Lack of Support and Homelessness: A Qualitative Approach
Lack of Support and Homelessness: A Qualitative Approach
Student name
BESC1186: Social Psychology
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Tutor: Freya Cristea
Sunday 9th October, 2022
Abstract
Homelessness can be extremely alienating and has devastating implications on the mental health and wellbeing of individuals experiencing it. The current study aimed to understand the causes of homelessness from the perspectives of these individuals. This was done using the Grounded Theory approach and inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning was used to identify commonalities amongst eight case studies based on individuals experiencing homelessness. Their cases were analysed to develop an overarching theme, which was lack of support. Being unable to provide a safe, nurturing environment for individuals in critical times, and incapability of coping with mental health issues ultimately creates unsupportive and toxic home environments that pose as risk factors for homelessness. Previous research is consistent with this finding. Future research may wish to employ a mixed methods design to triangulate and quantify the findings of the current study, and further its validity and reliability.
Lack of Support and Homelessness: A Qualitative Approach
Homeless individuals are among Australias most socially and economically disadvantaged demographic. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines homelessness as the lack of one or more elements that represent a home, including tenure over a dwelling that is adequate. (ABS, 2012). However, it is important to note that there is no single definition of homelessness, as this is a multidimensional concept that concerns more than just the lack of a roof over somebodys head its an absence of security, choices and control. According to the 2016 Census, there were more than 116,000 people experiencing homelessness in Australia (ABS, 2016). As this is an issue that affects such a large percentage of Australias population, understanding the causes of homelessness, particularly from the individuals perspective, can be vital to the prevention and management of its occurrence.
The current study adopted a qualitative design to gain a more insightful understanding of this issue. Qualitative research is primarily concerned with understanding human experiences and their reflections of those in a humanistic and interpretive manner (Jackson et al., 2007). In qualitative research, introspective empirical materials such as case studies and interviews are examined, with no intention to quantify the data collected (Aspers & Corte, 2019). Contrastingly, quantitative research is an objective and systematic process in which numerical data are used to explain a phenomena (Yilmaz, 2013). Qualitative research allows one to gain in-depth insights not possible using other types of research, and provide a more extensive look into individual experiences (Yilmaz, 2013).
The aim of the current study was to understand the causes of homelessness from the individuals perspectives.
Method
Participants
Case studies were included in the study if they were based on individuals experiencing homelessness, in which lack of support was evident. Exclusion criteria were not used, and a total of eight case studies were analysed.
Materials
Case materials were obtained from a class set using the following link: https://rmit.instructure.com/courses/91844/files/26183858?wrap=1
Procedure
Leedy & Omrods Grounded Theory approach (2005) and inductive reasoning were used to develop a tentative theme that explains the causes of homelessness from the individuals perspectives. This was done by reading individual case studies sequentially then identifying parallels within them that related to the individuals experiences of homelessness, aiding in the development of an overarching theme. Quotes from the case studies were used to support the theme and prove its existence within those persons experiences. This process was not guided by pre-existing theories. Following this, data saturation used to determine when the analysis of case studies should be discontinued as no new information or themes were being observed in the data (Guest et al., 2006).
Results
Case materials that concerned individuals experiencing homelessness were analysed using inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning was used by identifying patterns and parallels across the case studies which led to the development of an overarching theme (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005). The theme that arose upon analysing case materials was lack of support. This was defined as the inability of families to provide necessary resources and care to individuals in need. This lack of support was observed across different stages of individuals homelessness, whereby families were either incapable of offering the necessary support during critical periods such as childhood, unable to provide a loving, nurturing and safe environment, or unfit to cope with complex mental health issues.
