The Effects of Homelessness in Children on Their Ability to be Successful in Their Adult Life

Much research has been done in the past two decades analyzing homelessness among children, as well as homeless women expecting children. These studies show that there are many factors of homelessness that affect children ranging from the earliest stages of development to their later teen years into adulthood. This study will focus on the direct effects being a child without a home might have on the ability of those children to be successful in their adult lives.
Literature Review: When considering reasons for developmental delays in skills among homeless children, there are many areas that should be reviewed. First of all, let us talk about what might constitute as a “developmental delay in skills”. According the Molnar, Rath, and Klein, when they studied the impact of homelessness on children they focused on issues dealing with homeless mothers in their prenatal state dividing the pregnant women into groups of three: women in homeless shelters, women in housing projects, and all other women (all residing in New York City)(1990, p.110). Of these three groups, the women who were in homeless shelters received the least amount of prenatal care, if any at all, as well as the highest amount of babies that were born at weights lower than average which is proven to increase the likelihood of developing a handicap condition, hearing and or visual impairments, mental retardations, and or behavioral and learning problems. In addition, this group of women also had the highest number of infant mortality rates among the three groups with 24.9 women losing a baby out of 1000 (Molnar, Rath, & Klein, 1990, p.110). Aside from possible birth defects such as the ones previously mentioned, other developmental skills a child may be lacking in as a result of homelessness could be things such as an increase in aggression, lack of willingness: to learn, try new things, verbal skills, and focus, as well as being “shut off” (Douglas, 1996, p.747-748). However, findings in the article by Molnar et al. contradicted Douglas’s claim that children subject to homelessness are less likely to be willing to try new things. In fact, Molnar et al. stated that “homeless children were less afraid of new things” (1990, p.114). In another study that looked at children who were not homeless, but rather were residing in foster care, studied the likelihood that these children would become homeless once they aged out of the foster care they were currently in (Dworsky & Courtney, 2009). Dworsky and Courtney examined groups of young people in their late teens from three Midwestern states that were nearing the age in which they would have to leave the foster homes they were in. They interviewed these teens both before and after leaving the foster care. There results were as followed: more than half the children had experienced homelessness more than once since leaving and 21% experienced homelessness that lasted more than one month (Dworsky & Courtney, 2009, p.32). They also found that delinquent behavior among teens increased their odds of becoming homeless 20%, but having social support with an adult reduced their odds of becoming homeless by 40%, and having a very close relationship to a family member reduced their odds of becoming homeless by 68%. However, if the teens were subject to physical abuse before they entered foster care, their odds of becoming homeless post foster care increased three times as much than if they were not abused physically before they entered foster care (Dworsky & Courtney, 2009, p.46). Similar to the findings in the study ran by Dworsky and Courtney, Herman, Susser, Struning, and Link found a relationship in physical abuse and the risk of adult homelessness; in addition to sexual abuse and lack of parental care/supervision (1997, p.249). Buckner highlighted the risk of being a homeless child on the possibility of gaining mental health issues, health issues in general, being slower than normal to develop basic skills, and lower academic achievement (2008, p. 721). In addition to Buckner, Herman et al. reported about how homelessness as a child could increase the likelihood the child might suffer from depression, anxiety, and substance abuse as an adult (1997, p. 252). Unfortunately, the effects of homelessness on children prove to be somewhat detrimental to their growth as an adult. After looking over each of these five studies, it can be hypothesized that if children are subject to homelessness during their youth, their ability to be successful in their adult life without producing some sort of developmental delay in basic skills, decreases.
Method:
Sample: Data will consist of 300 homeless children ranging in age from 12-16 in two different cities: New York City and Philadelphia (150 from each city). As well as 300 children from the same age group who are not homeless in the same cities as listed above (150 from each city). The gender of the children will be as close as can be to half males, half females. The ethnicity of the children will aim to be equally representative. Materials: Survey #1 will consist of questions regarding living conditions of the children: where, with whom, longevity of stay, bed time, eating habits, education, extra-curricular activities (if any), abuse (physical and or sexual). As well as what their future goals might be. Survey #2 will consist of questions that assess the same things as the first survey in regards to living conditions, but instead of future goals, it will as current occupation (if any), and how happy they are with said conditions of living and current occupation (or lack of). Procedure: The way this study will be ran will be first to select the sample. This will be done by 15 or so field officers who must together find 150 homeless children from each city (Philadelphia and New York City) by visiting homeless shelters, teen centers, soup kitchens, and streets known for homelessness among them. For these 150 homeless children they will administer survey #1. Once the survey is complete they will give the children information about when survey #2 will be conducted and take down information such as names, shelter address, social security number, contact information of a family member (if available), and school address (if available).
They will then do the same for non-homeless children who are ages 12-15 in both cities by visiting random homes or apartment complexes. Once the sample has been selected they will administer survey #1 and retrieve the same contact information as mentioned above, but instead getting a home address and phone number rather than a shelter address.
20 years later the participants will be located as best as they can where survey #2 will be administered. Results will be gathered based on the answers provided from each survey.

References
Buckner, J. C. (2008). Understanding the Impact of Homelessness on Children: Challenges and Future Research Directions. American Behavioral Scientist, 51, 721-734.

Douglass, A. (1996). Rethinking the Effects of Homelessness on Children: Resiliency and Competency. Child Welfare, LXXV(6), 741-750.

Dworsky, A., & Courtney, M. E. (2009). Homelessness and the Transition from Foster Care to Adulthood. Child Welfare, 88(4), 23-51.

Herman, D. B., Susser, E. S., Struening, E. L., & Link, B. L. (1997). Adverse Childhood Experiences: Are They Risk Factors for Adult Homelessness? American Journal of Public Health, 87, 249-255.

Molnar, J. M., Rath, W. R., & Klein, T. P. (1990). Constantly Compromised: The Impact of Homelessness on Children. Journal of Social Issues, 46(4), 109-124.