NTIC Students Perceptions Of Homeless People Psychology Essay

Homeless is a serious job that society has non eliminated and history shows that at times of economic trouble the state of affairs of homelessness becomes worse. Across Europe more people have become homeless and are excluded from society. Research indicates that society ‘s perceptual experience of stateless people can impact how much aid they receive. This research undertook to look into attitudes among a Nottingham Trent International College pupils ‘ . A study was conducted utilizing a questionnaire informations aggregation method in order to reply the research ends of this undertaking. A sum of 25 pupils were invited to take part in the research. The cardinal aims of the survey were to find NTIC pupil attitudes towards homeless and understand how of import homelessness was perceived to be and what steps if any were supported. The consequences of questionnaire showed that pupils had a positive attitude of stateless people. The perceptual experience was that homeless were responsible for their state of affairs but that there were other factors. There was non important support for steps to back up the homeless and it was considered to less of import other issues including instruction, offense and wellness.

Introduction

Homeless is a job around the universe and what people think about stateless people can impact the aid and support they may have from society and authorities. Around the universe authoritiess are cutting back on services and one of the countries that is affected is the service to back up the homeless. In the UK there is much treatment about the decreased disbursement on public services and money for homeless services is one country will be affected. It is important to see how far public attitude can impact the support given to homeless people. In America homeless services are being cut-back because this is an country which the authorities does non hold to worry about the populace ‘s sentiment ( Abramsky 2010 ) . This is because the populace are non concerned about homelessness and in fact really see it as an irritation or a waste of money.

Homelessness is a serious job for many people who enduring from wellness jobs both physical and mental. History has demoing that in economic bad times homelessness became really bad such as in the Victorian period and in the 1980s ( Abramsky 2010 ) . In the current hapless economic state of affairs with the authorities cutting back on public disbursement in all countries it is of import to raise the inquiry will back up for stateless people become less. How much support they receive will depend on how strong attitudes are for the homeless.

Therefore this research will look into the current attitude of pupils at NTIC to give indicant of wider perceptual experience of the UK Public attitude on the issue. The consequences from the study will supply an indicant of whether public think that homeless is a serious issue that support strong action by authorities and society. Additionally it will bespeak whether pupil perceive the action in Nottingham is excessively small or excessively much and whether attitude will promote action or let homeless to go worse.

A study was conducted utilizing a questionnaire informations aggregation method in order to reply the research ends of this undertaking. The consequences of the study focused on replying several research inquiries:

How do you believe people go homeless?

Where do you believe stateless acquire nutrient and money?

How can homeless people be helped?

Do you believe stateless people are responsible for their state of affairs?

Do you believe homelessness is a serious job in the UK?

Do you believe homelessness should be a precedence for the authorities?

What measures to assist homeless people do you back up?

Literature Review

Numerous surveies have focused on the attitudes of different groups toward the homeless. Many of these surveies have focused on the attitudes of medical pupils and nurses. Kee Minick and Connor ( 1999 ) found that overall the attitudes of nurses towards the homeless were non negative. Nurses ‘ perceptual experiences were that homelessness was due to a deficiency of occupations. Kee, Minick and Connor ( 1999 ) suggest this as a likely ground why their position was positive. Furthermore, the survey showed that Nurses unlike the general populace, believed that mental unwellness was of import cause for homelessness.

Nurse pupils besides perceived that the homeless were non ever able to acquire entree to the medical support they needed ( Hunter et al. 1991 cited in Cruz, Brehm & A ; Harris 2004 ) . One negative perceptual experience that this group did hold was that the homeless, that suffered from drink or drug jobs, did non necessitate every bit much attention other people.

In some instances nurses ‘ positions were non different from other people. An earlier survey showed that the general populace had similar positions as nurses about the cause of homeless. Lee, Jones and Lewis ( 1990 ) discovered that the Public in America had the attitude that homelessness was the consequence of environmental factors such as hapless occupation chances or instruction installations. Personal factors such as motive, ability and attempt were seen as less important. Nevertheless Lee, Jones and Lewis ( 1990 ) point to grounds by an Associated Press study in 1989, that a big per centum 42 % of the public consider the person is at mistake for their state of affairs.

Other surveies found that attitudes could really alter in certain environments. Mason and Lester ( 2003 ) revealed that medical pupils were really likely to develop negatives positions of the homeless throughout their period of survey.

