The Spiritual Well-Being of Homeless Persons and a Comparison to Those who Help

Abstract

Homelessness is a dramatically increasing problem in America. We found no studies which investigated the spiritual needs of homeless persons. In this study, combining both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, we describe the spiritual need and well-being of persons in two homeless shelters in Columbus, Ohio. Quantitative data was generated by the Purpose in Life test, the Seeking of Noetic Goals test, and the Spritiual Well-being Scale completed by shelter occupants, staff, and volunteers. Scores generated by the homeless reveal less purpose/meaning in life and less spiritual well-being at a statistically significant level (p=0.05). The results lead to additional questions which merit further exploration.