Lack of support is evident in Aarons case. Homeless since the age of 16, he was without a caring and protective adult for most of his life (Aaron,33,1,2) his father abused him as a child and his mother struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. As a result of the inadequate and unsupportive parenting he received, Aaron did not feel supported through trauma and abuse of his childhood (Aaron,33,1,28), and found himself using drugs, violence and __ as coping strategies.. It is evident this individual felt alone and lacked somebody to fall back on. Likewise, Shane was the son of alcoholics, meaning he was without parents who were positive role models (Shane,11,2,1) and lived in a toxic environment with nobody to look up to, support or care for him. This was similar to Dima, who also desperately wanted a safe and supportive place away from [her] so called home (Dima,12,7,2) where she experienced multiple types of abuse at the hands of her parents. Evidently, she had no one to depend on and felt unsupported within her family, ultimately causing her to resort to homelessness despite fearing the extreme poverty and social alienation (Dima, 13,5,2) she felt awaited her. Lack of support is also prevalent in Joels case. As a troubled youth, he displayed problematic behaviours resulting in his family kicking him out at the age of 13. He expressed how [his] family disowned him (Joel,30,2,2), and started using the shelter as a punishment whenever [he] got in trouble. Evidently, rather than appropriately disciplining or showing concern for Joel, his family opted for abandonment and were incapable of supporting him through his youth. Although he has attempted to maintain his relationship with his mother, she actually doesn't know much about [him]. She doesn't ask, exemplifying the lack of care for him despite his current situation.
Analyses showed that having a support person significantly increased the feeling of hope in homeless individuals. This is evident in the case of Stephanie. When [she] was in her teens, her parents asked her to leave home (Stephanie,9,4,2) as they couldnt cope with her mental health issues. Once she began to forge positive relations (Stephanie,9,8,5) and was provided support, she started to believe she had a future (Stephanie,10,2,2) and things turned around for her. Similarly, Rebecca left home in her teens after enduring abuse from both her father and stepfather, and witnessing her mothers indifference to it. After falling homeless, she expressed how just to know someone cares gets her through her situation, as most of the people on the street dont have anyone (Rebecca,2,2,1). Having someone to actually be there and to talk with, to listen, to care, someone to trust (Rebecca,2,4,1) has enabled her to feel supported and appreciated, despite the alienation she faces as a result of her family trauma and homelessness. Likewise, Andrew lacked familial support after being put into foster care as an infant and facing trouble with the law at a young age. Andrew ultimately had no one, but after forming a friendship with volunteer support worker Dom, he just came for a hug and a cry (Andrew,7,3,4) and found a will to live after finding someone who supported him through tough times. Similarly, Anitra fell homeless following her struggles with mental health and lacked a positive support network. Her family werent able to cope with her bipolar and manic depressive episodes, however, she found hope in her job, where the people [she] works with are supportive, even when [she] gets erratic (Anitra,21,5,3).
Discussion
The aim of the current study was to understand the cause of homelessness from the individuals perspective. Using inductive reasoning, the theme found from analysis of case studies of individuals experiencing homelessness was lack of support. The inability of families to provide necessary resources, care and support was evident through different stages of the individuals homelessness. Being unable to provide a safe, nurturing environment and incapability of coping with mental health issues ultimately lead to these individuals escaping their unsupportive, toxic and often abusive home environments. This study is consistent with previous research into the causes of homelessness. The origin homes of individuals experiencing homelessness are often characterised by low levels of emotional support and neglect (Dadds et al., 1993). Mabhala et al., (2017) examined the stories of people experiencing homelessness to better understand the conditions under which homelessness occurs, and found that poor relationships with those close to them, particularly those with whom they live, was largely attributed to the process of becoming homeless. Several participants in their study also suggested their childhood experiences with unsupportive, abusive and negligent parents had bearing on their homelessness. In fact, social disadvantage and traumatic childhood experiences such as poor social and psychological support, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, dysfunctional family environments and unstable family dynamics all increase the likelihood of homelessness (Caton et al., 2005). Such risk factors are also observed within the current study. Research into causes of homelessness has reported that parent-child relationships with little provision of warmth and supportiveness, together with high levels of parental rejection and abuse are some of the primary reasons people leave home (Whitbeck et al., 1997, Giano et al., 2019). Additionally, Ryan et al., (2000) found that parental instability, poor care from a parent and inadequate family support during adulthood pose risk factors for homelessness, particularly for long-term homelessness. Evidently, abusive and unsupportive households contribute greatly to the development of an individuals homelessness and introduce a myriad of implications for the mental health and wellbeing of homeless people.
