Summary:
Introduction: The relationship between drug addiction and psychopathology is a
global phenomenon that has been proven by numerous studies and meta-analyses of the
scientific community. Homelessness and delinquency, two characteristics, directly
affected by drug dependence and psychopathology come to complement and complete
the aims of this research study whose aim is to point out the comorbidity. Regarding
the psychopathology of homeless people, depressive disorder is overrepresented with a
high percentage of 24.6% and anxiety disorder with 24.6%, percentage that exceed
50%. Respectively, the comparable non-homeless population showed high rates of
depressive disorder at a percentage of 16.9%, while 20.3% had an anxiety disorder.
According to scientific researches, emotional disorders and specifically depressive and
anxiety disorder show a precedence in the homeless population. The existence of
psychopathology in the homeless population is confirmed in relation to the non
homeless where psychopathology seems to need a framework of care, treatment and
support by social welfare units and psychiatric clinics.
Objective: The purpose of this thesis is the study and correlation of psychopathology
and delinquency in homeless drug addicts compared to a non-homeless population. In
addition, the survey was supplemented with secondary data, such as unemployment and
its relation with homelessness, educational level, age, gender and appropriate
correlations were made.
Methodology: This study was conducted on a random sample of both men and women
of 130 homeless and 59 non-homeless people by OKANA, at the supervised use site,
OKANA's Dormitory and Hostel for Homeless Addicts. The survey was initiated by
individuals volunteering by completing a consent form. A self-completing
questionnaire was given with socio-demographic data such as level of education, age,
years of use, active psychopathology. Two (2) questionnaires of general
psychopathology, (Symptom Checklist 90-R [SCL-90] and general health - General
Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used. Statistical analysis of the results was
performed using the IBM SPSS 25 statistical program and correlations were performed
using independent t-tests and chi-squares, while the statistical significance level was
defined as ≤sig 0.05.
Results: The results of the study seem to confirm the hypothesis that there is a positive
correlation between psychopathology in the homeless population compared to the non
homeless. In particular, anxiety and depressive disorders are represented at a percentage
of 24.6%. Several statistically significant correlations were found. In particular,
homeless people have higher somatization (p = 0.004), interpersonal sensitivity (p =
0.002), anxiety (p = 0.023), aggression (p = 0.010), phobic anxiety (p = 0.003),
psychoticism (p = 0.000), as well as higher scores on the various complaints (p = 0.008).
Overall, the homeless individuals (M= 1.63, SD= .64) have a higher overall symptom
index compared to non-homeless individuals (M= 1.30, SD= .62), as t (187)= -3.289,
p= .001. Also, the homeless individuals have higher index scores for the overall positive
symptoms, as t (187)= -3.289, p= .001. Finally, homeless people (M = .77, SD = .58)
have higher scores than non-homeless people (M = .52, SD = .51) on the index of
disturbance of positive symptoms, as t (187)= -2.846, p = .005.
Regarding delinquency, while positive correlations were found and 72.3% of homeless
people implicated in administration of justice, based on the chi-square test, it was found
that there is no statistically significant differentiation in delinquency between homeless
and non-homeless people, as χ2 (1) = .025, p= .502. It was also found that homelessness
was not associated with physical symptoms (p = .061), anxiety/insomnia (p = .117),
social dysfunction (p = .099), and severe depression (p = .333). Overall, it was found
that there were no differences in general health between homeless (M= 38.09, SD=
14.79) and non-homeless (M= 33.61, SD= 14.16), as t (187)= -1.956, p= .062. Cross
tabulations and chi-square test were used to determine whether male homeless drug
addicts were more delinquent than female homeless drug addicts. It was found that 76
males and 18 females were involved with the administration of justice or under arrest.
However, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference in
delinquency between male and female homeless people, as χ2 (1)= 1.956, p= .124
Finally, in order to were used to determine whether female homeless drug addicts
scored higher on psychopathology than male homeless drug addicts independent t-tests.
It was found that the gender of the homeless was not statistically significantly
associated with somatization (p= 0.418), obsessive-compulsive disorder (p= 0.655),
interpersonal sensitivity (p= 0.246), depression (p= 0.149), anxiety (p= 0.374),
aggression (p= 0, 126), phobic anxiety (p= 0, 295), psychoticism (p= 0, 676),
miscellaneous blaming (p= 0, 313), general symptom index (p= 0, 299), index for all
positive symptoms (p= 0, 299) and index of annoyance of positive symptoms (p= 0,
642). However, it was found that females (M= 2.25, SD= .90) had more paranoid
ideation than males (M= 1.81, SD= .83), as t (128)= -2.467, p= .015
Conclusion: The results showed that it was verified that homeless drug addicts have
active psychopathology compared to non-homeless people with predominant emotional
disorders as reported in the bibliography. The remaining hypotheses were not
confirmed as they lacked statistical significance, although correlations were present.
