New Research on Community Psychology from K. Hobden and Co-Authors Summarized.

"The effectiveness of five tracking strategies (collateral contacts, Internet databases, driver's records, letters, and community visits) used in attempting to locate homeless and housed adolescents 4.5 years after they were first contacted was examined and compared. The study sample comprised 401 adolescents (252 homeless and 149 matched housed) from 8 counties in Southeast Michigan," scientists writing in the Journal of Community Psychology report.

"Homelessness was defined as sleeping in a shelter, at a friend's home without parental permission, or on the streets for at least 1 night within 1 month before initial contact. We successfully located and interviewed 85% (n = 340) of our sample at the 4.5-year time point," wrote K. Hobden and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "The most effective tracking procedure was collateral contact, which was important in locating 43% of participants in this study, followed by Internet databases (18%), community visits (11%), driver's records (6%), and letters (6%)."

Hobden and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Community Psychology (Limiting Attrition In Longitudinal Research On Homeless Adolescents: What Works Best? Journal of Community Psychology, 2011;39(4):443-451).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting K. Hobden, Suite 263, 4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, United States.

The publisher of the Journal of Community Psychology can be contacted at: Wiley-Blackwell, Commerce Place, 350 Main St., Malden 02148, MA, USA.

Keywords: City:Detroit, State:Michigan, Country:United States, Region:North and Central America, Community Psychology, Psychology

This article was prepared by Psychology & Psychiatry Journal editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Psychology & Psychiatry Journal via NewsRx.com.