Escaping homelessness: The influences of self-efficacy and time perspective on coping with homelessness

This study explored whether self-efficacy and time perspective of homeless adults (N = 82) living in a shelter affected their coping strategies relate d to obtaining housing and employment. Participants with high self-efficacy searched more for housing and employment and stayed at the shelter for a s horter duration, whereas participants with low self-efficacy were more like ly to request an extension of their stay at the shelter. Those high on futu re orientation had shorter durations of homelessness and were more likely t o enroll in school and to report gaining positive benefits from their predi cament, whereas those with a high present orientation had more avoidant cop ing strategies. Despite the predictive power of self-efficacy and future or ientation of proactive search behaviors, there were no predictors of obtain ing stable housing, which is a scarce resource in the area. However, a high present orientation predicted obtaining temporary housing. A present tempo ral perspective may be adaptive in finding short-term solutions to an unsta ble situation, such as homelessness. The role of time perspective in crisis situations is discussed, as well as the severe environmental constraints o n the exercise of personal control over reality dictated by social, economi c, and political forces.