An Investigation into the Relationship Between Levels of Contact Exposure and Attitudes Towards the Homeless Population in Ireland

Crowley, Ella (2022) An Investigation into the Relationship Between Levels of Contact Exposure and Attitudes Towards the Homeless Population in Ireland. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

Aims: The current research study sought to investigate if gender, income levels, education status, and levels of exposure to the homeless population predicted participant’s attitudes towards the homeless population. The difference between attitude scores were compared between people who have worked/volunteered in homeless services and people who have not. Male and Female differences in attitude scores were also examined.

Method: The sample consisted of 241 participants 182 females and 59 males (N = 241). Age ranged from 18 to 81, mean age (M) = 42.5. Convenient snowball sampling technique was used to gather participants, in addition, purposive sampling was used in effort to specifically recruit participants who have worked volunteered with the homeless population. Participant’s levels of exposure to the homeless population were measured from a questionnaire extracted from (Tsai et al., 2019). Attitudes towards the homeless population were measured using the Attitudes Towards the Homeless Inventory (ATHI). A demographics questionnaire collected data on participant’s gender, age, education level, family income, employment status, and whether they have or have not worked/volunteered in homeless services.

Results: A significant difference was found in ATHI scores between people who have worked/volunteered with the homeless population compared to people who have not, scores revealed people who have worked/volunteered had more favourable attitudes. A significant difference was also found between male and female ATHI scores, women had more favourable attitudes towards the homeless population. Multiple regression found only two out of 5 variables significant predictors of attitudes which includes gender and exposure levels.

Conclusion. As exposure and contact towards the homeless population was associated with more favourable attitudes, possible interventions that could be implemented guided from the results found were discussed.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain > Ireland
Divisions:	School of Business > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Clara Chan
Date Deposited:	21 Sep 2022 15:39
Last Modified:	21 Sep 2022 15:39
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/5785

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