Homelessness and ideas of persecution: A mixed-methods questionnaire study examining persecutory beliefs and the role of safety behaviours in unstable housing
Year: 2023
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose: Mental health difficulties are highly prevalent in homeless populations. Fears of harm from others (persecutory beliefs) may contribute to, perpetuate, and result from people’s difficulties with unstable housing. We aimed to examine whether persecutory beliefs contained housing concerns, assess the use of safety behaviours, and begin to explore the impact of such experiences on homelessness. We further aimed to investigate whether this group wanted to be asked about persecutory worries and supported with them. Method: Twenty-three people with experience of both homelessness and at least moderate-severe persecutory beliefs completed a mixed-methods questionnaire. Results: Persecutory worries explicitly related to previous (stable) living situations in eleven participants, with seven citing fearing harm from landlords or neighbours. An additional six participants reported persecutory beliefs that specifically related to homelessness. All participants reported using avoidance strategies and at least six different behaviours to stay safe. There was also evidence of links between unstable housing, persecutory beliefs, and safety behaviours, with fifteen participants stating a clear association between these factors. Most participants reported that they would have wanted support with their persecutory beliefs. Conclusion: The results of this study provide evidence that for some individuals the content of persecutory beliefs specifically relates to their living situation. Such beliefs, understandably, prompt avoidance and safety behaviours. Participants described a desire to be supported with persecutory worries, though noted barriers to accessing services. These findings have clinical implications for improving support available for people experiencing persecutory fears relating to their housing.
Source: PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints)
Authors: Ashley Teale, Amy Lovell, Lucy Heard, Marta Krawczyk, Susanna Burgess-Barr, Pamela Charlotte Jacobsen
Institution: University of Bath
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4386981880