth-serving agencies and promote assessment and recovery of posttraumatic symptoms.