Thesis advisor: Larry H. Ludlow / Recent estimates suggest there are roughly 1.6 million homeless children and this number is growing (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). This trend is particularly worrisome given that homeless children face a number of obstacles within society and education, not the least of which is negative teacher attitudes (Swick, 2000; U.S. Department of Education, 2002). This study's primary research question addressed whether a set of underlying dimensions could be identified and used to effectively measure teacher attitudes toward homeless students. A necessary part of answering this research question involved the development of a measurement scale. Both Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory analyses aided in the elimination process of items in order to create the final Teacher Attitudes toward Homeless Students (TAHS) assessment, which includes an attitudes scale and subscales, and a related knowledge scale. The final outcome was a set of 43 items, across eight dimensions, which could effectively be used to measure teacher attitudes toward homeless students. Additionally, the findings upheld the principles of Rasch measurement, including unidimensionality, a hierarchical ordering of items, and a continuum of the construct definition. In other words, the findings indicate that the TAHS scale was successfully developed according to explicit a priori measurement criteria. Moreover, additional correlational and regression analyses provided empirical construct and convergent validity evidence for the TAHS scale. It was also found that attitudes differed slightly for teachers of various backgrounds and experiences, but when analyzed collectively these variables were not significantly related to teacher attitudes toward homeless students. Additionally, there was only a weak relationship between teachers' attitudes and their knowledge about homelessness. Overall the TAHS scale allows for reliable and accurate measurement of teacher attitudes toward homeless students from which valid inferences can be made. The TAHS scale scores and score descriptors can be used to help teacher interpret their attitude. This has the potential for a direct impact in creating equal educational opportunities for homeless students as teachers become aware of their attitude and make positive changes. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation.

Background. The prevalence of alcohol dependence, defined as being physically and psychologically dependent on alcohol, among homeless people is 8%-58% compared to 4%-16% of alcohol dependence prevalence in the general population. Homelessness also contributes to alcohol dependence, and alcohol dependence is more difficult to treat and manage when combined with homelessness and alcohol-related harms. Alcohol harm reduction strategies for those with severe alcohol dependence and experiencing homelessness are gaining traction. There are 22 Managed Alcohol Programs (MAPs) in several cities across Canada. MAPs can reduce harms for people with severe alcohol dependence who live with acute, chronic, and social harms. In this research, I report on MAP participants views in the first six months of being in a MAP to provide insights into implementation of MAPs. Research Question. My central research question was: What are MAP participants perspectives of MAP during the early period of transition into MAP? With an objective to understand implementation from participants perspectives, I specifically asked: How are MAP participants situated in the world, what are their experiences, and what are the relational shifts that occur during early transition into MAP? Methodology and Theoretical Perspective. In my research, I used interpretive description informed by constructivism. I drew on relational theory to interpret my findings. The use of interpretive description, informed by constructivism and relational theory, brought forth greater insight into MAP participants views of and subsequent shifts in their relationships with the environment, alcohol, themselves, and others before and during MAP. Results/Findings. Participants perspectives focused on four key findings: (a) participants shifting perspectives of non-beverage alcohol when beverage alcohol was available in MAP, (b) participants motivation to change and insights into their own drinking, (c) reasons for drinking outside of MAP, and (d) relational insights and shifts in their connections with others. Conclusions. For individuals experiencing homelessness and severe alcohol dependence and its inherent associated harms, MAPs help to support relational shifts that support safer drinking patterns and/or meaningfully interrupt cycles of uncontrolled drinking as well as help to re-establish new relationships with alcohol, themselves, family, and friends. / Graduate

