Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0487
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2161-0487
+44 1478 350008
Larry E Britton
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, USA
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Psychol Psychother
Homelessness continues to be one of our countries most overlooked topics, which has started to gain some attention from legislatures and mental health professionals. One of the most significant populations in urban areas that are known to be homeless is the black males. In this study, 25 black male participants were pooled from the Los Angeles Mission, a Christian-based rehabilitation program that houses men and women struggling with co-occurring disorders. Adverse life events, number of arrests, and social supports; were analyzed amongst all 25 black homeless males; within this study. Within the homeless black males, all of the participants were over the age of 25; 28% were 25-34, 40% were 35-49, 24% were 50-64, and 8% were 65 and older. Of the 25 black male participants, it was found that 64% were non-veterans and 36% were veterans. Seventy two percent (72%) of the black males endorsed that they have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. Data analysis indicated that the top three adverse life events that are seen amongst the black male homeless population were mental health problems; physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; and marital and family problems. When looking at the number of arrests, it was found that 52% of the black males endorsed that they have been arrested 0-3 times throughout their lives. Finally, results show that significant others, family, and friends are critical social supports for both non-veteran and veteran homeless black male populations. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.