Neuropsychological Functioning of Homeless Men

Numerous biological and psychological factors associated with impaired neurological functioning have been identified as common among the homeless, but there has been relatively little systematic examination of the cognitive functioning of homeless people. This study explored the neuropsychological functioning of 90 homeless men. There was great variability in their test scores, but the presence of possible cognitive impairment was detected in 80% of the sample. Average general intellectual functioning and reading abilities were found to be relatively low, and the incidence of impairments in reading, new verbal learning, memory, and attention and concentration was high. These findings suggest that the homeless men in this study had considerable assessment and treatment needs that were not being met by most of the health and social services offered to them

Supporting Children who are Homeless in the Classroom

This report addresses the need for classroom teachers to provide additional educational supports to young children who are homeless as they are at risk to face academic and social challenges due to their circumstances at home. This paper defines homelessness, discusses the negative effects of homelessness on the child, notes any present policies in place that address homeless children, highlights the burdens that classroom teachers face, and offers suggestions for these classroom teachers so that they can better educate children who are homeless. Furthermore, a case study of the topic of homelessness in Boston Public Schools has been examined to illustrate how this issue is present in today’s society. Educators from Boston Public Schools discuss their experiences and thoughts on the topic of supporting children who are homeless in their classroom. From their responses, common themes surrounding this topic emerged. This article concludes with addressing the need for school systems to make improvements in the current supports that they have for their students who are homeless. In summary, the findings of this paper suggest that students who are homeless need more access to emotional supports that serve as a foundation for academic supports

Overriding Virtue

If you focus your charitable giving on global causes where it will do the most good, how should you feel about passing by the local soup kitchen? Would the ideally virtuous agent have their (local) empathy still activated, but simply overridden by the recognition that distant others are in even greater need, leaving the agent feeling torn? Or would their empathetic impulses be wholeheartedly redirected towards the greatest needs? This chapter suggests a way to revise an outdated conception of moral virtue to better meet the demands of a cosmopolitan moral outlook

The Lived Experience of Cultural Immersion

This article presents the findings of a grounded theory study of 3 graduate students\u27 lived experience of cultural immersion. Results indicated that participants experienced 3 phases (goal setting, interaction, and evaluation) and 4 themes (bias, gender, barriers, and self-awareness) during immersion. Recommendations for the implementation of immersion experiences are discussed

Open Space, Thin Blankets, and Snores: An Examination of Sleep in Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness

Sleep has been identified as a public health concern, especially among college students and young adults, which are defined here as adults ages 18-25 years old. Individuals who are homeless also face specific challenges to getting high quality, restful sleep. The purpose of this review is to investigate the potential health burden of impaired sleep quality in young adults experiencing homelessness. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Ebscohost, Medline, Google Scholar, and PsychInfo databases were searched using the following terms independently and in combination: sleep, sleep quality, young adults, college students, emerging adults, sleep hygiene, homeless, subjective sleep inadequacy, impaired sleep, health, and self-rated health. Twenty-three articles from a variety of disciplines concerning sleep health in college students, young adults, and homeless adults were included. Of these 23 studies, 18 studies were conducted among college students and young adults and almost all were descriptive, aside from one experimental design to evaluate sleep and related parameters. The other 5 studies were conducted in homeless adult populations with one study being experimental and the others descriptive in design. Findings from these studies indicate that poor sleep quality and inadequate sleep quantity are problems in both college students and adults experiencing homelessness. This review also identified a gap in the literature—there has not been any sleep research conducted among young adults experiencing homelessness. But, the data that does exist among their domiciled counterparts and in older homeless adults reveals that sleep is likely a significant health issue which should be investigated and addressed in the target population. Additionally, though there is a large body of validated tools to assess sleep in college students, these assessment measures may be inappropriate in the evaluation of young adults experiencing homelessness

The Reliability of Memory: An Argument from the Armchair

The “problem of memory” in epistemology is concerned with whether and how we could have knowledge, or at least justification, for trusting our apparent memories. I defend an inductive solution—more precisely, an abductive solution—to the problem. A natural worry is that any such solution would be circular, for it would have to depend on memory. I argue that belief in the reliability of memory can be justified from the armchair, without relying on memory. The justification is, roughly, that my having the sort of experience that my apparent memory should lead me to expect is best explained by the hypothesis that my memories are reliable. My solution is inspired by Harrod’s (1942) inductive solution. Coburn (1960) argued that Harrod’s solution contains a fatal flaw. I show that my solution is not vulnerable to Coburn’s objection, and respond to a number of other, recent and likely objections

A computer-assisted motivational social network intervention to reduce alcohol, drug and HIV risk behaviors among Housing First residents.

