Mothering in public: a meta-synthesis of homeless women with children living in shelters.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the current qualitative literature on homeless women with children living in shelters.


METHODS
Eighteen qualitative studies on homeless women with children living in shelters were included in the synthesis. The meta-synthesis was conducted using the meta-ethnographic approach of Noblit and Hare (1988).


RESULTS
Six reciprocal translations (themes) of homeless mothers caring for their children in shelters emerged: On becoming homeless, protective mothering, loss, stressed and depressed, survival strategies, and strategies for resolution.


CONCLUSIONS
The results may be used by healthcare workers as a framework for developing intervention strategies directed toward helping mothers find new solutions to dealing with shelter living and innovative ways to resolve their homelessness.
Meadows-Oliver
Mikki
M
Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA. mikki.meadows@yale.edu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*