Life Meaning in a Social Context Among Formerly Homeless Residents of Permanent Supportive Housing

Experiencing a life of meaning is considered fundamental to "what makes life worth living," yet investigation of life meaning among persons with lived experiences of homelessness is lacking. This study seeks to understand life meaning among formerly homeless residents of permanent supportive housing through an examination of its association with social context.

Data were collected through interviews with 383 persons with experience of chronic homelessness who were provided permanent supportive housing (PSH). Recruitment of participants occurred through partnerships with 26 providers of PSH in Los Angeles County, California. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to understand association of life meaning with hypothesized social contextual variables, controlling for demographic and background characteristics.

Community integration and sense of belonging were significantly and positively associated with life meaning, consistent with findings from previous research involving persons not identified as experiencing homelessness.

Findings suggest opportunities for service providers to facilitate life meaning among residents of supportive housing. Specific attention to life meaning and its social context is consistent with the World Health Organization's position that well-being is a significant aspect of health.