Social relationships, stigma, and wellbeing through experiences of homelessness in the United Kingdom

Abstract

People occupying stigmatized social positions often withdraw from sources of social support, becoming stressed, depressed, and isolated. Homelessness is globally prevalent and stigmatized. Despite the overwhelming evidence that homelessness is associated with experiences of isolation and poor mental health, there is a sparse understanding of how stigma and social relationships interact with mental health in this context. This mixed-method study presents evidence that relationship breakdown is a common precedent to experiences of homelessness. It further shows that people withdraw from potential sources of support due to the stigma associated with homelessness. The findings demonstrate that universal forms of social contact and perceived social support do not consistently associate with mental health. Rather, distinct types of support, from different support sources, are associated with higher levels of mental health. Policy implications considering the relationship of stigma and social relationships within the context of homelessness are discussed.

On the lowest rung of the ladder: How social exclusion, perceived economic inequality and stigma increase homeless people's resignation

“…Also, Supplementary Analysis 3 in Data S1 showed that the identity ties did not moderate the negative effect of social exclusion on resignation, confirming that the identity bonds with other homeless were not an effective source of protection against social threats. The results align with the research from Rea (2022), showing that social support from homeless friends was not associated with better mental health. These latter findings align with the literature confronting the rejection‐identification model in low‐status marginalized groups (e.g., Bilewicz et al, 2021).…”

“…Furthermore, results confirmed that the centrality of the identification with one's low-status group could make experiences of discrimination and social exclusion more salient (e.g., Begeny & Huo, 2017;Bilewicz et al, 2021;Rea, 2022;Rubin & Stuart, 2018). Indeed, scholars argued that, when highly central and relevant to the self, the marginalized identity can promptly become the cognitive schema through which individuals interpret their social experiences.…”

“…As a result, individuals become more sensitive to episodes of social exclusion they are exposed to as homeless people and perceive them more frequently (Begeny & Huo, 2017; Operario & Fiske, 2001). Furthermore, the stigmatized identity can also make people withdraw and conceal from others, ultimately increasing the sense of exclusion and isolation (Rea, 2022). The current research contributed to understanding how the perception of economic inequality can be a crucial trigger of such harmful stigmatized identity and its derived perceptions.…”

“…The literature on homelessness suggests that the stigma might exacerbate the sense of isolation and reduce the perception of social support, with negative consequences for homeless people's well‐being (Dashora, 2016; Teo & Chiu, 2016). The recent work from Rea (2022) suggests that homeless people's stigmatized social position negatively affected their self‐esteem and increased feelings of depression and anxiety. Also, the author highlighted that the perception of stigma might further increase their isolation and exclusion by making homeless people conceal their status, withdraw from social interaction, and prevent them from seeking social support.…”

The differential impact of socioeconomic status indicators on values and self-mastery ( El impacto diferencial de los indicadores del nivel socioeconómico en los valores y el autodominio )

“…The data were obtained as part of a larger dataset which examined differences in values, self-mastery, social support, interpersonal trust and well-being between people experiencing homelessness and other groups within the United Kingdom (Rea, 2019). The recruitment procedure, details of participant recruitment numbers by centre, respective participant payments and data-cleansing procedure are fully reported and can be reviewed in Rea (2023).…”