Do Street Dwellers Dream? A Phenomenological Study of the Chronically Homeless in the United States

Chronically homeless individuals, or Street Dwellers, present unique challenges for clinicians and outreach workers who engage them when offering services like food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and mental health counseling including substance abuse treatment. This study examines Street Dwellers\' hopes, dreams and aspirations for a better life. Through thematic analysis of interview statements five themes emerged; Normal Life, Optimism, Planning, Helping Others, and From Rags to Respect. Study findings suggest that Street Dwellers dream vividly and often about a life off the streets while frequently forming and reforming plans to get there. These findings provide clinicians and outreach workers insight into the phenomenon of Street Dwelling that could be used to design more effective strategies to help this vulnerable population.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Human Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Human Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Sughrue, Matthew Brian

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• McCollum, Eric E.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Huebner, Angela J.
• Falconier, Mariana

• Street Dweller
• chronically homeless
• dreams

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:122

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/49587