Though the current study provides an insight into the causes of homelessness from the individuals perspectives and increases understanding of their experiences, it does contain limitations. Firstly, only case studies were read to determine the tentative theme, meaning that additional questions could not be asked, thus, supplemental information about the individuals could not be obtained. Conducting face-to-face interviews provides the opportunity to connect with the interviewee on a deeper level and gain a better understanding of their background, particularly as it relates to their families and the support they may have received. Secondly, although lack of support is known to contribute to homelessness, it may not be the only risk factor.
Future research may wish to employ a mixed methods design, by conducting a quantitative follow up study to complement the current study (Morgan, 1998). Using both qualitative and quantitative methods in research allows for triangulation, which can validate research findings from different sources and evaluate the theme (Olsen, 2004). A quantitative study may administer a questionnaire to individuals experiencing homelessness with perceived lack of support. The Social Support Scale can be used to assess perceived social support (Haslam et al., 2005). This scale addresses four distinct aspects of social support identified as perceived emotional support, perceived companionship, perceived instrumental support and perceived informational support, all of which are instrumental to cope with struggles. The subset related to social support consisted of 10 items, such as Do you get the emotional support you need from other people? and is measured on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1= not at all to 7= completely. The Social Support Scale demonstrated good reliability and validity, and would assist in triangulating findings from the current qualitative study by quantifying social support and drawing a link back to causes of homelessness.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). Census of Population and Housing: Estimating Homelessness. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/census-population-and-housing-estimating-homelessness/latest-release.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2012). Information papera statistical definition of homelessness, ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4922.0main+features32012Aspers, P., & Corte, U. (2019). What is Qualitative in Qualitative Research? Qualitative Sociology, 42(2), 139160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11133-019-9413-7Caton, C. L. M., Dominguez, B., Schanzer, B., Hasin, D. S., Shrout, P. E., Felix, A., McQuistion, H., Opler, L. A., & Hsu, E. (2005). Risk Factors for Long-Term Homelessness: Findings From a Longitudinal Study of First-Time Homeless Single Adults. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 95(10), 17531759. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2005.063321Dadds, M. R., Braddock, D., Cuers, S., Elliott, A., & Kelly, A. (1993). Personal and family distress in homeless adolescents. Community Mental Health Journal, 29(5), 413422. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00754409Giano, Z., Williams, A., Hankey, C., Merrill, R., Lisnic, R., & Herring, A. (2019). Forty Years of Research on Predictors of Homelessness. Community Mental Health Journal, 56(4), 692709. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00530-5Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field Methods, 18(1), 59-92. http://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05279903Haslam, S. A., OBrien, A., Jetten, J., Vormedal, K., & Penna, S. (2005). Taking the strain: Social identity, social support, and the experience of stress. British Journal of Social Psychology, 44(3), 355370. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466605X37468Jackson, R. L., Drummond, D. K., & Camara, S. (2007). What Is Qualitative Research? Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 8(1), 2128. https://doi.org/10.1080/17459430701617879Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2005). Practical research: Planning and design. Pearson.
Mabhala, M. A., Yohannes, A., & Griffith, M. (2017). Social conditions of becoming homelessness: Qualitative analysis of life stories of homeless peoples. International Journal for Equity in Health, 16(1), 150150. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-017-0646-3Olson, W. (2004). Triangulation in social research: Qualitative and quantitative methods can really be mixed. Developments in Sociology, 20, 103-118.
