Homelessness and social capital

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Understanding social capital and exploring mental distress in the context of homelessness

• IRAS ID

  268626

• Contact name

  Nadia Ayed

• Contact email

  n.ayed@qmul.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Queen Mary University of London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 1 months, 28 days

• Research summary

  Aims:
  1) To identify the amount and type of social capital present in homeless individuals
  2) To explore relationships between social capital, mental distress, quality of life, drug and alcohol use and contact with services.
  3) To gain in-depth understanding of the social world of homeless people
  
  Background: Social capital is an umbrella term that describes features of the social environment (e.g. relationships, trust, access to services). Research shows that social capital is important for our health and well-being. However, little is known about the social capital of homeless people. We know that homeless people are profoundly marginalised in society, often isolated with low levels of social support. Further,there is some information to suggest that social relationships can become compromised in the context of poverty and marginalisation. However, having strong and positive social relationships is extremely important when homeless, as it provides emotional support, solidarity and can encourage individuals to access services. More research is required to identify the nuances associated with social capital in the context of homelessness and how it relates to mental distress.

  Design of the study: There are two stages to this research. First, a survey will be distributed to three groups: homeless people, community mental health service users and the general public. This will allow us to obtain information regarding the amount and type of social capital present in these groups. The survey data will also be used to explore how social capital is associated with mental distress, quality of life, drug and alcohol use and contact with services. Second, interviews will be held with homeless people, to gain a more in-depth understanding of their experiences. Last, we will conduct interviews with staff from homeless services and/or organisations to get their perspective.

• REC name

  London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  19/LO/1645

• Date of REC Opinion

  31 Oct 2019

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion