Psychosocial Crises and Coping Among the Homeless in the Greater Accra Region

BSTRACT

Homelessness is a pervasive social problem that has devastating impacts on affected individuals and poses severe challenges to policymakers in developing countries. This study investigated psychosocial distress associated with homelessness and the effectiveness of coping strategies used to manage such distress. Homeless individuals aged 10 years and above in the Greater Accra region of Ghana constituted the research population. An explanatory mixed-method design comprising a crosssectional survey (study I) and a one-on-one interview (study II) was employed. A sample of 183 participants, consisting of 86 homeless (47.0%) and 97 non-homeless (53.0%) individuals with an age range of 14 – 49 years (M=24.95, SD=8.75), was drawn for the study. The non-homeless participants served as control only for the assessment of psychosocial distress associated with homelessness. The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the Modified PTSD Symptom Scale-Self Report, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, the Somatic Symptom Scale – 8, and the Brief COPE Scale were employed as instruments for data collection in Study I. Semistructured interview guide was developed for data collection in Study II. Analyses of data in study I revealed significantly higher level of psychosocial distress among homeless participants than non-homeless participants; greater use of adaptive coping strategies than maladaptive coping strategies among the homeless participants; and significant associations between maladaptive coping and psychosocial distress. Thematic analyses of qualitative data in Study II exposed the unique experiences of homeless individuals, their coping behaviors, and the outcomes of such coping behaviors. The findings highlight the need for timely and appropriate interventions to address the psychosocial crises facing the homeless in Ghana.