Ryan, K. D., Kilmer, R. P., Cauce, A. M., Watanabe, H., & Hoyt, D. R. (2000). Psychological consequences of child maltreatment in homeless adolescents: untangling the unique effects of maltreatment and family environment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24(3), 333352. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(99)00156-8Whitbeck, L. B., Hoyt, D. R., & Ackley, K. A. (1997). Families of homeless and runaway adolescents: A comparison of parent/caretaker and adolescent perspectives on parenting, family violence, and adolescent conduct. Child Abuse & Neglect, 21(6), 517528. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(97)00010-0Yilmaz, K. (2013). Comparison of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Traditions: epistemological, theoretical, and methodological differences. European Journal of Education, 48(2), 311325. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12014
BESC1186 (Social Psychology): 2023
Qualitative Lab Overview
During the second half of semester you are required to complete a laboratory report revolving around the topic Process of recovery from the perspective of people experiencing mental illness. This laboratory report will likely be somewhat different to research you might have completed in the past. The research you will be reporting this time is qualitative, rather than quantitative. This document is designed to provide a basic overview of the report, and pre-emptively answering some questions you might find yourself asking about the report at various points along the way. Any questions you still have after reading through it thoroughly should be directed to your tutor, or to course coordinator Merv Jackson (merv.jackson@rmit.edu.au). I will then add and update this document
Aim of the exercise
Essentially, the main aim of this exercise is to provide you with experience associated with conducting and reporting qualitative research. As a rule, qualitative research differs from the quantitative research which is more common in psychology with respect to its exploratory nature. While quantitative research frequently aims to test a specific hypothesis or hypotheses relating to an area of study about which much is already known, qualitative research is more often used in previously unexplored realms, to provide a grounding [or theoretical perspective] on which future research (be it qualitative or quantitative) can build.
The topic of this lab report (Process of recovery from the perspective of people experiencing mental illness.) is one where previous research has been undertaken, and in fact a substantial body of literature exists relating to this topic. Why, then, are we using qualitative methods for this research? Primarily, the answer here involves practical considerations. The kinds of unexplored topics which are frequently the subject of qualitative research can raise difficulties in finding and accessing an appropriate research sampleparticularly in the sort of tight time-frame during which undergraduate exercises are undertaken. To circumvent this problem, we are using a topic for which appropriate research participants can more easily be found. However, as the idea of the exerciseas stated earlieris to provide you with experience in conducting and reporting qualitative research, we are aiming to simulate the authentic experience of undertaking exploratory qualitative research by asking you to approach the exercise in a relatively nave manner. For this reason, we ask that you refrain from reviewing the related literature on the topic itself until the latter stages of the assignment, that is, until after you have finished collecting and analyzing your data [hence the limited word count for the Introductory section of this report].
Assessment Details
This exercise is worth 40% of your total grade for BESC1186 (Social Psychology). This is split up into separate components.
Suggested word count Marks
Abstract (150 words) 5
Introduction (~250 words) 5
Method (~200 words) 5
Results (~650 words) 10
Discussion (~750 words) 10
References (no word count) 5
Total: 2000 words 40
Due date for this assignment is end of week 10, Sunday October 1st, 2023
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where can I find the rubric relating to [section]?
All rubrics for the lab report are available on Canvas during the first week after the mid-semester break they are in the relevant Assignments section.
2. What sort of data are we analyzing for this report?
Data will be analyzed from case material provided in a document posted online.
The document has been constructed from people who have experienced homelessness. You can either randomly choose a set of cases or apply inclusion/exclusion criteria [eg, gender of victim, sexual orientation, etc].
3. Why is the topic so vague? What does this topic mean? Process of recovery from the perspective of people experiencing mental illness.
The topic is purposely vague to simulate the experience of conducting research in an unexplored area. One of your tasks [by the end of the inductive reasoning process] is to provide a definition and your own explanation of the topic. Note: there will be various definitions/explanations so do not be concerned if other students definitions differ from yours.
4. How broad (narrow) are we supposed to define the topic?
Again, this is really up to you. You may wish to focus on a very specific aspect of the topic, or to explore it more generally. Note, there are no right or wrong ways to approach this topic, your approach and findings will be valid if you correctly use the inductive reasoning approach. In previous years, an analysis of all student explanation has shown ones that have covered all levels of Bronfenbrenners ecological theory [making this a wicked problem]
5. Does this assignment involve group-work?
No group work, each stage of the assignment should be completed and submitted individually. We will be conducting an in-class exercise in Week 9 to provide each student with information that will help with triangulation. However, this is not a group assignment, and all work should be your own.