In contrast, the survey by Cruz, Brehm and Harris ( 2004 ) measured attitudes of primary attention occupants over a period and discovered that perceptual experience towards homelessness could be influenced in a positive manner by educating participants about the homeless.

Meanwhile some research showed that positive positions could be determined by the pupil ‘s background. Perry ( 2003 ) examined pupils ‘ attitudes in relation to their positions on working with stateless people. Their research showed that an involvement or willingness to work with stateless people was shown by older pupils that had experience of long-run dealingss. Furthermore pupils that had more broad political positions had a more positive attitude and aspiration of working with stateless people compared to those with more conservative political positions. A survey by Tor and McDonnell ( 1992 ) revealed similar consequences. For illustration immature people and adult females may hold a sympathetic attitude toward the homeless, while in contrast white people or people with conservative political positions would put the incrimination on the homeless individual ( Tor and McDonnell 1992 ) .

The literature on the attitudes towards the homeless besides covers the positions of the general populace. Toro et Al. ( 2007 ) found that society had a less sympathetic attitude of stateless people in English-speaking states where there was non unequal spread of wealth. Such states had less helpful and supportive steps to cut down homelessness. Homelessness was non viewed as the mistake of the person ( Lee, Jones and Lewis ( 1990 ) .

A by and large positive attitude by Americans was besides discovered in national survey by Tompsett et Al. ( 2006 ) . The wider public held less stereotyped positions of homeless than in the yesteryear and they approved of steps to assist the homeless, which they did non see a serious issue. Overall the Americans were found to hold a more compassionate attitude and they recognised that the cause of homelessness related to more personal and societal issues that were non connected with external factors like the economic system Tompsett et Al. ( 2006 ) .

Harmonizing to Kee, Minick and Connor ( 1999 ) an apprehension of the populace and peculiar groups perceptual experiences of the homeless is important to plan educational and information enterprises that can act upon how the homeless are supported. Such positions harmonizing to Lee, Jones and Lewis ( 1990 ) can hold a big influence on the development of authorities policy on the homeless.

In bing research reviewed there was small survey on the attitudes of mainstream pupils groups which go onto to play functions as directors in industry or policy shapers in public administrations. Therefore this survey provides a footing for measuring attitudes of mainstream pupils in the UK.

In respects to methodology adopted by such surveies, the questionnaire method is widely used. Mason and Lester ( 2003 ) used a questionnaire attack which was based on Likert graduated table of 1-5 for 20 inquiries to study pupils ‘ attitudes. Their survey was based on questionnaire designed and validated with the chief intent of mensurating pupils ‘ attitudes to homeless people.

Methodology

This research implemented a questionnaire informations aggregation method in order to reply the research ends of this undertaking. A sum of 30 pupils were invited to take part in the research.

Male and female pupils were selected at utilizing convenience trying method from the cardinal refreshment country of the Nottingham Trent International College. This choice method proved to be the simplest, quickest and less dearly-won manner to entree pupils that were ready and available to take part in the research.

The research design was focused on pupils ‘ attitudes on the homeless and aims to place pupils ‘ perceptual experiences of the homeless and whether they are in favour farther action to back up stateless people.

A short questionnaire was designed with 12 inquiries ( see Appendix 1 ) to capture pupils ‘ response to a figure of statements utilizing a Likert graduated table. Due to the clip limitation for this survey closed inquiries were selected because they were easier and quicker to finish and analyze. Student merely selected from 5 options that matched their position runing from ‘Strongly Agree ‘ to ‘Strongly Disagree ‘ . This was advantage because it would be easier to roll up positions from pupils coming from abroad.

The questionnaire grouped the inquiries into subjects to do it easier to follow and understand. All inquiries were connected with the research aims and aims. The three inquiries collected personal information such as age, sex and nationality. Six inquiries were included to concentrate on pupils ‘ perceptual experience of stateless people and to supply indicant of understanding. These inquiries examined whether pupils ‘ viewed homeless people as rude, aggressive, victims and responsible for their actions. One inquiry dealt with the sensed causes of homelessness while inquiries four inquiries were included to turn to research aims concerned with pupils ‘ attitudes on the earnestness of homelessness, authorities action and types of action that should be implemented.

