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A Longitudinal Study of Predictors of Housing Stability, Housing Quality, and Mental Health Functioning Among Single Homeless Individuals Staying in Emergency Shelters
Author(s) -
Aubry Tim,
Duhoux Arnaud,
Klodawsky Fran,
Ecker John,
Hay Elizabeth
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1002/ajcp.12067
Subject(s) - mental health , housing first , supportive housing , psychology , public housing , longitudinal study , psychological resilience , context (archaeology) , health psychology , subsidized housing , feeling , affordable housing , gerontology , public health , clinical psychology , psychiatry , mental illness , social psychology , medicine , nursing , paleontology , civil engineering , pathology , biology , engineering , economic growth , economics
Abstract The current study examined risk and resilience factors at multiple levels that affect homeless individuals' ability to exit homelessness and achieve housing stability. It also examined the relationship between housing status, housing quality and mental health functioning. The methodology is a longitudinal study of single homeless individuals staying in emergency shelters in a medium‐sized Canadian city who were followed for a 2 year period. Data were collected from participants at a baseline interview when they were homeless and at a 2‐year follow‐up. There were 329 participants interviewed at baseline and 197 (59.9%) participants interviewed at follow‐up. Results from a structural equation modelling analysis found that having interpersonal and community resources were predictive of achieving housing stability. Specifically, having a larger social support network, access to subsidized housing, and greater income was related to achieving housing stability. On the other hand, having a substance use problem was a risk factor associated with a failure to achieving housing stability. Being female, feeling personally empowered, having housing that is perceived of being of higher quality were directly predictive of mental health functioning at follow‐up. Findings are discussed in the context of previous research and their policy implications.