6. Can I interview people experiencing mental health problems?
No, you would need University Ethics clearance to carry out interviews. This topic is a very sensitive issue and you have not reached the stage where you have enough experience to discuss such a topic or handle emotional issues that may arise. Hence, you are not to attempt to interview people who have mental illness. There are no extra marks or incentives for students to complete interviews and of course, you will breach the Universitys ethics policy by carrying out such interviews. You will receive zero marks for the assignment and be reported to University for misconduct if you actually interview participants
7. Should I complete an extensive literature review in advance of the inductive reasoning analysis?
You should not read widely in the area nor try to develop pre-conceived notions of what are the cause of homelessness. You will already have your own definition of homelessness; the idea of this lab exercise is to build on this concept with exposure to the thoughts of people who have experienced homelessness When you have a clear concept of the perspective of the informants/participants, then you can begin to research into the ideas/concepts of others in the area of homelessness [eg., academics/ professionals]. This is another form of triangulation
8. Approximately how many cases should I analyze?
There is no clear answer to this question. Qualitative researchers recommend data collection/analysis until you reach data saturation that is, you are not learning anything new on your theme by continuing to read more cases. Given you are required to develop a theme, then you should continue to read and analyze until you have a complete understanding of that theme
9. Do I need to transcribe the case material?
You are required to collect material that supports your theme this involved either paraphrasing or providing direct quotes from case material. Note: you need to cite case, page, paragraph and starting line for each paraphrase/quote
10. When writing up our reports, how do we reference case material? and does this material form part of the word count?
Yes, you need to reference your case material; note, to reference this material you will need to name the case, the page number, the paragraph number and the beginning line number. This can be abbreviated as George-53.3.13. All material [paraphrasing or quotes] are part of the word count, hence you need to be selective in your quotes to ensure that they contribute to and clarify your theme. Of course, you should explain how each quote helps illustrate/contribute to your theme
11. How are we supposed to use inductive reasoning in our data analysis?
Inductive reasoning involves the process of building ideas about things that are generally true from whatever knowledge is available to you (by contrast to deductive reasoning, where general principles are used to derive certain conclusions). In the context of the case material for this exercise, this could be something as simple as trying to make inferences by comparing different peoples perspectives on similar issues, or seeing what factors are particularly important to one or another person and theorizing about why this might be the case. However, exactly how you use inductive reasoning is up to you.
12. How does one write a results section using qualitative data? Is it structured the same way as the results section of a quantitative lab report?
Qualitative data can be presented in several ways. Further information about exactly what to include in your results section should be available on the marking rubric which relates to that portion of the assignment, and this will also be discussed during tutorials in subsequent weeks. You may also wish to compare the rubrics for the results and discussion sections; this should help you work out exactly what belongs where. The key is that the results section is your attempt of creating a theme that explains the issue. The generality [and implications] of your findings is covered in the discussion.
13. Is it OK if I use stats to demonstrate the breadth of the problem?
It is not acceptable to use descriptive or inferential statistics in this qualitative exercise for instance, you will be marked down if you report that 87% of participants in these 40 cases found that their partner.
14. Can I write in the first person?
Yes, it is acceptable to write this report in the first person [and complies with APA7].
15. What tense should I use in this report?
This exercise is to provide the reader with a past account of a piece of research. Therefore, while it may feel uncomfortable and artificial, the report should be written in the past tense. The only part of the report that can be written in the future tense is at the end of the discussion where there are suggestions for future research.
16. Do I need to use academic references as in other assignments?
All written assignments [including this one] should follow APA 7th Edition guidelines in terms of headings and referencing. You will need to provide extensive reference material in the discussion when you are linking your original findings with what is known in the [past] literature
17. For this assignment, can I use a Q&A format?
No, this assignment is a lab report. You are expected to use an essay style of writing [see APA7 for further details].
