Age and the Psycho-Social Diversity of Homeless Men Seeking Transitional Housing Services: A Latent Profile Analysis

The homeless services sector has shifted to a focus on ending the condition of homelessness. To achieve this goal service providers must better understand the diversity of clients served by transitional programs. We used latent profile analysis to classify 1,055 adult men enrolled in a transitional housing program in an urban North American city. Using ten items from the Arizona Self-Sufficiency Matrix, four profiles were generated: complex, income poor, isolated, and relatively stable. Age, coping mechanisms, and physical health were related to the four profiles in different ways. The income poor and relatively stable stayed longer in transitional programs than other profiles. This study confirms the heterogeneity of homeless men in transitional housing and highlights the needs for diverse services.