Homeless Mothers' Caring for Children in A Shelter

Constant comparative analysis of transcribed interviews led to the identification of homeless mothers' caring behaviors for their children, which reflects the pain and hardship these homeless families experience while living a human disaster.

Abstract

Homeless mothers with children are a vulnerable population that faces problems from multiple sources. Little is known about their experiences, as current homeless studies report women's data as part of the aggregate findings with men. This study sought to identify the dimension of homeless mothers' family caring in a shelter. In-depth interviews were conducted with six homeless mothers who were participants in a larger study of homeless women. Constant comparative analysis of transcribed interviews led to the identification of homeless mothers' caring behaviors for their children. These behaviors were sacrificing for children, struggling with limitations, guarding from harm, and seeking answers. This taxonomy reflects the pain and hardship these homeless families experience while living a human disaster.