Stress and Coping in Homeless Children

Abstract

The possible moderating effects of social support and self-competence on the relationship between stressful life events and behavior problems were examined in 49 homeless children residing in shelters in New York City. The children’s mothers were administered measures of their children’s stressful life events, social support, and behavior problems; the children themselves were adnlinistered measures of their social support and perceived self-competence. There was support for the buffering hypothesis for social support, with the mothers’ perceptions of their children’s social support moderating a relationship between stressful life events and behavior problems. Social support also was related to self-competence and to behavior problems. The children’s perceived self-competence did not function as a moderator. Implications for preventively oriented interventions with homeless children are discussed.

Key Words:

• Homelessness
• Stress
• Social support