{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,3]],"date-time":"2026-06-03T02:28:59Z","timestamp":1780453739664,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,18]],"date-time":"2019-06-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1560816000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Several studies conducted on street youth have focused on causes of homelessness, their engagement in risky sexual behaviours and the prevalence of STIs, including HIV\/AIDS. Although homeless youth are considered resilient, sparse literature exists on factors that promote resilience in this vulnerable group. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 purposively selected homeless children and youth (with a mean age of 14 years) from the Central Business District of Accra, Ghana. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings showed that a strong religious belief, sense of humour, engagement in meaningful social interactive activities, reciprocal friendship, adherence to cultural norms and support from community-based organizations were identified as factors that help homeless youth cope with the multiple challenges of street life. Strengthening such protective factors could help ameliorate the impact of adverse conditions of these street youth.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs9060064","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,19]],"date-time":"2019-06-19T02:42:46Z","timestamp":1560912166000},"page":"64","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["Factors that Promote Resilience in Homeless Children and Adolescents in Ghana: A Qualitative Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0206-3326","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kwaku","family":"Oppong Asante","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"UNICEF (2012). State of the World\u2019s Children 2012: Children in An Urban World, UNICEF."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Catholic Action for Street Children (2010). The Ghanaian Street Child, Catholic Action for Street Children."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"AMA (Accra Metropolitan Assembly) (2014). Census on Street Children in the Greater Accra Region, AMA."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1080\/03050068.2011.637762","article-title":"Children of the street\u2019: Sexual citizenship and the unprotected lives of Ghanaian street youth","volume":"48","author":"Oduro","year":"2012","journal-title":"Comp. Educ."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"148","DOI":"10.1080\/02673843.2014.978342","article-title":"Using reflective poems to describe the lived experiences of street children and adolescents in Ghana","volume":"20","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Adolesc. Youth."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1007\/s40609-015-0039-8","article-title":"Street children and adolescents in Ghana: A qualitative study of trajectory and behavioural experiences of homelessness","volume":"3","year":"2016","journal-title":"Glob. Soc. Welf."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1177\/0020872807077909","article-title":"Survival strategies of street children in Ghana: A quantitative study","volume":"50","author":"Orme","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. Soc. Work"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"278","DOI":"10.1080\/14623730.2015.1088739","article-title":"Exploring age and gender differences in health risk behaviours and psychological functioning among homeless children and adolescents","volume":"17","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Mental Health Promot."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tadesse, N., Ayele, T.A., Mengesha, Z.B., and Alene, K.A. (2013). High prevalence of HIV\/AIDS risky sexual behaviours among street youth in Gondar town: A community based cross sectional study. BMC Res. Notes, 6.","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-0500-6-234"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1007\/s10566-015-9335-9","article-title":"Mental health and health risk behaviours among homeless children and adolescents in Ghana: A mixed methods study","volume":"45","author":"Petersen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Child. Youth Care Forum."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Quarshie, E.N.B. (2011). Public\u2019s Perceptions of the Phenomenon of Street Children: A Qualitative Study of Students and Shopkeepers in Accra, Ghana. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Norwegian University of Science and Technology]."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"318","DOI":"10.1177\/008124631004000310","article-title":"The hidden resilience of street youth resilient street youth","volume":"40","author":"Malindi","year":"2010","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"799","DOI":"10.1177\/0044118X11402853","article-title":"A \u201cDay in the lives\u201d of four resilient youths: Cultural roots of resilience","volume":"43","author":"Theron","year":"2011","journal-title":"Youth Soc."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"717","DOI":"10.1080\/13676261003801796","article-title":"Resilient street youth: A qualitative South African study","volume":"13","author":"Theron","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Youth Stud."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1024552808179","article-title":"Street youth: Coping and interventions","volume":"20","author":"Kidd","year":"2003","journal-title":"Child. Adolesc. Soc. Work J."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1080\/09764224.2014.11885503","article-title":"Exploring the roots of resilience among female street-involved children in South Africa","volume":"5","author":"Malindi","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"265","article-title":"Swimming upstream in the midst of adversity: Exploring resilience-enablers among street children","volume":"39","author":"Malindi","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"441","DOI":"10.1177\/0907568209350511","article-title":"Asking, giving, receiving: Friendship as survival strategy among Accra\u2019s street children","volume":"17","author":"Mizen","year":"2010","journal-title":"Childhood"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1080\/00131910220133194","article-title":"The invisible citizens roaming our street","volume":"54","author":"Awad","year":"2002","journal-title":"Educ. Rev."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"574","DOI":"10.1177\/008124630503500311","article-title":"Exploring resiliency: Academic achievement among disadvantaged Black youth in South Africa","volume":"35","year":"2005","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-0025.2010.01067.x","article-title":"The social ecology of resilience: Addressing contextual and cultural ambiguity of a nascent construct","volume":"81","author":"Ungar","year":"2011","journal-title":"Am. J. Orthopsychiatry"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1742","DOI":"10.1016\/j.childyouth.2011.04.027","article-title":"Community resilience for youth and families: Facilitative physical and social capital in contexts of adversity","volume":"33","author":"Ungar","year":"2011","journal-title":"Child. Youth Serv. Rev."