A systematic review of cognitive functioning among young people who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty

Fry, Charlotte, Langley, Kate ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2033-2657 and Shelton, Katherine Helen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1311-5291 2017. A systematic review of cognitive functioning among young people who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty. Child Neuropsychology 23 (8) , pp. 907-934. 10.1080/09297049.2016.1207758

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Abstract

Young people who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty are among the most disadvantaged in society. This review examines whether young people who have these experiences differ from their non-disadvantaged peers with respect to their cognitive skills and abilities, and whether cognitive profiles differ between these three groups. Three electronic databases were systematically searched for articles published between 1 January 1995 and 1 February 2015 on cognitive functioning among young people aged 15 to 24 years who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty. Articles were screened using pre-determined inclusion criteria, then the data were extracted, and its quality assessed. A total of 31 studies were included. Compared to non-disadvantaged youth or published norms, cognitive performance was generally found to be impaired in young people who had experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty. A common area of difficulty across all groups is working memory. General cognitive functioning, attention, and executive function deficits are shared by the homeless and poverty groups. Creativity emerges as a potential strength for homeless young people. The cognitive functioning of young people with experiences of impermanent housing and poverty has been relatively neglected and more research is needed to further establish cognitive profiles and replicate the findings reviewed here. As some aspects of cognitive functioning may show improvement with training, these could represent a target for intervention.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis
ISSN:	0929-7049
Funders:	ESRC, Llamau
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	27 June 2016
Date of Acceptance:	24 June 2016
Last Modified:	05 May 2023 09:13
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/92140

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