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Homelessness is a complex problem facing health and social
systems in the United States. Women, as heads of families,
constitute the fastest growing group of homeless persons.
Preliminary evidence indicates that characteristics of the
family of origin may predict later homelessness. Therefore,
the aims of this study are to:
- Compare childhood experiences
of intimacy and autonomy as they occurred in families of
origin between women who have and women who have not
experienced homelessness.
- Compare social support,
reciprocity, and conflict as they occurred in the
childhood support networks and in the current support
networks of women who have and women who have not
experienced homelessness.
- Examine the relationships
between intimacy and autonomy in families of origin and
the social support networks from childhood of women who
have and women who have not experienced homelessness.
To achieve these aims, the study
will use a descriptive correlational design. Homeless (N=81)
and never-homeless (n=81) women will complete three tools
designed to measure the research variables: (1)
Interpersonal Relationship Inventory (IPRI), an instrument
that measures social support, reciprocity, and conflict
using three subscales that are scored individually; (2)
Interpersonal Relationship Inventory - Adapted, the IPRI
revised to measure social support, reciprocity, and conflict
as perceived during one's past childhood; and (3) Family of
Origin Scale, an instrument to measure the health of one's
family of origin based on intimacy and autonomy within that
family.
Homeless and never-homeless women
will be recruited from shelters and support groups and by
fliers placed in strategic locations in the Pacific
Northwest. Data will be collected individually from the
women to allow for confidentiality and completion, and to
answer questions or concerns of the women interviewed.
Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive and
inferential statistics. Narrative data from interviews will
be described verbatim and analyzed using content analysis
methods. The long term goal of this study is to provide the
basis for an intervention program for women early in their
homelessness.
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