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"37","article-title":"Meaning-making and resilience: Case studies of a multifaceted process","volume":"24","author":"Theron","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Psychol. Afr."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Lester, B.M., Masten, A.S., and McEwen, B. (2006). Implication of resilience concepts for scientific understanding. Resilience in Children, Blackwell."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ungar, M. (2007). Too Safe for Their Own Good: How Risk and Responsibility Help Teens Thrive, McClelland & Stewart.","DOI":"10.12968\/prps.2007.1.75.38584"},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"Duncan, N., Bowman, B., Naidoo, A., Pilllay, J., and Roos, V. (2007). Intergenerational rites of passage. Community Psychology: Analysis, Context and Action, UCT Press."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55S","DOI":"10.1177\/1090198109335338","article-title":"Theorizing social context: Rethinking behavioural theory","volume":"36","author":"Burke","year":"2009","journal-title":"Health Educ. Behav."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Duncan, N., Bowman, B., Naidoo, A., Pilllay, J., and Roos, V. (2007). Healing practices in communities. Community Psychology: Analysis, Context and Action, UCT Press."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Ungar, M. (2005). Culture and ethnic identity in family resilience: Dynamic processes in trauma and transformation of indigenous people. Handbook for Working with Children and Youth: Pathways to Resilience across Cultures and Contextsi, SAGE."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1177\/0095798412454675","article-title":"Toward an African definition of resilience: A rural South African community\u2019s view of resilient Basotho Youth","volume":"39","author":"Theron","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Black Psychol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1016\/j.childyouth.2014.10.003","article-title":"Educational services and resilience processes: Resilient Black South Africa students\u2019 experiences","volume":"47","author":"Theron","year":"2014","journal-title":"Child. Youth Serv. Rev."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Neuman, L. (2011). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, Pearson International. [7th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.1177\/0044118X03257030","article-title":"A constructionist discourse on resilience multiple contexts, multiple realities among at-risk children and youth","volume":"35","author":"Ungar","year":"2004","journal-title":"Youth Soc."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa","article-title":"Using thematic analysis in psychology","volume":"3","author":"Braun","year":"2006","journal-title":"Qual. Res. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"218","DOI":"10.1093\/bjsw\/bcl343","article-title":"Resilience across cultures","volume":"38","author":"Ungar","year":"2008","journal-title":"Br. J. Soc. Work"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"488","DOI":"10.1007\/s10943-011-9487-3","article-title":"Influence of religious factors on attitudes toward suicidal behaviour in Ghana","volume":"52","author":"Osafo","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Relig. Health"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1080\/08854720903113424","article-title":"Prayer as coping: A psychological analysis","volume":"15","author":"Levine","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Health Care Chaplain."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Assimeng, M. (2010). Religion and Social Change in West Africa, Woeli. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"959","DOI":"10.1007\/s10943-013-9689-y","article-title":"Perceptions of parents on how religion influences adolescents\u2019 sexual behaviours in two Ghanaian communities: Implications for HIV and AIDS Prevention","volume":"53","author":"Osafo","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Relig. Health."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s12119-010-9078-6","article-title":"The making of a sexual being in Ghana: The state, religion and the influence of society as agents of sexual socialization","volume":"15","author":"Anarfi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Sex. Cult."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"19","article-title":"Spirituality and religion in the lives of runaway and homeless youth: Coping with adversity","volume":"24","author":"Williams","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Relig. Spiritual Soc. Work"},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"Kovats-Bernat, C. (2006). Sleeping Rough in Port.-au-Prince: An. Ethnography of Street Children and Violence in Haiti, Florida University Press."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1002\/da.10113","article-title":"Development of a New Resilience Scale: The Connor\u2013Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRISC)","volume":"18","author":"Connor","year":"2003","journal-title":"Depress. Anxiety"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.56.3.227","article-title":"Ordinary magic: Resilience process in development","volume":"56","author":"Masten","year":"2001","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1080\/13676260123589","article-title":"From trauma to resiliency: Lessons from former runaway and homeless youth","volume":"4","author":"Williams","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Youth Stud."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ungar, M. (2005). The International Resilience Project: A mixed methods approach to the study of resilience across cultures. Handbook for Working with Children and Youth: Pathways to Resilience Across Cultures and Contexts, Sage.","DOI":"10.4135\/9781412976312"},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Lazarus, R.S., and Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal and Coping, Springer."},{"key":"ref_48","unstructured":"Donald, D., Lazarus, S., and Lolwana, P. (2010). Educational Challenges in Social Context: Eco-systemic Applications in Southern Africa, Oxford University Press. [4th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1177\/0143034311425579","article-title":"Educational psychology and resilience in developing contexts: A rejoinder to Toland and Carrigan 2011","volume":"34","author":"Theron","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sch. Psychol. Int."},{"key":"ref_50","first-page":"287","article-title":"Unique pathways to resilience across cultures","volume":"42","author":"Ungar","year":"2007","journal-title":"Adolescence"}],"container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-328X\/9\/6\/64\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T12:59:12Z","timestamp":1760187552000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-328X\/9\/6\/64"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,18]]},"references-count":50,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,6]]}},"alternative-id":["bs9060064"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/bs9060064","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-328X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-328X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,6,18]]}}}