BackgroundIndividuals transitioning from homelessness to housing face challenges to reducing alcohol, drug and HIV risk behaviors. To aid in this transition, this study developed and will test a computer-assisted intervention that delivers personalized social network feedback by an intervention facilitator trained in motivational interviewing (MI). The intervention goal is to enhance motivation to reduce high risk alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and reduce HIV risk behaviors.Methods/designIn this Stage 1b pilot trial, 60 individuals that are transitioning from homelessness to housing will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition. The intervention condition consists of four biweekly social network sessions conducted using MI. AOD use and HIV risk behaviors will be monitored prior to and immediately following the intervention and compared to control participants' behaviors to explore whether the intervention was associated with any systematic changes in AOD use or HIV risk behaviors.DiscussionSocial network health interventions are an innovative approach for reducing future AOD use and HIV risk problems, but little is known about their feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy. The current study develops and pilot-tests a computer-assisted intervention that incorporates social network visualizations and MI techniques to reduce high risk AOD use and HIV behaviors among the formerly homeless. CLINICALTRIALS.Gov identifierNCT02140359

The Roadmap: A Five-Year Plan to End the Crisis of Family Homelessness in San Francisco

On June 2, 2015, we released The Roadmap—a report that showed two important things:that child homelessness was at a distressing high of approximately 3,222 homeless children in the city;but also that the crisis of family homelessness was something that San Francisco's City government has both the knowledge and the resources to solve.Read our report, or just the executive summary, and then work with us to get the City to take the necessary action to get our kids off the streets, out of shelters, and into homes

Neuropsychological Functioning and Attrition Rates in Outpatient Substance Dependence Treatment

Numerous neuropsychological factors have been associated with substance dependence, however, very few studies have evaluated the relationship of the neuropsychological functioning and attrition rates in substance dependence treatment. This study examined the relationship of neuropsychological functioning and attrition rates in 68 homeless, substance dependent men participating in outpatient treatment at the 7C\u27s Community Counseling Clinic located in the Guesthouse of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A neuropsychological battery including the Delis Kaplan Executive Functioning System, the Conners\u27 Continuous Performance Test II, the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) and the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading was given to all participants to evaluate neuropsychological function. The neuropsychological functioning was used to predict attrition rates using Survival Analysis and Logistic Regression. The results indicate that the neuropsychological functioning of this group of adult males showed statistically significant impaired functioning on all measures. Of the neuropsychological variables, only the WASI IQ predicated attrition and length of stay which showed a curvilinear relationship to drop out and attrition. Participants with a moderately low WASI IQ score (77-95) were significantly more likely to drop out (p = .012) and more likely to have shorter lengths of stay in treatment (p = .028). In addition, the neuropsychological variables did show a relationship with drop out and length of stay when looking at cases with a median IQ below 94 and those with no prior AODA treatment. Finally, results of calculations on effect size and power analysis show that with a larger sample size (98-170) we could increase the possibility that the neuropsychological variables would predict drop out and attrition and could attain power between .80 and .95

Do You See Me? Ethical Considerations of the Homeless

In city parks, people who are homeless are often seen with backpacks and bags sitting on benches or sleeping there. Society may view the homeless as troublesome or not see them at all. Researchers identify issues that should be explored, but recognize that the homeless are a fragile population and proceed with care. People who are homeless can be at risk for exploitation, because the person, who is hungry or cold, may be willing to exchange personal dignity for food or shelter. This is an exploration of the awakening and enlightenment that occurs when the researcher truly sees the homeless, not just as research participants, but as humans. As the researcher is allowed inside, the research purpose may fade and become insignificant as the plethora of problems for the homeless come into focus. Those who were invisible become brilliantly visible while the hue of the researcher’s work fades in comparison. The researcher will face the human suffering that presents. In the end, it is the researcher who learns. The telling of this unveiling is interlaced with a story from a man who is homeless in New Orleans, Louisiana. As the researcher attempted to get inside the culture to prepare for research, the invisible became visible. Getting into the community means learning and understanding the plight of the people; sometimes, that experience is shocking