Exploring the Impact of Network Structure on Substance Use Among Homeless Former Foster Youth

Background: Homeless youth suffer from a wide range of risk factors that impact the length and quality of their lives. As many as 40% of all homeless youth report a history of foster care and emerging research suggests unique behavioral health differences between youth with and without such histories. Emerging research suggests unique behavioral health outcomes among homeless former foster youth. This analysis aims to explore the unique network composition of homeless youth networks where foster care experience is concerned, and the impact of this these network characteristics on rates of substance use among this population.

Methods: The YouthNet data set was used for this analysis, comprised of a community-based sample of 814 homeless youth ages 13-25 from a drop-in center in Los Angeles, stratified by panel. Chi-square tests and OLS regressions were run to determine the unique network structure and impact of this structure on substance use among homeless former foster youth. Structural variables and regressions were used determine the structure and position of foster youth in the larger homeless network.

Results: Results indicated that the majority of youth had low degree centrality scores, indicating few ties. No significant differences existed with regard to degree centrality, indicating that a larger percentage of former foster youth occupied the periphery compared to other homeless youth. Results of chi-square tests indicate that homeless former foster youth were more likely to have low connectivity within the network (kcore=1). Regression results indicate that the impact of structure on substance use among former foster youth varied by panel, with lifetime heroin use and recent ecstasy use being impacted in panel 1, recent and lifetime heroin use being impacted in panel 2, and recent cocaine use being impacted in panel 3.

Discussion: Overall, location within the core of the network was associated with more lifetime methamphetamine use, recent ecstasy use, and recent and lifetime heroin use for former foster youth. These results may impact substance use interventions for homeless youth, as former foster youth location along the periphery of the network may be protective against higher rates of use. These unique structural aspects affected the engagement of homeless former foster youth in substance use, highlighting the need for a more in-depth understanding of the unique characteristics of this population, the driving force behind the structuring of the network, and the factors affecting the relationship between this structure and their engagement in substance use.