PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING OF HOMELESS CHILDREN

Objective: To investigate the psychosocial characteristics of homeless children and their parents. Method: Homeless families were assessed w ithin 2 weeks of admission to seven hostels and were compared with a g roup of housed families matched for socioeconomic status. Measures inc luded a semistructured interview, the General Health Questionnaire (GH Q), the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Communication domain of the Vineland Adaptive Be havior Scales, and height and weight percentiles. The sample consisted of 113 homeless families (249 children aged 2 through 16 years) and 2 9 comparison families (83 children). Results: Homeless families primar ily consisted of single mothers and an average of two children, who ha d become homeless because of domestic violence (56%) or violence from neighbors (29%). Homeless mothers reported high rates of previous abus e (45%) and current psychiatric morbidity (49% caseness on the GHQ) an d poor social support networks compared with housed controls. Homeless children were more likely to have histories of abuse, living in care, and being on the at-risk child protection register and less likely to have attended school or a preschool/day-care center since admission t o the hostel. They also had delayed communication acid higher CBCL sco res. Maternal GHQ scores best predicted CBCL caseness. Conclusions: Ho meless mothers and children have high rates of psychosocial morbidity, which are related to multiple risk factors and chronic adversities. T heir complex needs should be best met by specialized and coordinated h ealth, social, and educational services.