Youth Homelessness: The Impact of Supportive Relationships on Recovery

Rethinking narratives about youth experiencing homelessness: The influence of self-determined motivation and peer relations on coping

Using the cognitive appraisal theory of coping and the self-determination theory of motivation, we examined the shared variance of motivational orientations, attachment relationships, and gender on adaptive and maladaptive coping among youth experiencing homelessness. Several scales including The Global Motivation Scale (assessing motivational orientations; i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), the Brief Cope (adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies), and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (self-perceptions of relationships with mothers, fathers, and peers) were administered to 102 youth aged between 16 and 24 (Mage  = 20, SD = 2.07) years recruited from an evening program for youth experiencing homelessness in Montreal, Canada. Autonomous motivation was positively associated with engagement in effective coping strategies, while controlled motivation was positively linked to maladaptive coping. Moderation analyses were used to examine whether gender and relationships with attachment figures moderated the relationship between motivation and coping. A significant main effect of peer attachment on adaptive coping emerged, in which greater peer attachment was related to more adaptive coping among the youth. No interaction effects resulted. Although no significant moderating effects were associated with essential relationships and gender, further research implementing a more nuanced approach to assessing the interaction between these constructs may be warranted. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of intervention programs for youth experiencing homelessness, that focus on enhancing autonomous motivation and utilizing peer support to optimize the use of adaptive coping strategies.

Attending to the Mental Health of People Who Are Homeless by Mobile Telephone Follow-Up: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

More than 20% of the world's population has no decent or suitable home. People who are homeless have more health problems than the rest of the population, especially mental health-type problems. The main objective of this study was to identify follow-up interventions by using mobile telephones to improve the mental health of people who are homeless and to analyze their efficiency.

METHODS

To do so, a systematic review was carried out in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Ebscohost, and PsyInfo databases.

RESULTS

Studies conclude that mobile phone use is a suitable means to improve adherence to medication and the mental health of the homeless. However, significant attempts to demonstrate health benefits by means of reliable and valid instruments that supplement qualitative satisfaction and feedback instruments appear to be lacking.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature about mental health benefits through technology for people who are homeless is scarce and shows methodological limitations that can lead to failure when setting up methodologies in clinical practice.

Predictors of self-reported general health status in people experiencing homelessness with serious mental illness

PURPOSE

The growing homeless population in the U.S.A. is disproportionately impacted by poor mental and physical health status, including a higher incidence of acute and chronic health problems, increased hospitalizations, and premature mortality compared to the general population. This study examined the association between demographic, social, and clinical factors and perceptions of general health status among the homeless population during admission to an integrated behavioral health treatment program.

METHODS

The study sample included 331 adults experiencing homelessness with a serious mental illness or co-occurring disorder. Participants were enrolled in services at a day program for unsheltered homeless adults, a residential substance use treatment program for males experiencing homelessness, a psychiatric step-down respite program for those experiencing homelessness following psychiatric hospitalization, permanent supportive housing for formerly chronically homeless adults, a faith-based food distribution program, and homeless encampment sites in a large urban area. Participants were interviewed using The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Outcome Measures tool and a validated health-related quality of life measurement tool, SF-36. Data were examined using in elastic net regression.

RESULTS

The study found seven factors to be particularly strong predictors of SF-36 general health scores. Male gender, "other" sexual identity, stimulant use, and Asian race were all associated with better perceptions of health status, while transgender status, inhalant use, and number of times arrested were associated with poorer perceptions.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests targeted areas for health screening within the homeless population; however, more studies are necessary to demonstrate generalizability of the results.

The Association of Interpersonal Relationships and Social Services with the Self-Rated Health of Spanish Homelessness

Understanding the specific factors associated with poor health is critical to improve the health of homeless people. This study aimed to analyze the influence of personal variables, interpersonal relationships, and the influence of social services on the health of homeless people. A secondary analysis was applied to cross-sectional data from a sample of 1382 homeless people living in the Basque Country (Spain) (75.69% male). Multinomial logistic regression modelling was used to analyze the relationship between health and personal variables, interpersonal variables, perceived help and use of the social services. Relationships with the family, using a day center, and a sufficient and high perceived help of the social services were significant factors associated with good health. On the other hand, spending the day alone or using mental and health care services are associated with poor health. In the same way, the longer a person has been homeless, the worse their expected state of health is. Addressing housing exclusion, promoting interpersonal relationships, using a day center, and developing the use and perceived helpfulness of social services stand out as key factors in improving health status. Social policies are usually focused on housing. However, this paper also highlights the relevance of developing interpersonal relationships and using day centers to improve homeless people’s health.