Mental health status of homeless children and their families

Objectives: To examine the mental health status of homeless children and th eir families living in a supported temporary housing project. Method: The assessment measures used: (i) the 28-item General Health Questi onnaire (GHQ); (ii) the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL); and (iii) the Par enting Stress Index (PSI). The population studied consisted of 14 families and 31 children. Children aged two to 1G years were eligible for the study. Most of the families (12/14) assessed were single parent (mother only) fam ily units. Results: The General Health Questionnaire was completed by the 14 mothers a nd two fathers. Of the mothers 28% (4/14) indicated the presence of psychia tric 'caseness'. The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) was completed on 31 c hildren by the mothers. More than a third of the children (12/31) had a Tot al Problem Score above the 'clinical' threshold, indicating the presence of mental health problems of sufficient severity to merit referral for treatm ent. Of the children 45% (14/31) manifested externalising problems in the ' deviant' range, while 29% of the children (9/31) manifested internalising p roblems in the 'clinical' range. In all, when the CBCL scores were examined within each family, 78% (11/14) had at least one child with a CBCL dimensi on of clinical significance. The Parenting Stress Index was completed by ea ch mother. Of the mothers 70% (10/14) obtained scores in the critical range . They reported feeling incompetent in their parenting role, being dominate d by their children's needs and feeling social isolated from their relative s and peers, Their scores also indicated poor self-esteem and significant d epressive symptoms. Of note the peak score was the lack of emotional and ac tive support from the other parent. Conclusion: This study revealed a high level of stress and clinical morbidi ty in this group of homeless mothers and their children and the need to pro vide appropriate mental health supports and services for them.