Occupational Therapy Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 9-26-2024
Journal
PLOS One
URL with Digital Object Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310701
Abstract
Background
Belonging is closely associated with well-being, yet individuals with experiences of being unhoused are likely to experience social exclusion and challenges with developing a sense of belonging. Engagement in meaningful activity has been linked to belonging; however, there are no focused studies exploring experiences of how engaging in meaningful activities influences belonging. Meaningful activities are things we do that bring value to our lives.
Purpose
To explore how engaging in meaningful activities may influence experiences of belonging following homelessness through a secondary analysis of qualitative interviews.
Method
Using interviews conducted in a community-based participatory action study exploring the transition to housing following homelessness (n = 19), we conducted a thematic analysis using the method described by Braun and Clarke. Participants were recruited through communication with local organizations supporting individuals with lived and living experiences of being unhoused as well as through presentations at drop-in organizations. An intentional effort was made to recruit diverse participants regarding housing status, age, and gender. Inductive analysis was used to conduct initial coding, focusing on belonging and engaging in meaningful activities. We then analyzed the codes abductively, using Bourdieu’s Social Capital Theory to inform this analysis.
Findings
The overarching essence generated in our analysis was: “I don’t feel like I belong…everything in the world is not for me…it’s for people with…enough money to…enjoy those things”. Within this overall essence, we generated three themes: 1) Human connection: “being where I am with people who care about me, I actually feel good”; 2) Social exclusion: being a “regular member of society”; and 3) Non-human connection: “my cats…are like my kids to me.” Participants described numerous contextual factors that challenged them as they sought belonging following homelessness, including financial limitations and other societal factors.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that meaningful activity was an important pathway to belonging for participants in this study.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Citation of this paper:
Plett, P., Gewurtz, R., Oudshoorn, A., Forchuk, C., & Marshall, C. A. (2024). Belonging through meaningful activity in the transition from unhoused to housed. Plos one, 19(9), e0310701. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310701
