Determinants of Causal Attributions of Homelessness in Croatia

Homelessness is one of the most difficult social issues, and people who have experienced homelessness are often exposed to stigmatisation and negative public perception. Public perception of homeless people also depends on how citizens interpret and what they attribute the causes of homelessness to. Therefore, this paper is aimed at verifying the causal attributions of homelessness based on Weiner’s three-dimensional attribution model. The aim of the research was to examine the determinants of causal attributions of homelessness regarding certain sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes towards homeless people. The research was conducted on a representative sample of citizens of the Republic of Croatia (n=1 010). The results showed that, on average, the citizens mostly attribute the causes of homelessness to factors related to the circumstances of a person’s life and the broader social context. Differences were found in certain sociodemographic characteristics, whereby women attribute the causes of homelessness more often to the circumstances of a person’s life and the broader social context, while participants with lower socioeconomic status attribute the causes of homelessness more often to structural factors. The results also point out regional differences in attributing the causes of homelessness to different factors. With regard to the attitude towards homeless people, it was found that participants who attribute the causes of homelessness to factors within the broader social context more also perceive homeless people more positively, considering that the state should take greater responsibility in caring for homeless people, and expressing more willingness to help homeless people. The results can contribute to a more effective development and implementation of intervention and policies aimed at sensitising the public regarding the issue and prevention of homelessness. Key words: attribution theory, homelessness, causal attributions, public opinion.