BACKGROUND: Homeless individuals have higher rates of cardiovascular disease when compared to the general population. Educational curricula in such communities have the potential to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. However, lifestyle changes from these educational sessions can be difficult for homeless individuals to implement because of competing priorities. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the “Corazones Sanos” community project are to increase participant knowledge of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia and to counsel individuals on barriers to implementation of therapeutic lifestyle changes in the homeless population. Additional objectives include providing reinforcing support for implementation of lifestyle changes and creation of educational materials related to cardiovascular risk and lifestyle changes for the homeless population. METHODS: This community health education project was implemented with 66 patients from an urban transitional housing facility for homeless individuals recovering from substance abuse. Spanish-speaking patients >18 years old with unstable or lack of housing were eligible to participate in this study. Fifteen minute educational sessions were led by the project coordinator with the end knowledge goal of normal blood pressure and cholesterol values, daily exercise requirement, importance of medication compliance, and healthy diet practices. A reflective approach was utilized to assess participant quotations and themes of barriers to heart healthy living in the homeless population. RESULTS: Participants gained a better knowledge of cardiovascular disease risk factors after participating in education sessions. The main barriers to therapeutic lifestyle changes for prevention of cardiovascular disease included decreased access to healthy foods and fitness opportunities, mental health challenges, lack of social support, and recovering from addiction. About 30% of participants completed a follow-up individual education session. CONCLUSIONS: Casa Esperanza community members gained a better understanding of normal blood pressure and cholesterol ranges, healthy dietary practices, daily exercise requirement, and the importance of medication compliance through this education program. The findings from this project should assist healthcare clinicians with providing effective education for the homeless population to overcome the barriers identified and implement therapeutic lifestyle changes.

The overall purpose of the present study is to contribute to a better understanding of the experiences of young homeless women residing at Covenant House New York, a youth shelter that provides crisis and long-term residential programs to young adults ages 18 – 21. The main objective was to identify past life events and their contributions to the development of positive traits and psychopathology among three groups. The participants were 162 homeless young women, including childfree women, young mothers enrolled at a transitional living Rights of Passage program (12-18 months), and young mothers in crisis enrolled in a 30-day Mother and Child Crisis program. Past life experiences were identified via the Effort to Outcome (ETO) online software database maintained by Covenant House New York. Rates of psychopathology were measured using the IIP (interpersonal problems), PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety), PSS (parental stress) while rates of positive traits were measured using the SCS (self-compassion), SCBCS (compassion toward others), and PGIS (motivation to change). The results indicated that all participants, regardless of group affiliation, had similar life experiences, though childfree women were more likely to have a history of abandonment, physical abuse, and previous incidents of homelessness. Additionally, presence of abuse history was positively associated with development of psychopathology. As expected, history of sexual abuse was negatively associated with self-compassion, but it was positively associated with compassion toward others. Mothers at the Mother and Child Crisis program had greater rates of self-compassion than mothers at the Rights of Passage program, and childfree women were more likely than the mothers to be compassionate toward others. Mothers at the Mother and Child Crisis program were also more likely to be compassionate toward others than mothers at the Rights of Passage program. Childfree women, however, were more likely to be depressed than mothers at the Mother and Child Crisis program.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2000 / Refer to document

In this qualitative research study, I examine the literacy practices of five families who resided in a homeless shelter with attention to the complexity of literacy as it is taken up for fulfilling cultural and social goals within families, neighborhoods, and communities. Literacy is complicated through the lens of literacy sponsorship (Brandt, 2001) to suggest the differential access people have to literacy and the power sponsors have to sanction particular forms of literacy while dismissing existing literacies that families use in their everyday lives, but are undervalued in schools and the marketplace. Data collected from parent interviews and a family literacy program at the shelter shape the counterportraits (Meyer, 2010) intended to challenge the official portrait of homelessness. The analytical tool of dialogical narrative analysis (Frank, 2012) aided my identification of stories in the interviews that illustrated how parents perceived their lives before coming to the shelter, at the shelter, and how their lives would change beyond their stay at the shelter. The notion of "capital D" Discourses (Gee, 2005) supported my examination of how the parents engaged in overlapping Discourses that allowed them to contest deficit perspectives pervasive in the official portrait. The resulting counterportraits suggest that the official portrait is largely dismissive of the social problems associated with stark inequality in U.S. society. Complicating the role of literacy within this larger context of inequality is necessary to understand the wide gulf between the official portrait and the counterportraits represented in this report.

