Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experience of being a homeless woman with preschool children living in a temporary shelter. Six focus groups were conducted, in which 29 women from two shelters participated. An interpretive phenomenological approach to data analysis was used. Themes and exemplars were identified. Several strategies were used to assure the trustworthiness of the analysis: the use of a research assistant experienced in group process for debriefing after each focus group; the use of a computer data management program to assure that recurrent themes were identified; and the use of extensive notes with respect to the context of the group sessions. Finally, the interpretation of the data was brought back for group validation to assure that the analysis presented an accurate reflection of the women's voices. An over-riding pattern of the study was: being a homeless woman with preschool children living in a temporary shelter was HARD. Five constitutive patterns were identified: (1)"'When you're homeless, you ain't nobody"; (2) "They don't care"; (3) "It hurts me that I can't do anything for my child"; (4) "Homelessness is not choice"; and (5) Coping strategies. The women also discussed their concerns about shelter life. The findings from this study may be used to understand the experiences of homeless women. The shelter sites offer nurses a unique practice setting in which innovative interventions could be designed to promote the health and welfare of homeless women and their children.
Sigma Membership
Delta Beta at-Large
Type
Dissertation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Homeless Families, Living in Shelters, Lived Experiences
Advisor
Alice S. Demi
Degree
PhD
Degree Grantor
Georgia State University
Degree Year
1997
Recommended Citation
Averitt, Sandra S., "The lived experience of homeless women with preschool children" (2020). Dissertations. 440.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/dissertations/440
Rights Holder
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Review Type
None: Degree-based Submission
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2020-06-26
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
Description
This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 9812161; ProQuest document ID: 304343595. The author still retains copyright.