NCJ Number
228788
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 33 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 739-749
Date Published
October 2009
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study sought to better understand the meaning of running away from home for adolescent girls.
Abstract
Adolescent girls' decision to runaway was not sudden, nor was it a reaction to a single event; rather it was the outcome of a process lasting many months and sometimes even years. Girls perceived running away as a weakness and failure. Yet, their stories demonstrate their ability to cope and the possession of strengths and skills for survival. Despite the significant research on runaway youth in recent decades, few attempts have been made to describe and explain the particular experience of runaway girls. Also, little attention has been devoted to the subjective meaning that running away has for the youth themselves. The intent of this study was to deepen the understanding of the meaning of running away for girls, and how runaway girls perceive the processes involved in leaving home and the meaning they attribute to it. References