CHARACTERISTICS OF HOMELESS WOMEN & THEIR CHILDREN

该项目旨在进行系统的对照研究 无家可归的母亲和她们的孩子评估社会、精神和 儿童的发育状况。在母亲身上，相关的因素 无家可归以及酒精障碍和其他疾病的相互作用 将探索精神病理学；这些因素与 他们的孩子的精神和发育问题将被检查。 我们将对所有未成年儿童进行有组织的访谈 在300名随机抽样的无家可归妇女中，有17人正在接受采访 使用DIS作为首席调查员当前的一部分 无家可归者的流行病学研究。[更多无家可归的母亲将 随机选择和采访，使用的方法与 流行病学研究。][总计][200]个母亲和所有可用的人 孩子，无论他们目前是否与母亲在一起 (n=约[400]名儿童)将接受采访。 一组[200]非无家可归的母亲和她们的孩子(有 预计每个母亲平均有两个)住在附近的人 无家可归的妇女以前居住的地方也将接受采访。因此， 总共约有[800]名儿童来自[400]个女户主家庭 将为这个项目接受面试。 确定无家可归者的特殊心理健康和其他需要 妇女及其子女及其对服务的利用可能有助于 为这一人群服务，设计最有效的预防方案 和干预。

This project is designed to conduct a systematic controlled study of homeless mothers and their children to assess social, psychiatric and developmental status of the children. In the mothers, factors associated with homelessness and the interplay of alcohol disorders and other psychopathology will be explored; the relationship of these factors with psychiatric and developmental problems in their children will be examined. Structured interviews will be conducted on all available children under age 17 of the 300 randomly sampled homeless women who are [being] interviewed using the DIS as part of the Principal Investigator's current epidemiological study of the homeless. [Additional homeless mothers will be randomly selected and interviewed utilizing the same methods used in the epidemiological study.] A [total] of [200] mothers and all available children, regardless of whether they are currently with the mother (n=approximately [400] children) will be interviewed. A comparison group of [200] non-homeless mothers and their children (with an expected average of two per mother) who are living in neighborhoods where the homeless women previously resided will also be interviewed. Thus a total of approximately [800] children from [400] female-headed families will be interviewed for this project. Identification of the special mental health and other needs of homeless women and their children and their utilization of services may help those serving this population to design the most effective programs of prevention and intervention.