The purpose of this study was to determine the service needs being met and the needs not being met as perceived by the chronically homeless who call the park their home. The authors thought this an important study to examine to better understand the service needs of the homeless. The study used a qualitative design for collecting data which involved face-to-face interviews with ten of the homeless people at the park. Four primary themes, three of which had two subthemes each, were identified through a thematic analysis. The primary theme of mistrust of services had subthemes of safety and restrictions and ineffective services. The primary theme of services needed was subdivided into problem identified and potential solutions. The families theme contained subthemes fractured families and park community as family. The theme of hopelessness did not have any subthemes. It was concluded that research should continue in this field and funding should be used to focus on providing services as specified through these themes.

In this study, the focus was on Social Work students’ knowledge about interventions concerning homeless female veterans. The study was conducted from a Positivist Perspective with a theoretical orientation centered on the Feminist Theory. The literature review focused on risk factors associated with homeless female veterans along with their protective factors. Issues involving homeless female veterans were explored along with possible interventions. The study was conducted through an online survey and included participants from California State University, San Bernardino. Participants were from both the Bachelor’s and Master’s Social Work program and attended classes full-time on campus, part-time on campus and part-time online. The results of the study are meant to establish whether or not there is a positive correlation between social work students’ knowledge and their characteristics influencing their choice of appropriate interventions concerning homeless female veterans. The study also aimed to evaluate whether the social work program is educating students on the population of homeless female veterans and the needed support for the community. The study found that there were some correlations between certain characteristics of the social work student body at CSUSB and their knowledge of appropriate interventions for homeless female veterans. There were significant findings in regards to the students’ level within the program and their age. They were able to identify appropriate interventions and were aware of both harmful and protective factors affecting the homeless female veteran population. The implications of this research are to bring more awareness to the needs of female veterans in regards to homelessness and to point out the need for more emphasis on the needs of appropriate intervention strategies for female veterans in university curriculum. Continued research on female veterans is needed so that equality can be found in services such as health care, mental health and housing.

Homelessness is a major social problem in the United States and this nation has the largest number of homeless women. Minority women appear to be more affected than other individuals. Specifically, they are more vulnerable, impoverished, and disenfranchised than all other groups in the nation. These factors affect their emotional well-being and ability to move toward and achieve sustainability. Particularly, African-American women are disproportionately represented in the homeless population, yet they have not been adequately examined in research studies and there are minimal empirical studies that focus on homeless African-American women. Beck's cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Weiner's attribution theory provided the theoretical foundation for this study. The purpose of this quantitative research was to investigate whether the length of time African-American women are homeless and their attribution style are associated with symptoms of depression. The data were obtained by administering a demographic questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Attributional Style Questionnaire-revised (ASQ-revised) to 70 African-American women living in a shelter and 2 transitional living centers in Charlotte, North Carolina. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. The findings revealed no significant relationship between length of time homeless and depression or between attribution style and length of time homeless. There were no moderation effects. However, there was a significant positive relationship between attribution style and depression. The implications for positive social change include influencing polices pertaining to managing depressive symptoms of homeless African-American women to increase their chances of becoming re-housed.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Background: Waste picking is not a new phenomenon in South Africa and is becoming increasingly prevalent, with rising numbers of waste pickers operating on landfills and on the streets. Although waste pickers are recognised as making an important contribution to waste management systems in South Africa, they remain at the lowest level of the waste collection and disposal hierarchy. Operating on the fringes of the formal economy with low and generally erratic income, they have limited access to safe and nutritious food. Many waste pickers are therefore prone to micronutrient malnutrition and macronutrient malnutrition. Food insecurity is a constant threat. Few studies have been conducted on this vulnerable group of people, with relatively little known about their eating habits and the impact thereof on their health. The aim of this study was to assess the dietary intake, food (in)security and nutritional status of waste pickers in South Africa, with a specific focus on landfill waste pickers. Study population and design: This constitutes a secondary study which builds on an earlier (primary) study conducted among 409 landfill waste pickers on nine landfill sites in four provinces in South Africa. Data was obtained from a cross-sectional quantitative survey conducted during the primary study which assessed the food (in)security, anthropometric status and dietary intake of waste pickers. In this study, group discussions were also conducted with waste pickers to gain more insight into activities and conditions on the landfill sites.