THE STUDENT HOMELESSNESS CRISIS AND THE ROLE OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY: MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

The Achieving Success Everyday Group Counseling Model: Providing Social Support for Homeless Students* in School Settings

The Achieving Success Everyday (ASE) group counseling model is discussed to support homeless students' unique and complex needs. The phenomenology of student homelessness is reviewed, as well as how residential and environmental instability negatively impacts students' academic and psychosocial functioning. Social support for homeless students is also discussed. Next, the ASE group model is described in detail and existing research on its application in school settings is reviewed. Implications for research and practice are provided as they may influence future efforts to support homeless students. Session examples are used to help school personnel apply the ASE model in their respective schools and communities.

Childhood homelessness, resilience, and adolescent mental health: A prospective, person-centered approach

School districts and other service providers are increasingly aware of the substantial mental health needs of students experiencing family homelessness. Past findings are mixed regarding whether homelessness conveys unique risk beyond the risks associated with extreme poverty. With prospective longitudinal data on homelessness experiences across childhood, we utilized latent profile analysis as a person-centered approach to conceptualizing mental health outcomes in adolescence for 3,778 youth. We considered literal family homelessness as well as families living doubled-up, and we employed propensity score matching to identify a comparison group of non-homeless students balanced across a range of covariates to address systematic bias. Results indicated that students who experienced literal homelessness during childhood were significantly less likely to demonstrate profiles of resilience in mental health functioning. We considered our approach and findings in light of challenges and opportunities particularly relevant to the school context.

The Affective Lives of Doubled-Up Latinx Youth: Influences of School Experiences, Familism, and Ethnic Identity Exploration

Doubled-up Latinx youth experience many daily challenges associated with ethnic minority status and residential instability. Doubled-up youth share housing with non-custodial caregivers such as friends and/or extended family members primarily because of economic hardship and a breakdown in available parental support. Using data from baseline and 10 days of twice-a-day surveys, this study examined how in-school positive experiences, familism (i.e., a perspective that gives precedence to the family), and ethnic identity (i.e. affirmation, exploration, and resolution) influence after school positive (e.g. feeling joyful/happy) and negative (e.g., feeling stressed/anxious) affect among doubled up Latinx youth (70% female; M age = 16.5). Results indicate that in-school positive experiences were associated with more after school positive affect and less after school negative affect. Additionally, youth with higher levels of familism reported experiencing less after school negative affect. However, gender moderated the relation of ethnic identity exploration and experiences of after school positive affect. Specifically, females with higher levels of ethnic identity exploration reported relatively lower levels of after school positive affect compared to males. Overall, study findings highlight the importance of both person-level and varying contextual influences on the affective lives of doubled-up Latinx youth.

Daily social and affective lives of homeless youth: What is the role of teacher and peer social support?

Youth spend a significant amount of time in school surrounded by and interacting with teachers and peers. For doubled-up homeless youth (i.e., youth who share housing with a series of friends and/or extended family members), in-school relationships may be important for their emotional functioning. The current study captured dynamic processes by which in-school teacher and peer social support (i.e., baseline assessments of prior support and daily early-day reports of school day support) influence homeless youth's daily emotional well-being, as assessed by positive and negative affect later in the day. Specifically, a baseline survey was used in combination with a 10-day twice-a-day diary design to examine the competing influences of prior (i.e., between-person) and daily (i.e., within-person) social support from teachers and peers during the school day. Baseline teacher support and early-day peer support were associated with higher later-day positive affect. In contrast, baseline peer support was associated with lower later-day negative affect. Baseline peer support moderated the association between early-day peer support and later-day positive affect, in that there was a significant effect of early-day peer support and later-day positive affect for youth who reported medium and high levels of baseline peer support. However, the later-day positive affect of youth who reported low baseline levels of social support did not appear to benefit from early-day peer support. Results suggest that the source of support (i.e., teacher and peer) differently influences daily affect and that receiving daily in-school support can promote daily positive affect while mitigating negative affect for doubled-up homeless youth. Overall, study findings suggest that providing peer and teacher social support is a promising prevention and intervention approach for fostering resilience among doubled-up homeless youth.

'This is the beginning of the new me': process evaluation of a group fitness intervention to promote wellbeing in formerly homeless individuals

Background

Homelessness is a persistent social issue with diverse impacts reaching far beyond individuals. Strategies and research concerning homelessness and health have largely focused on the risk factors and weaknesses of individuals. Such preoccupation has meant the potential strengths and resources within individuals, and so-called strength-based approaches have received less attention. Consequently, understanding how to effectively work with and engage this population in such interventions is limited.

Methods

The current study presents a process evaluation of an 8-week group fitness intervention in a supportive housing facility. The purpose of the intervention was to increase tenants’ physical activity together with opportunities for social interaction and support to, in turn, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and ultimately help individuals re-engage in their community. The evaluation focused on seven key components: context, recruitment, reach/participation, dose delivered, dose received, satisfaction/feedback and fidelity. Data collection methods included observation, attendance records and participant and staff interviews.

Results

Findings indicate the intervention was appropriate, well delivered, and enjoyed by participants who highlighted the importance of the sessions for their mental wellbeing and social inclusion. The intervention being conducted on site, the trainers’ ability to build good rapport with participants together with the supportive environment they created were central to successful implementation.

Conclusion

Group fitness sessions represent a promising intervention to improve wellbeing of this population. However, the need for more personalised care when delivering fitness sessions, due to the complexity of health issues prevalent in this population, was identified. This has implications for already limited resources, including staffing. Strategies to address this are required to ensure the continuity of fitness programs. Impact evaluation to quantify changes/improvements in wellbeing would complement this work and add much to understanding the effects of participation.

Adults Experiencing Homelessness in the US-Mexico Border Region: A Photovoice Project

Homelessness is a social, economic, and political crisis in the United States. In particular, the US–Mexico Border region has seen a surge of homelessness, specifically among veterans, women victims of intimate partner violence, and immigrants. In 2014, 12 persons in El Paso, TX, with experience of being homeless used the photovoice methodology to participate in a project titled, “The Voices and Images of the Residents of the Opportunity Center for the Homeless: A Visual Project on the Identity and Challenges Homeless Adults Face on the Border Region.” The project was led by faculty from the Department of Social Work and facilitated by graduate students from the Departments of Social Work, Sociology, and Anthropology at the University of Texas at El Paso. In partnership with the Opportunity Center for the Homeless, a community-based organization, a gallery of photographs with respective narratives was produced along with a video documentary. The participants identified four themes: broken systems, invisibility, opportunities and what works, and growth and determination. These themes represent participants’ life experiences with homelessness and their aspirations. In addition to the photo gallery, participants supported the development of a Call to Action asking the community, policy, and decision makers to commit to changing the current social, economic, and political conditions affecting individuals experiencing homelessness. The gallery, Call to Action, and overall participant experiences with photovoice were shared during local, regional, and national conferences and events, including three State of the Homeless Conferences led by the Opportunity Center for the Homeless in partnership with the university.