FAMILIES OF SAND - A REPORT CONCERNING THE FLIGHT OF ADOLESCENTS FROM THEIR FAMILIES

• NCJ Number: 69434
• Author(s): R D'ANGELO
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 153 pages
• Sale Source: Ohio State University
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RESULTS ARE PRESENTED OF A STUDY OF RUNAWAY JUVENILES CONDUCTED BY THE TEENAGE FLIGHT PROJECT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUSE, AN OHIO RESIDENTIAL COUNSELING FACILITY FOR RUNAWAY JUVENILES. COMMENTS ON YOUTHS' SELF-CONCEPT, ATTITUDES TOWARD AUTHORITY, AND RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION ARE INCLUDED.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE POPULATION CONSISTED OF A STUDY GROUP OF 82 RUNAWAY JUVENILES INTERVIEWED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1972 AND JANUARY 1973 AND A CONTROL GROUP OF 82 NONRUNAWAYS INTERVIEWED DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD. BOTH GROUPS WERE MATCHED IN TERMS OF SEX, RACE, AGE, AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS INDICATES THAT MORE RUNAWAYS THAN THE CONTROL GROUP EMERGED FROM BROKEN HOMES, RUNAWAYS THAN THE CONTROL GROUP EMERGED FROM BROKEN HOMES, RUNAWAYS PRESENTED A NEGATIVE IMPRESSION OF THEIR PARENTS IN COMPARISON TO THEIR PEERS, RUNAWAYS REPORTED MANY MORE INSTANCES OF PARENTAL ABUSE, AND RUNAWAYS EXPERIENCED GREATER FEELINGS OF ALIENATION TOWARD THEIR PARENTS. WITH REGARD TO SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT, RUNAWAYS REPORTED A MUCH LOWER ACADEMIC AVERAGE, FEWER SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL, GREATER ALIENATION TOWARD THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND MORE DIFFICULTY IN FORMING CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS THAN THEIR NONRUNAWAY PEERS. IN PARTICULAR, RUNAWAYS HAD FEWER INTIMATE FRIENDSHIPS, MORE FIGHTS WITH REGARD TO FRIENDSHIPS, AND FEWER STRUCTURED OR PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES THAN THE CONTROL GROUP. INTERVIEWS WITH COMMUNITY CLERGYMEN INDICATED THAT THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS THEY SAW WERE FAMILY CONFLICTS AND INDIVIDUAL ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS. CLERGYMEN TENDED TO USE FAMILY AGENCIES TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, ALTHOUGH MOST TEENAGERS CAME TO THE ATTENTION OF CLERGYMEN THROUGH SELF-REFERRAL. CLERGYMEN ALSO FELT THAT THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF MINORS NEED TO BE EXPRESSED MORE CLEARLY. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY TOUCH ON SUCH ISSUES AS HELPING FAMILIES THAT ARE IN TROUBLE, IMPROVING THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, AND IMPROVING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. PHOTOGRAPHS, DETAILED STATISTICAL RESULTS, AND OVER 200 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.