A STUDY OF THE EXPERIENCES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS
Information for Staff
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY?
We are Trainee Clinical Psychologists at the University of Southampton, and are undertaking this research study as part of our Doctoral Thesis, supervised by Dr Nick Maguire. We are each researching different aspects of the experiences and personal characteristics of people who are homeless. Anneliese is exploring relationships between childhood trauma, attachment (bonding) difficulties, emotion regulation and unhelpful coping behaviours (e.g., drug and alcohol misuse, self-harm, aggression). Kate is looking at relationships between childhood trauma, attachment (bonding) difficulties, resilience and coping styles. Given the overlap between our studies, we are collecting data together. We hope that the findings of our research will help add to our understanding of the pathways to homelessness, and provide evidence for the need for Psychological interventions with this vulnerable population.
HAS THE STUDY BEEN APPROVED?
Both studies have been approved by the Ethics Committee at the University of Southampton, and we both have Research Governance insurance.
WHAT WILL THE STUDY INVOLVE?
The study will involve completing 6 questionnaires and a demographic information form, which usually take around 1 hour and 10 minutes to fill out. We are hoping to recruit between 60 and 85 people who are homeless to complete the questionnaires.
WHO CAN TAKE PART IN THE STUDY?
Anyone who is currently homeless can take part in the study. The only reason that people will be excluded is if they are unable to understand written or spoken English, since we do not have access to interpreters.
HOW WILL WE COLLECT THE DATA?
We intend to place posters around the hostel advertising the study. We also hope that staff at the hostel will be able to tell people about the study, if they require further information. We will also be providing flyers, which can be given to people who are interested in taking part. All residents who are interested in taking part will be screened for reading ability, and we are hoping that staff at the hostel will be able to do this. The screening involves filling in a short form. This will help us to identify whether people are able to take part and whether they will require extra support to complete the questionnaires.
Once residents have been identified, we intend to hold assessment sessions at the hostel on a regular basis over the next couple of months. Within assessment sessions, between 5-10 people can complete the questionnaires at the same time. We will be available to help people with the completion of questionnaires, and to answer any questions. If people would prefer extra support to fill out the questionnaires, we can arrange a one-to-one interview session.
HOW WILL STAFF BE INVOLVED?
We are hoping that staff at the hostel will be able to help us out. Since we will not be at the hostel on a day-to-day basis, and do not know the residents, we hope that staff will be able to tell people about the study, and give out flyers. We are also hoping that staff will be able to complete the screening forms with residents, and keep us informed of how many people are interested in taking part. During assessment sessions, we hope that staff will be able to help us get people together in one room to complete the questionnaires. Since we will not know the residents, and will not be aware of specific risk issues, we hope that a member of staff will be able to sit in with us during assessment sessions, and help with supporting residents to complete the questionnaires.
HOW WILL PEOPLE GIVE THEIR CONSENT?
It will be up to residents to choose whether or not they would like to take part. Anyone who wishes to take part will be given a verbal explanation of the study and a written information sheet to keep. If residents fill out the questionnaires, this will be taken as them giving informed consent to be included as a participant in this study. However, it must be emphasised that even if people choose to take part, they will still be able to stop and withdraw at any time without giving a reason and this will not affect the services they receive.
WILL THE DATA BE CONFIDENTIAL?
All the information collected from the questionnaires will be kept strictly confidential; it will not be shared with anyone other than the researchers named on this information sheet. Each person will be allocated a unique identification number which will be put on all the questionnaires and will therefore make them anonymous. All the information we collect about people as part of this study will be kept in a secure place only accessible by the named researchers. The overall results of this study will be written up in a report. People will remain anonymous in this report. People will be able to get a summary of the results when they are available by contacting us.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF TAKING PART?
The information from this study will help us understand some of the difficulties homeless people face and so hopefully let us know what further services might be needed to help people in similar situations. Once we have written up our studies, we would like to come back and tell you about our findings.
As a way of saying ‘Thank You’ to residents for filling out the 6 questionnaires, everyone who takes part will be offered a £6 food voucher.
Some of the questionnaires may make people feel upset or distressed. If anyone becomes upset or distressed while filling out the questionnaires, they will be free to stop participating and support will be available if they would like it. We will also be informing residents that if they become upset or distressed, they should seek support from their key-worker, their GP, or the Samaritans.
HOW DO YOU CONTACT US?
Your named contact will be…………………………………..and you can contact her
at……………………………………
You can also contact us at:
School of Psychology
Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology
University of Southampton
34 Bassett Crescent East
Southampton
SO16 7PB
Tel: 02380 595320
Thank you for your help in running this study
Researchers: Kate Willoughby, Anneliese Day & Dr. Nick Maguire
School of Psychology, Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 IBJ. Tel: 02380 595321