Citation

Peled E, Muzicant A. J. Community Psychol. 2008; 36(4): 434-451.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jcop.20222

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This naturalistic qualitative study examines the concept of “home” for runaway girls. Through the “home story” of girls who run away from home, the authors hoped to understand the many facets of home, as well as broaden the existing knowledge-base about the phenomenon of adolescent runaway girls. Data consisted of in-depth interviews with 15 girls aged 13 to 21. The findings attest to the complex perception of home by participants as both existing and not existing. In essence, the meanings of home for them were related to its absence. The discussion centers on the psychological understanding of the meaning of home as a mental construct that is a part of the personality and on the shaping of the meaning of home by social norms and structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.