Changing Social Networks Among Homeless Individuals: A Prospective Evaluation of a Job- and Life-Skills Training Program
Changing Social Networks Among Homeless Individuals: A Prospective Evaluation of a Job- and Life-Skills Training Program
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DOI：
10.1007/s10597-014-9817-5
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发表时间：
2016-10-01
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Shaffer, Howard J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Gray, Heather M.;Shaffer, Paige M.;Shaffer, Howard J.
社交网络在普通人群的心理和身体健康方面发挥着重要作用。建立更健康的社会网络可能有助于在努力克服无家可归和物质使用障碍的人们中发展自给自足。在这项研究中，无家可归的成年人完成了一项工作和生活技能项目（即波士顿圣弗朗西斯之家的“前进计划”），我们前瞻性地检查了社会网络质量、规模和组成的变化。在参与者样本（n = 150）中，我们观察到社交网络质量随时间的积极变化。然而，社会网络的规模和组成在整个样本中没有变化。在项目开始前几个月戒酒的参与者报告说，他们的社交网络发生了健康的变化；具体来说，在完成这个项目的过程中，他们重新构建了自己的社交网络，这样他们的社交网络中使用酒精中毒的成员就会减少。我们讨论了这些发现的实际意义。
Social networks play important roles in mental and physical health among the general population. Building healthier social networks might contribute to the development of self-sufficiency among people struggling to overcome homelessness and substance use disorders. In this study of homeless adults completing a job- and life-skills program (i.e., the Moving Ahead Program at St. Francis House, Boston), we prospectively examined changes in social network quality, size, and composition. Among the sample of participants (n = 150), we observed positive changes in social network quality over time. However, social network size and composition did not change among the full sample. The subset of participants who reported abstaining from alcohol during the months before starting the program reported healthy changes in their social networks; specifically, while completing the program, they re-structured their social networks such that fewer members of their network used alcohol to intoxication. We discuss practical implications of these findings.