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Finding Home: A Qualitative Approach to Understanding Adolescent Mothers’ Housing Instability
Author(s) -
Elliott Margaret C.,
Shuey Elizabeth A.,
Zaika Natalya,
Mims Lauren,
Leventhal Tama
Publication year - 2017
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.12112
Subject(s) - health psychology , context (archaeology) , grounded theory , fragile families and child wellbeing study , psychology , welfare , developmental psychology , population , narrative , qualitative research , narrative inquiry , social psychology , sociology , demographic economics , public health , economics , medicine , geography , demography , social science , nursing , linguistics , philosophy , archaeology , market economy
Abstract Many low‐income Latina adolescent mothers face instability in their housing circumstances, which has implications for their long‐term prospects and that of their children. This study used longitudinal, ethnographic data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three‐City Study to explore experiences of low‐income, Latina adolescent mothers ( N = 15) with unstable housing who primarily rely on their families or the families of their significant others for housing support. Results of analysis employing grounded theory and narrative approaches suggested two types of instability: “Horizontal moves” between family homes and “vertical moves” between family homes and independent living. Although family support often was fundamental in allowing for participants’ pursuit of independent housing (i.e., vertical moves), it also was associated with greater residential mobility (i.e., horizontal moves), most often in the context of intrafamilial conflict and family instability. These results are discussed with respect to inconsistencies in policies to address this vulnerable population.