One s connection to nature examined in public health research | University of Hawaiʻi System News hawaii.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hawaii.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
University of Hawaiʻi
Formerly houseless Native Hawaiian and Micronesian families and their successful journey to obtain stable housing is the focus of a new pilot study by social work researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The study, published in the April 27 issue of Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, used a strengths-based perspective to understand their improved living situations and showed similar themes of strength within their stories.
Francie J. Julien-Chinn
Mei Linn N. Park
Assistant Professor Francie J. Julien-Chinn and PhD candidate Mei Linn N. Park of the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health conducted narrative interviews and analyzed the collected stories of four families, thematically utilizing a family resiliency framework. Through in-depth, qualitative interviews, researchers provided space for families to tell their stories about their challenges, strengths and protective factors related to being houseless.
PhD candidate
Mei Linn N. Park of the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health conducted narrative interviews and analyzed the collected stories of four families, thematically utilizing a family resiliency framework. Through in-depth, qualitative interviews, researchers provided space for families to tell their stories about their challenges, strengths and protective factors related to being houseless.
Protective and resilience factors
The results were consistent with the hypothesized theoretical framework, which identified protective and resilience factors, such as social support, initiative, insight, spirituality, creativity, commitment and hope. In addition to these themes, the study revealed a preference for the term “houseless” over “homeless,” a predominant connection to the ʻāina (land) and the impact of trauma.