Psychopathology and developmental delay in homeless children: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Social Psychiatry

Background:

• Homelessness is a significant social issue impacting families.
• Children experiencing homelessness are at high risk for adverse developmental and mental health outcomes.
• Existing research indicates a need for better understanding of mental health in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess developmental delays in homeless children (ages 4-10).
• To identify emotional and behavioral disturbances in these children.
• To examine parental mental health, including depression and psychiatric history.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 50 parent-child pairs from homeless families in NYC hotels.
• Assessment of children's receptive verbal functioning and psychomotor abilities.
• Screening for emotional/behavioral problems in children and parental depression/psychiatric history.

Main Results:

• Nearly all children displayed some difficulties.
• 61% of children had receptive verbal functioning at or below the 1st percentile.
• 29% had psychomotor ability at or below the 5th percentile; 38% exhibited emotional/behavioral problems.
• 28% of parents showed mild to severe depression; some reported past psychiatric issues.

Conclusions:

• Homeless children in this sample exhibit widespread developmental and emotional/behavioral challenges.
• Parental mental health issues, particularly depression, are prevalent.
• Urgent mental health interventions are needed for both homeless children and their parents.