Peculiarities of educational and psychological support for victimized adolescents inclined to vagrancy

Introduction. The author investigates the problem of vagrancy and running away from home among minors. The purpose of the research is to reveal the characteristic features of educational and psychological support for victimized adolescents inclined to vagrancy. Materials and Methods. A review of the scientific literature and analysis of statistics on the problem of vagrancy and home runaways among minors revealed the need to study the current state of this issue. The methodology of the research is based on the scientific conception of activity of the individual as a subject of life. The solution of research problems is implemented through an interdisciplinary approach. The study involved 190 adolescents aged between 14 and 16 years, 93 of whom were inclined to vagrancy. Applied empirical methods allowed to conduct a comprehensive study of adolescents’ psychological characteristics and behavior. Results. The author studied subjective causes of vagrancy and ways how adolescents dealt with homeless and runaway episodes. The research revealed personality traits of adolescents inclined to vagrancy, characteristics of their motivation, values, self-esteem, self-attitude, and attitudes towards significant individuals, objects and situations, determined by homeless and runaway experience. The author identified unaccompanied homeless youth’s characteristics of social and emotional intelligence, behavioral style, and specific response to stressful situations. The identified set of personal and behavioral characteristics of adolescents inclined to vagrancy was considered as a guideline for planning and implementing psychological preventative and remedial work with them. The author described educational conditions contributing to creating beneficial learning environments for adolescents inclined to vagrancy. Conclusions. It is shown that psychological remedial work with minors inclined to runaways and vagrancy is effective if it is based on peculiarities of personality structure and deviant behaviours of adolescents.