Homelessness as psychological trauma: Broadening perspectives.

Abstract

Most mental health literature on homelessness has focused on characteristics that may be risk factors for homelessness. The authors of this article argue that homelessness itself is a risk factor for emotional disorder and use the construct of psychological trauma--focusing on social disaffiliation and learned helplessness--to understand the potential effects of homelessness. Psychological trauma is likely among homeless individuals and families for three reasons. (a) The sudden or gradual loss of one's home can be a stressor of sufficient severity to produce symptoms of psychological trauma. (b) The conditions of shelter life may produce trauma symptoms. (c) Many homeless people--particularly women--become homeless after experiencing physical and sexual abuse and consequent psychological trauma. Research suggests that negative psychological responses to traumatic events can be prevented or mitigated by a supportive and empowering posttrauma environment. The implications of trauma theory for improving the psychosocial conditions of homeless people are discussed.

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   Baggett, Travis P., Lebrun-Harris, Lydie A., Rigotti, Nancy A. · 2013 · Addiction
3. Violence and aggression in the lives of homeless children: a review
   Anooshian, Linda J. · 2005 · Aggression and Violent Behavior
4. “If somebody could just understand what I am going through, it would make all the difference”: Conceptualizations of trauma in homeless populations experiencing severe mental illness
   Gilmoor, Andrew, Vallath, Smriti, Regeer, Barbara, Bunders, Joske · 2020 · Transcultural Psychiatry
5. Mental health care on the streets: An integrated approach.
   2010 · PubMed · 10.3109/00048670903555120

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