Adaptation in Homeless Children: An Empirical Examination Using Cluster Analysis

Using a person-centered analytical approach, this article examines data from the Worcester Family Research Project to determine whether homeless children (53 preschoolers and 69 school-age children) can be classified into subgroups based on measures of behavior problems, adaptive functioning, and ac...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American behavioral scientist (Beverly Hills) 2008-02, Vol.51 (6), p.737-755
Main Authors: Huntington, Nicholas, Buckner, John C., Bassuk, Ellen L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic achievement
Adaptive behavior
Behavior problems
Child welfare
High functioning
Homeless people
Homogeneity
Preschool children
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Summary:Using a person-centered analytical approach, this article examines data from the Worcester Family Research Project to determine whether homeless children (53 preschoolers and 69 school-age children) can be classified into subgroups based on measures of behavior problems, adaptive functioning, and achievement. Cluster analyses revealed two clusters: higher functioning children (doing well across all three domains, n = 57) and lower functioning children (doing poorly across all three domains, n = 65). These results highlight that homeless children are not a homogeneous group, that a subgroup of children are doing well despite the stresses they face, and that services and policies perhaps ought to be more specifically targeted.
ISSN:0002-7642
1552-3381
DOI:10.1177/0002764207311985