The cogency of the questionnaire was of import factor to believe about. Contented cogency was assessed by mentioning to the literature reappraisal and doing inquiries in the questionnaire was connected to subjects and thoughts for the bing surveies. Besides a technique known as face proof was used, which means that common sense was used to judge that the inquiries and dictions in the questionnaire made sense for this subject. Furthermore, the thoughts for the sentences and the diction for the questionnaire were based on thoughts and statements used in bing surveies.

The first bill of exchange of the questionnaire was tested with two pupil co-workers to place and rectify any mistakes and better the design. In this first bill of exchange several jobs and errors were found. First, in some inquiries there errors in the option which create confusion and hold. Second, there were English grammar error so the inquiry was non clear. These were corrected and the questionnaire was tested a 2nd clip. There was remark that there was non helpful direction at the beginning of the questionnaire and the inquiries were excessively close together that it was doing confusion. The 2nd version had clear instructions and more spacing guarantee high opportunity of completion.

Students were approached outside the chief entryway of the university and invited to take part in the research. The intent of the research was explained and pupils were informed that all informations collected would be anon. and confidential. Initially the purpose was to roll up electronic mail references and email the questionnaires for pupils to finish and return. However from 10 pupils none replied within 24hrs. A different attack was taken when pupils were asked for 5 mins of their clip to finish the questionnaire instantly. A sum of 34 questionnaires were collected over three yearss. Four of the questionnaires were merely partly completed and were non included in the analysis.

One major job was that international pupils had more hard understanding all inquiries. It was non possible to cognize whether they truly understood the inquiry and answered harmonizing to their position or non. In add-on, it seem that some pupils were clicking the replies really fast bespeaking that perchance they were non believing to the full about the inquiry. Due to the same graduated table for every inquiry this made it easier for them non to concentrate and follow form of ticking.

Findingss and Discussion

This findings from this survey in a little grade provides an apprehension of the attitudes of pupils that has non been covered in bing research. Thirty questionnaires were successfully completed and returned. The pupil dislocation was 17 male and 13 female of the undermentioned nationalities: 3 Nigerian, 2 Pakistani, 7 Chinese and 18 other nationalities including Arabs.

The research end of placing how sympathetic pupils were of stateless people are covered by statements in Figure1. Students attitude to homeless people in general was found to more positive than negative. As indicated by Figure 1. 50 % of the respondents either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement that stateless people were responsible for their state of affairs. These determination can be linked with grounds from Lee, Jones and Lewis ( 1990 ) that show a big per centum ( 42 % ) of the public consider the person is at mistake for their state of affairs. Merely 20 % of NTIC pupils disagreed that the homeless were responsible for their state of affairs statement. Initially this appears that pupils faulting homeless for their state of affairs and have negative attitude, nevertheless there is grounds that this is non the instance. For case more than two tierces of respondents stated that they either strongly agree or disagree to the statement that ‘homeless people do non take to be stateless ‘ . A sensible decision is that pupils understood that homeless do non choose to homeless but at the same clip they are responsible for what go on to them. This is supported by the determination that the bulk of pupils questioned believed that stateless people were victims. Two 3rd agree with this statement and over one 6th give a impersonal response.

In footings of the behavior of stateless people the position of pupils the consequences show that there is overall at that place divided positions on whether homeless people are aggressive. However there is strong attitude that homeles people are non truly rude. The bulk of pupils stated they had impersonal position or disagree with the statement that stateless people ware rude.

The overall attitude towards homeless by these pupils correspond to student nurse attitudes studied by Kee Minick and Connor ( 1999 ) that happening that homeless peoples attitudes towards homeless people are by and large non negative.

Figure. Student Attitude Towards Homeless People

Figure. Causes of Homelessness

The findings in Figure 2. reference the research inquiry on what pupils believe are the possible causes for homelessness. The consequences show that pupils believe homeless is caused chiefly by alcholol or fiscal jobs. There was strong point of view that fiscal jobs is the chief cause for homeless with two tierces of pupils strongly agree or agree to this position. This determination is in the same way as research by Kee, Minick and Connor ( 1999 ) who found that nurses believed environmental factors was a cause of homelessness. Another survey by Lee, Jones and Lewis ( 1990 ) agree with the determination of this research, which found that American public believed that homeless was caused hapless occupation chances. This state of affairs can take to fiscal jobs.

In add-on the study showed that under one tierce of pupils viewed that homelessness could be caused by wellness jobs. This determination is in the same way as Kee, Minick and Connor ( 1999 ) which found that nurses believed mental unwellness was the chief cause of homelessness.

