Stressful Life Events among Women Living Homeless in Argentina

Abstract

This paper analyses the types, timing and perceived causalityof SLEs experienced during childhood and adolescence andthroughout the lives of women experiencing homelessness inBuenos Aires (n ¼ 72). A structured interview was used to collect the information. Findings showed that interviewees hadexperienced a high number of SLEs during their childhoodand adolescence. These SLEs were qualitatively severe andexperienced from very early ages. Interviewees had also suffered from a large number of SLEs throughout their lives,mainly before becoming homeless. Interviewees attributedtheir homelessness largely to their experience with SLEs intheir family environment, primarily during their childhood.