Spirituality and mental health among homeless mothers

Mothers are one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population in the United States. Although mental health problems often contribute to homelessness, little is known about the factors that affect mothers' mental health. To help identify protective factors, this longitudinal study examined the relationship between spirituality and mental health among a sample of homeless women with children (N = 222). A growth curve analysis was conducted to examine relationships over a 15-month time span. Forgiveness, congregational problems, negative religious coping, and spiritual meaning all variously predicted mental health outcomes. The implications of these findings are discussed as they intersect practice with homeless mothers.