Social network change after moving into permanent supportive housing: Who stays and who goes?

Abstract

Social relationships are important among persons experiencing homelessness, but there is little research on changes in social networks among persons moving into permanent supportive housing (PSH). Using data collected as part of a longitudinal study of 405 adults (aged 39+) moving into PSH, this study describes network upheaval during this critical time of transition. Interviews conducted prior to and after three months of living in PSH assessed individual-level (demographics, homelessness history, health, and mental health) and social network characteristics, including network size and composition (demographics, relationship type, and social support). Interviewers utilized network member characteristics to assess whether network members were new or sustained between baseline and three months post-housing. Multilevel logistic regression models assessed characteristics of network members associated with being newly gained or persisting in networks three months after PSH move-in. Results show only one-third of social networks were retained during the transition to PSH, and veterans, African Americans, and other racial/ethnic minorities, and those living in scattered site housing, were more likely to experience network disruption. Relatives, romantic partners, and service providers were most likely to be retained after move-in. Some network change was moderated by tie strength, including the retention of street-met persons. Implications are discussed.

The Association between Housing Stability and Perceived Quality of Life among Emerging Adults with a History of Homelessness

“…For others, changes were welcome and deliberate, in an efort to alleviate perceived threats from the social environment towards housing stability, health, and safety. Similar fndings are noted in the literature on adults experiencing homelessness, where prior work identifed that a small portion of one's social network was retained after transitioning to permanent supportive housing [64].…”

Perceived Social Support Attenuates the Association between Stress and Health-Related Quality of Life among Adults Experiencing Homelessness

“…Additionally, building social support is not merely about adding to the social network; research suggests that the quality of social relationships is important to health, particularly for homeless women, suggesting the importance of having low-conflict social relationships [44,48]. Finally, the effect of individual circumstances (e.g., living in sheltered versus unsheltered settings, transition to more permanent housing, or caregivers for children) should be considered in interventions to build and maintain social support for this population, knowing that circumstances, and a change in them, can be disruptive to extant support networks, requiring reassessment and additional resource/resiliency planning [49][50][51][52]. Ultimately, such efforts to build supportive social networks may have positive effects on mental and physical manifestations of poor HRQoL among individuals experiencing homelessness.…”

Distal supports, capabilities, and growth‐focused recovery: A comparison of Housing First and the staircase continuum of care

“…Through the experience of DS, an individual may feel recognized and included in their community in ways that allow them to feel safe and secure (Wieland et al, 2007). DS may also stave off the loneliness one might experience upon moving to a new home in a new community (Rhoades et al, 2021).…”