Homeless men

Abstract

Research literature on homelessness makes frequent reference to shame, but with little inquiry into the role shame may play in the lives of homeless men. This study used Consensual Qualitative Research methodology (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997) to interview 24 men in a small Midwestern city to explore how homeless men experience shame. The results from this study indicate that shame is experienced as a "painful sense of worthlessness and failure" whereby men attribute their homelessness to their own perceived characterological flaws. To avoid the painful experience of shame and stigma, homeless men appear to develop and use defense strategies. While the defense strategies may help alleviate the effects of shame and stigma in the immediate, the strategies appear to negatively affect opportunities that facilitate an exodus from homelessness. This study also found that despite living in a transitional shelter, rare mention was made of plans to exit homelessness. Presented too are the limitations and implications of this research.

Disease-Related Stigma, Stigmatizers, Causes, and Consequences: A Systematic Review

“…Physicians’ stigmatization can lead to non-follow-up and decreased health levels ( 5 , 16 ). Stigma has severe psychological consequences such as blame ( 41 , 62 , 71 , 87 , 90 ), guilt ( 21 , 41 , 91 ), depression ( 53 , 63 , 83 , 91 – 93 ), low self-esteem ( 41 , 94 – 97 ), and humiliation ( 56 , 67 , 83 , 87 , 93 ), leading to mental health disorders, social isolation, low quality of life, and violent behaviors like suicide ( 32 , 49 , 56 , 74 , 83 , 93 , 97 , 98 ). Stigma can also affect the patient’s family and cause them to experience shame ( 32 , 64 , 91 , 92 , 99 ).…”