New research reveals hidden barriers to exiting homelessness

New research carried out at Catching Lives has found that people experiencing homelessness may face significant difficulties in understanding the thoughts, emotions and intentions of others, a factor that could help explain some of the barriers people encounter when trying to access support and move out of homelessness.

The study, led by psychologist Hannah Reene from the University of East London, explored social cognition - the mental skills that allow people to read emotions, interpret social situations and understand other people’s perspectives. While cognitive difficulties among people experiencing homelessness are well documented, social cognition has received far less attention.

The research was carried out over four months at Catching Lives’ day centre during the winter period. Clients took part in a series of psychological tasks designed to assess both cognition and social cognition, including recognising facial emotions and interpreting the thoughts and intentions of others in short stories.

The findings showed that, compared to the general population, participants found it more difficult to accurately read emotional expressions and understand other people’s mental states.

Hannah said: “We already know that people experiencing homelessness face enormous disadvantages, including higher rates of brain injury, addiction and serious mental health conditions.

"What we were less clear about was whether these experiences also affect social cognitive skills - the skills we rely on to understand one another.

"Identifying these difficulties may be one piece of a much larger puzzle in understanding the barriers people face when trying to build supportive relationships and maintain stable accommodation.”

The study also found high rates of brain injury and neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD among participants, both of which are known to influence social cognition. While difficulties in cognition and social cognition were linked, one did not fully explain the other, suggesting social cognition may represent a distinct and important area of need.

Psychologist Hannah Reene

Hannah spent around four months visiting Catching Lives weekly to conduct the research. She said: “It was a challenging time for the centre, with uncertainty around winter funding, but the commitment of the staff was clear. You could see how much they cared about the welfare of the people coming through the doors.”

“Understanding the needs and experiences of people who are homeless felt like another way to connect, learn and hopefully contribute something meaningful.”

The research highlights the importance of recognising social cognition as part of routine assessments for people experiencing homelessness, particularly as many of the barriers to exiting homelessness are relational rather than purely practical.

The study has now been published in the International Journal on Homelessness.