THE IMPACT OF HOMELESSNESS AND, SHELTER LIFE ON FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

This study explored mothers' perceptions of how homelessness and shelt er life affected family relationships. Participants reported increased closeness and heightened quality and quantity of interaction with the ir children bur a disruption in their roles as disciplinarians and pro viders/caretakers. Factors which mothers perceived to affect relations hips were shelter conditions (rules and interactions with staff and re sidents), the mother's emotional stare, and the child's emotional stat e, temperament, and behavior Implications for practice are suggested.