Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
Fundamental Causes of Housing Loss among Persons Diagnosed with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness: A
Russell K Schutt1, Stephen M Goldfinger
1Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School. Present address: Department of Psychiatry, SUNY/Downstate Medical Center. 450 Clarkson Ave., Brooklyn NY 11203. smgoldfingermd@aol.com .
Abstract:
Previous research on housing loss among severely mentally ill persons who have been placed in housing after being homeless has been largely atheoretical and has yielded inconsistent results. We develop a theory of housing loss based on identifying fundamental causes-problems in motives, means and social situation-and test these influences in a longitudinal, randomized comparison of housing alternatives. As hypothesized, individuals were more likely to lose housing if they had a history of alcohol or drug abuse, desired strongly to live independently contrary to clinician recommendations, or were African Americans placed in independent housing. Deficits in daily functioning did not explain these influences, but contributed to risk of housing loss. Our results demonstrate the importance of substance abuse, the value of distinguishing support preferences from support needs, and the necessity of explaining effects of race within a social context and thus should help to improve comparative research.
Related Concept Videos
Fundamental Attribution Error
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Introduction to Psychological Disorders
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