Table. Attitudes on step to cover with homelessness

Table 1. inside informations the findings replying the research end on how pupils believe how stateless people should be helped. Students demonstrated strong positions on this subject with a big figure of respondents either holding or differing with the options listed. Fifty seven per centum of pupil agreed that homeless people could be helped by supplying more lodging and increasing support for bar steps. There was balance sentiment on increasing support to charities, while a bulk 77 % of pupils did non hold that homeless could be helped by reding. There was litle understanding for making particular occupation programmes to cover with homelessness with 77 % of pupils either netural or disagreeing.

Table. Importance of Homelessness other factors

An interesting determination from this research is that pupils have really strong position on how of import homeless is compared to other issues. The bulk of pupils had the attitude that homeless was less of import than health care ( 80 % ) , instruction ( 70 % ) , offense ( 80 % ) and unemployment ( 63 % ) . Students were either unsure or disagreed that homeless was less of import than youth work. It appears that these societal issue are more of import or relevant for pupils than homelessness.

The inquiry of how of import homeless is considered is addressed by informations in Figure 3. The determination here is that that pupils did non hold significantly that homeless was an of import issue. An mean one tierce of pupils agreed to the statements that homelessness should be either a precedence for authorities, that it was a serious issue and that more should be done. The bulk of pupils were unsure on these statements with over one tierce of pupils neither agree or disagree that it should be a precedence.

The above findings are supported by Tompsett et Al. ( 2006 ) which besides found that broad public approved of steps to assist the homeless, but that they did non see it to be a serious issue.

Figure. Attitude towards importance, precedence and action.

The consequences form the questionnaire suggest that pupils have an overall positive attitude towards homeless. It indicates that pupils do understand that homeless people are non wholly at mistake for their state of affairs and there are outside causes. Furthermore, they support agree to mensurate to construct more house and increasing support to forestall. Even so it is considered less simportant than other issues and non considered a seious issue that authorities should give higher precedence to.

This last finding mean that support for the homeless could be reduced. This is because harmonizing to survey by Kee, Minick and Connor ( 1999 ) public sentiment can be influence on how the homeless are supported.

Decision

The little size of the questionnaire and the sample size limited the extent to which the research inquiries were answered and can be generalised. Even so the findings of the survey did reply the research inquiry of this survey to some extent.

Sing how stateless people are perceived, the questionnaire captured pupil attitudes on this country. It was interesting to happen out that even though half of the respondents perceived homeless as responsible two tierces of respondents still believed that stateless people were victims. Here so the findings highlight a positive or sympathetic position of the homeless. It can be understood that the homeless are non considered in a negative visible radiation. Furthermore, findings were achieved on how pupils perceive the homeless personality. The findings besides clearly established the position that pupils did non see stateless people as nuts.

In the other country of inquiries a good apprehension of student attitude towards steps and the precedence of homelessness was addressed by the findings. The survey showed that certain steps to assist the homeless should non be considered. The survey highlighted those steps that pupils thought were most of import including more lodging and increasing support for bar steps. The findings addressed the inquiries of whether more should be to assist the homeless, whether it should be a authorities precedence and whether pupils considered homelessness a serious issue. The survey provided verification that this issue was non considered a precedence and highlighted the attitude that homeless was non every bit serious as many other issues including wellness, instruction and offense.

Another focal point of this survey was addressed by the findings. There was clear indicant that pupils viewed fiscal jobs and intoxicant as the two chief causes of homelessness.

The chief restriction of this research is that the pupils at NTIC do non stand for the whole of society and besides it is a really little sample. It will merely supply perceptual experience of portion of society that can afford to travel to college or merely immature people. The subdivision of society that are non educated or higher age will non be stand foring in this study. The study may merely be completed by people that have strong sentiment of stateless people.

Some betterments can be made to bing research. First, the size of sample for the study should be increase to a higher figure. Second, the questionnaire can be test twice to look into its dependability. The questionnaire could besides follow inquiries from other surveies where the cogency is checked and is strong.

Further research could be undertaken to analyze the attitudes of pupil after they experience face-face history of stateless individual experience. It would besides be utile to set about survey stereotypes of homeless and mensurating to what extent pupils believed a figure of stereotypes on homeless to place extent of misperceptions.