Individual Differences and Strengths Among Parents Experiencing Homelessness: Links to Child Adjustment

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

In the 2016-2017 school year, approximately 1.4 million US students between the ages of 6-18 experienced homelessness. Although many studies have documented a host of negative outcomes associated with childhood homelessness, there is also evidence to suggest individual differences among these children, with many demonstrating resilient functioning. One protective factor known to mitigate the potential negative impact of homelessness is sensitive parenting; however, much of the previous literature on parenting while homeless focuses on barriers to sensitive parenting. In contrast to the bulk of prior studies, this symposium is grounded in a strengths-based approach to exploring caregiving of parents in families experiencing homelessness. The session will include presentations on unique approaches to exploring parenting and child adjustment among families residing in emergency shelters due to homelessness. First will be a discussion of psychometric properties and practice relevance of a new screening tool for children experiencing homelessness and findings on the connection between caregiver and child functioning. In the next two presentations, we will discuss results of studies based on an innovative brief narrative measure to capture the strengths of parents and parent-child relationship functioning. One paper will focus on the positive ways in which parents promote the adjustment of their children and the other paper will focus on links between parenting (warmth as well as negativity) and child adjustment. The discussant, a leader in culturally-sensitive and individualized approaches to service provision, will summarize and integrate findings from across studies and offer clinical, research, and policy implications of the findings.

Sub Unit

• Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Chair

• Caitlyn Reis Owens, North Carolina State University

Individual Presentations

• A Qualitative Exploration of the Parenting Strengths and Needs of Mothers Experiencing Homelessness - Presenting Author: McKenzie Green, Virginia Commonwealth University; Non-Presenting Author: Mary Haskett, North Carolina State University; Non-Presenting Author: Caitlyn Reis Owens, North Carolina State University

• Parent-Child Relationships in the Context of Family Homeless Shelters - Presenting Author: Alexandra R Buccelli, North Carolina State University; Non-Presenting Author: Katherine Hayes, Villanova University; Non-Presenting Author: Janette E. Herbers, Villanova University

• Incorporating Caregiver Mental Health and Parenting into the Identification of Risk for Children Experiencing Homelessness. - Presenting Author: Carmela J DeCandia, Artemis Associates