Two pathways through adversity: Predicting well‐being and housing outcomes among homeless service users

Abstract

People who experience homelessness face many challenges and disadvantages that negatively impact health and well-being and form barriers to achieving stable housing. Further, people who are homeless often have limited social connections and support. Building on previous research that has shown the beneficial effect of group identification on health and well-being, the current study explores the relationship between two social identity processes - multiple group memberships and service identification - and well-being and positive housing outcomes. Measures were collected from 76 participants while they were residing in a homeless accommodation service (T1) and again 2-4 weeks after leaving the service (or 3 months after T1 if participants had not left the service). Mediation analyses revealed that multiple group memberships and service identification at T1 independently predicted well-being at T2 indirectly, via social support. Further, both social identity processes also indirectly predicted housing outcomes via social support. The implications of these findings are twofold. First, while belonging to multiple social groups may provide a pathway to gaining social support and well-being, group belonging may not necessarily be beneficial to achieve stable housing. Second, fostering identification with homeless services may be particularly important as a source of support that contributes to well-being.

“Is it me or should my friends take the credit?” The role of social networks and social identity in recovery from addiction

“…A hierarchical regression model was developed to evaluate whether social network and social identity factors could predict wellbeing in recovery (H3). While the selection of covariates was theoretically informed (SIMOR; Best et al, ), it was also shaped by prior research (Buckingham et al, ; Dingle, Stark, et al, ) and driven by data analysis. A three step model was chosen to establish the effect of social network and social identity factors on wellbeing in recovery (step 3), while accounting for the effects of social network and identity factors in addiction (step 2) and known predictors (step 1).…”

When groups do not cure: Group esteem moderates the social cure effect

“…This relationship between group membership and well‐being is dynamic and robust, replicating in diverse groups, contexts, and for a range of well‐being outcomes. For instance, the social cure effect has been observed in a variety of special populations, such that social identification is associated with reduced risk of premature death among retired adults (Steffens, Cruwys, Haslam, Jetten, & Haslam, ), lower depressive symptoms among older adults (Ysseldyk, Haslam, & Haslam, ), increased cognitive functioning among aging adults (Haslam, Cruwys, & Haslam, ), increased self‐esteem among people with autism (Cooper, Smith, & Russell, ), greater life satisfaction among people who are homeless (Walter, Jetten, Dingle, Parsell, & Johnstone, ), and more hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being among refugees and voluntary immigrants (Bobowik, Martinovic, Basabe, Barsties, & Wachter, ). The social cure effect has also been examined in multiple distinct contexts.…”

Transitions through homelessness: the impact of psychosocial factors on well-being and outcomes in a homeless sample

“…These findings add to the growing body of literature highlighting the importance of social identities in homeless service provision, support, and well-being (Christian & Abrams, 2003;Christian et al, 2011;Walter et al, 2016). Specifically, the findings suggest social identification with workers can lead to service engagement, which has been shown to be predictive of many positive outcomes, such as exiting homelessness, increases in well-being and self-esteem, decreases in mental health and substance use issues, increased employment and social connections (Black & Gronda, 2011;Zaretzky & Flatau, 2013).…”

“…Compounding these issues, there are generally low reported rates of access and uptake of health care and psychosocial support services (Black & Gronda, 2011;Brown et al, 2016;Kushel et al, 2001). The current study adds to the growing literature demonstrating the importance of psychosocial approaches within a homeless context to address these issues (Biswas-Diener & Diener, 2006;Johnstone et al, 2016;Walter et al, 2016;Walter et al, 2015). Homeless accommodation services are a primary means of service delivery and assistance, both within Australia and internationally.…”

“…For people who are experiencing homelessness, having these positive experiences can be helpful for reducing social isolation schemas, and this may be an important step in achieving broader social integration . Given the results of our previous research (Chapter 6; Walter et al, 2016), it may be important to look at the content of the new group memberships. It may be that only joining new groups that can provide support are important.…”