Abstract: Someone In My Corner: A Dyadic Egocentric Network Analysis of Firearm Carry Discouragement Ties Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness (Society for Social Work and Research 31st Annual Conference)

Schedule:

Saturday, January 23, 2027

Union Station 15 (Hilton San Francisco Union Square)

* noted as presenting author

Hsun-Ta Hsu, PhD, Associate Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Anthony Fulginiti, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Denver, CO

Annah Bender, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO

Sarah Kirk, MA, Doctoral Candidate, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

Emelyne Lane, MA, Doctoral Student, University of Missouri-Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO

Olga Koumoundouros, MFA, PhD Student, University of Southern California, Brooklyn, NY

Maiya Hotchkiss, MSW, PhD Student, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Nicole Haseman, MSW, PhD Student, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC

Hana Daher Lopes, MSE, Doctoral Student, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Eric Rice, PhD, Professor, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Background and Purpose:

Young adults experiencing homelessness (YAEH) are particularly vulnerable to street victimization, which may increase their likelihood of carrying firearms for personal safety. However, firearm carry may inadvertently increase their risk of firearm-related harm and injury. Research indicates that youth embedded in networks with norms discouraging firearm carrying are less likely to carry one. Studies examining the correlates of firearm carry discouragement social ties among YAEH remains scarce. Informed by the Risk Amplification and Abatement Model (RAAM), the purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with the presence of firearm carry discouragement ties within YAEH's networks. Such findings will provide insights for developing network-based interventions for YAEH.

Methods:

A purposive sample of 656 YAEH (ages 18–25) was recruited in St. Louis, MO (n=242) and Los Angeles, CA (n=414). Data were collected via cross-sectional surveys. The survey involved an individual component and a social network component. The individual component covered respondent (ego-level) attributes, such as participant demographics. For the network component, respondents nominated up to 20 network members (i.e., alters) with whom they had interacted in the past 12 months. For each nominated alter, information was collected on alter-level properties comprising alter types (e.g., relatives), alter characteristics (e.g., alter substance use) and dyadic relationship properties between the respondent and each alter, including the study outcome, i.e., the presence of a firearm carry discouragement tie. Independent variables encompassed both ego-level (e.g., demographics) and alter/dyadic-level (e.g., alter types, ego-alter relationship properties, alter characteristics). Multilevel dyadic analyses were conducted to address the study purpose while accounting for the nested data structure (i.e., alters nested within egos).

Results:

On average, respondents were 21.4 years old (SD = 2.1), with racial minorities (88%) and LGBTQ+ individuals (47%) well-represented. Approximately 31% of respondents had at least one network member who discouraged them from carrying a firearm.

The final model indicated that prosocial alter characteristics, including relative ties (OR = 1.8; 95% CI =1.3, 2.4), senior ties (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.9, 3.2), and supportive ties (OR = 2.1; 95% CI =1.5, 2.8), were associated with increased odds of a firearm carry discouragement tie being present within the ego-alter dyad. Conversely, ties with alters involved in risky behaviors, including hard drug use (OR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.3, 0.8) and gang involvement (OR = 0.5; 95% CI =0.3, 0.9), as well as dyadic firearm usage communication ties (OR = 0.6; 95% CI =0.4, 0.9), were associated with decreased odds.

Conclusions and Implications:

These findings are consistent with RAAM in that prosocial alters may discourage firearm carrying among YAEH, potentially reducing their risk of subsequent firearm-related harm. Conversely, network members who engage in risk-associated behaviors or discuss firearm use with YAEH are less likely to discourage them from carrying firearms. Network-based interventions have demonstrated positive impacts on facilitating YAEH's health behavioral changes. Future interventions aiming to reduce YAEH's firearm-related harm by reducing firearm carry should foster or harness YAEH's social ties with pro-social network members, especially relatives, seniors and supportive peers.