Purpose
This article aims to provide an in-depth critique of a study by Cook-Craig and Koehly titled “Stability in the social support networks of homeless families in Shelter: Results from a Study of Families in a faith-based shelter Program.” Cook-Craig and Koehly are the researchers who found these results. The investigation will be conducted by Cook-Craig and Koehly (2011). This research aimed to better understand the needs of homeless families by gauging the reliability and quality of social support networks accessible to them while they are participating in shelter programs. Researchers utilized semi-structured interviews and a qualitative research technique to gather information from 14 homeless families at a shelter facility operated by a religious group (Rutenfrans-Stupar et al., 2019). The researchers employed both approaches to interview the homeless families and compile their responses. Using the thematic analysis strategy, one can determine whether there were any recurring topics or ideas in the recorded interviews.
Research Questions
In these journal articles, this study aimed to explore two different investigations. The first investigation is to determine how frequently children and adolescents seeking treatment in residential institutions have experienced personal trauma. The second investigation is determining the frequency with which they have engaged in risky behaviors. By the time one study is through, it was hoped that both goals would have been accomplished. The researchers wanted to know how much personal trauma, like sexual and physical abuse, neglect, and witnessing violence, had a role in the emergence of destructive behavior patterns, including substance misuse, criminal ideas, and suicidal musings. In addition, they were curious as to whether or not seeing violent acts had a part in the maturation of potentially harmful habits.
Research Methods
Three hundred fifty-seven young individuals undergoing treatment in residential institutions participated in the cross-sectional study. Twenty-two inpatient treatment centers from five regions throughout the United States provided the patients. The teenagers were given a self-report questionnaire during the first week of treatment. Information on the teenagers was gathered mostly via this questionnaire. In addition to asking about demographic and clinical information, the poll probes respondents on their level of risk-taking and whether or not they have experienced trauma (Kummeneje & Rundmo, 2020). The interpreted data was based on descriptive statistics and regression analysis.
Key Findings
According to studies undertaken on the issue, many youths in residential care have experienced some personal trauma. As it turns out, a sizable percentage of survey respondents disclosed having experienced trauma. Neglect, physical abuse, and witnessing acts of violence were the most often stated forms of traumatic events (Turner et al., 2019). Having experienced trauma oneself was shown to significantly correlate with engaging in high-risk behaviors. It was shown that young individuals who had undergone several traumatic incidents were more prone to drug use, delinquency, and suicidal ideation than those who had not.
Two Concepts
The importance of trauma-informed care for residentially-treated children and adolescents is a notion I took away from this writing. With so many people in this group having experienced some traumatic event, professionals must have a firm grasp on how trauma impacts the brain and behavior to create treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of trauma survivors. Another thing that struck me was the need to incorporate a holistic perspective into the treatment of residential facility-cared-for children and adolescents. According to the findings, practitioners may need to address risk behaviors and other clinical requirements in addition to trauma treatment to improve patient outcomes.
Further Questions
Concerns concerning the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy as a residential treatment for adolescents and young adults who have suffered traumatic experiences have arisen after analyzing the data reported in this journal article. The effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy in residential treatment settings is not well recognized, even though many individuals who have experienced horrific experiences seek out this kind of therapy. Both academic studies and practitioner accounts of their experiences with trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy’s potential to improve outcomes for children in residential treatment centers would pique people’s curiosity.
References
Kummeneje, A.-M., & Rundmo, T. (2020). Attitudes, risk perception and risk-taking behavior among regular cyclists in Norway. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 69, 135–150. Web.
Rutenfrans-Stupar, M., Van Der Plas, B., Den Haan, R., Regenmortel, T. V., & Schalk, R. (2019). How is participation related to the well-being of homeless people? An explorative qualitative study in a Dutch homeless shelter facility. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 28(1), 44–55. Web.
Turner, H. A., Vanderminden, J., Finkelhor, D., & Hamby, S. (2019). Child neglect and the broader context of child victimization. Child Maltreatment, 24(3), 265–274. Web.