Perceptions of social support usage among single men experiencing recurrent homelessness

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Single adult men are at increased risk of recurring homelessness and comprise a large percentage of those experiencing episodic homelessness. This manuscript explored pathways into repeated episodes of homelessness for single men through participants’ perceptions of using social support to find and maintain housing. Method: This study utilized qualitative methods to understand experiences of men who had been housed but had lost permanent housing within the past two years. Grounded theory methods were adapted, specifically techniques of using open and focused coding, constant comparison, and memo-writing. Results: Two themes captured participants’ (n = 25) views on utilizing social support. First, men shared their experiences with insufficient social support, both in terms of quality and quantity. Second, participants expressed hesitancy to utilize available support and resources. Three sub-themes around hesitancy are described: a sense of personal responsibility/ self-reliance, concerns about being a burden, and feelings of disdain towards those dependent on support. Discussion: Social networks were described as small and sometimes detrimental to well-being with participants having few healthy, secure relationships. Although some participants described longstanding isolation, even those with social and familial connections described a strong sense of self-reliance and hesitancy to seek assistance.