Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

Background and Purpose: Homelessness has increasingly impacted poor single mothers and their children. Few studies have examined the impact of being homeless on both maternal adjustment and parenting that can relate to child adjustment and achievement in the schools. Further, there has been little examination of the impact of risk and protective factors in the context of being homeless on maternal mental health and parenting. The present study is designed to assess the moderating effects of risk and protective factors on maternal mental health, parenting daily hassles, and parental involvement in the schools.

Method: Face to face interviews were conducted with 50 mothers from local shelters. Mothers ranged in age from twenty-five to fifty-three years old, with an average age of 35 years. Ninety percent of the mothers were African American. A large majority of women reported never being married (76% of the sample). More than forty percent of mothers reported working primarily full-time outside of the home (44%); a third of the mothers reported being mostly unemployed outside of the home (32%), and a smaller number reported holding primarily part-time employment (24%). Twenty-eight percent of the mothers indicated that they did not complete sufficient schooling in order to receive a HS diploma or GED, 58% indicated receiving a HS diploma or GED, and 14% indicated receiving a trade, vocational, or associate's degree post-HS. Mothers indicated living in one to seven living sites in the past year.

Results: Number of moves, stressful life events, maternal education, income and social support were regressed on maternal mental health as measured by the Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI). These variables, in turn, were regressed on Parenting Daily Hassles and Parental Involvement in the Schools. Results indicate that number of moves and stressful life events are related to increased mental health symptoms, and higher levels of maternal education, income and social support are related to fewer symptoms. Further, there is evidence and maternal protective factors moderate the effects of mobility and life events on maternal adjustment. Mothers with more mental health difficulties, in turn, report more parenting hassles and less involvement in the schools than mothers with fewer symptoms.

Conclusions and Implications: Understanding the impact of risk and protective factors in the context of being homeless is important in developing the appropriate services, supports and interventions that may be necessary to support homeless mothers. It is expected that such supports would not only assist mothers in coping with their situation, but also assist their children in adapting and succeeding as well.