A relationship-based intervention to improve social connectedness in street-involved youth: a pilot study.

PROBLEM:  Street-involved youth experience a range of mental health problems with elevated rates of psychiatric disorders compared with non-homeless youth. The overall objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the impact of a relationship-based intervention for homeless youth receiving services from agencies in downtown Toronto. METHODS:  The final sample included 15 homeless youth who met the study inclusion criteria. The intervention and comparison groups were compared at baseline and post-treatment on measures of mental health symptoms, hopelessness, self-esteem, resilience, and social connectedness. FINDINGS:  Participants receiving the intervention demonstrated a significant improvement in social connectedness, with a trend toward decreased hopelessness. Those participants who did not receive the intervention did not demonstrate any improvements in social connectedness and hopelessness. CONCLUSION:  This preliminary pilot study suggests that providing a relationship-based intervention to street-involved youth may offer promise to strengthen social relationships and to mitigate overwhelming hopelessness and despair.