RESEARCH DESIGN COMPARISON ASSIGNMENT 1
Literature Review Assignment
Royal P McHenry
Helm School of Law/Government- PLCY-804
Liberty University
September 30, 2025
Key words: homelessness, mental health, housing, treatment,
Introduction
Economic instability, high housing costs, mental health issues, and substance abuse
significantly contribute to homelessness, wherein over half a million people remain a pressing
issue in the United States (Snow-Hill, Reeb, & Bell, 2024). The study identified two patterns that
reports on how mental illness responses impact the homeless identities: The categories
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included: (i) substance-use, (ii), mental health symptoms, (iii) psychological wellbeing, (iv)
health behavior, (v) behavior, and (vi) social outcomes.
During the following research, both reporters applied the meta-analyses through the
explanatory comprehensive Meta-Analysis. Four intervals provided means and standard
deviations of several variables of homelessness, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and
substance abuse, are reviewed.
The scope of the two research projects.
Barry, R., Anderson, J., Tran, L., Bahji, A., Dimitropoulos, G., Ghosh, S. M., ... & Seitz, D. (2024).
Prevalence of mental health disorders among individuals experiencing homelessness: a
systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 81(7), 691-699.
In conclusion, Barry et al (2025), https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0426.
Lachaud, J., Yusuf, A. A., Maelzer, F., Perri, M., Gogosis, E., Ziegler, C., ... & Hwang, S. W. (2024).
Social isolation and loneliness among people living with experience of homelessness: a
scoping review. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2515.https://doi.org/10.1186
/s12889-024-19850-7
Identify the research question.
It is not known to what extent the relationship between mental illness and the duration
of homelessness exists.
The dependent variable.
The prevalent duration of Homelessness with mental ailment would be measured by the
degree of treatment for the unmet needs of participants with anxiety and depression.
Evaluate, define, and operationalize their major concept and dependent variable(s).
I
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Barry, R., Anderson, J., Tran, L., Bahji, A., Dimitropoulos, G., Ghosh, S. M., ... & Seitz, D. (2024).
Prevalence of mental health disorders among individuals experiencing homelessness: a
systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 81(7), 691
699. https://doi.org/10.1001/ jamapsychiatry.2024.0426
Barry et al (2024) is a meta-analysis review that synthesizes reports from multiple primary
studies. The major concepts and dependent variables are defined and operationalized through
the inclusion criteria of the review itself (Barry et al, 2024).
1. Major Concept: Mental Health Disorders
“They operationalize concept, which includes previous studies that used validated diagnostic
methods, including studies that most commonly established diagnostic tools, such as the
MiniInternational Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS),
and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID)” Barry et al (2024, p 2). This research
design was appropriate and resonated with the definition of science.
2. Major Concept: Homelessness
Operationalization: The authors' recognition of anxiety and depression,
synthesized from several reports, was performed during the meta-analysis,
which gave the concept of unmet needs. The conceptualization of reported
information highlighted the difficulty for participants with anxiety and
depression to maintain structured housing. Several additional subgroup studies
were performed to analyze these variables of becoming homeless.
3. Dependent Variable: Prevalence
The prevalence of homelessness has been established by the unmet needs and
treatment for anxiety and depression were among the major ailments among the
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homeless population. Appropriate treatment may contribute to the homeless
population having a different view.
As an experienced researcher, having accessed tools, reports, interviews, and
observation of participants in the homeless community, and performed a scientific study to
determine the effects that anxiety and depression would have on the homeless population.
4. Research Design- A descriptive statistic synthesis of meta-analytics.
The Author thoroughly explains and appropriately identifies the observable factors.
“A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Embase,
Cochrane, CINAHL, and AMED) was conducted from inception to May 1, 2021” (Barry,
Anderson, Tran, Bahji, Dimitropoulos, Ghosh, & Seitz, 2024 p 2).
5. Conclusion- The meta-analysis indicated 67% of people experiencing homelessness were
suffering from a mental health disorder. The prevalence of mental health disorders
including anxiety and depression, among people experiencing homelessness was 19%.
II
Lachaud, J., Yusuf, A. A., Maelzer, F., Perri, M., Gogosis, E., Ziegler, C., ... & Hwang, S. W. (2024).
Social isolation and loneliness among people living with experience of homelessness: a
scoping review. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2515.https://doi.org
/10.1186/s12889-024-19850-7
Lachaud, (et al. 2024) have appropriately implemented conceptual operational key concepts
on dependent variables of mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.
1. Major Concept: Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). A summary of 52 previous
studies showed that being homeless was a basic result of several variables, including
anxiety and depression. The study conceptualizes and measures an individual's ability to
live in stable housing versus unstable housing. “A summary of findings from 52 studies
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that detailed how these studies conceptualized SIL, including the scales and tools used
for its measurement.” (Lachaud, et al., 2024, p 1).
2. Dependent Variables: Housing Stability due to and Psychiatric Symptoms.
The study conceptualizes and measures an individual's ability to live in stable
housing versus unstable housing, and explains how individuals diagnosed with an
anxiety and depression mental disorder were disabled to endure and cope with
the policies, rules, and regulations of stable housing projects..
Research design structure.
An explanatory synthesis integrating meta-analytics for Systematic Reviews and
Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA ScR) was performed. A
summary of 52 summarized findings from 52 studies detailed how these studies
conceptualized SIL, including the scales and tools used for its measurement, in their
natural living environments.
3. Identify and describe the methodologies.
The forms in Covidence data extraction were completed using standardized data
collection. All extracted data were reviewed by independent reviewers, who submitted a
consensus. “Random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the prevalence (with
95% CIs) of mental health disorders in people experiencing homelessness” (Lachaud, et,
al, 2024, p. 3). A measurable analysis was implemented by categories of sex, age, and
geographics. The meta-regression examination was applied to determine the affiliation
of mental health risk factors for one year.
4. Explain how and where the findings may be impacted by the particular
The pre-existing comorbidities and neuropsychological conditions, such as schizophrenia,
anxiety, and depression, co-existed with victims in their decision-making process, such as mood
RESEARCH DESIGN COMPARISON ASSIGNMENT 6
changes, impulsiveness, and impaired cognitive ability to reason, which may not only lead to
unintelligent choices, but also to harming themselves.
5. Briefly describe the research findings.
According to previous research and the method design for data collection, no different
results were possible. After the meta-analysis of all the data, this study summarizes,
“The lifetime prevalence was 77% (95% CI, 61-88). Male individuals exhibited a significantly
higher lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders (86%; 95% CI, 74-92) compared to
female individuals (69%; 95% CI, 48-84). The prevalence of several specific disorders was
estimated, including any substance use disorder (44%), antisocial personality disorder
(26%), major depression (19%), schizophrenia (7%), and bipolar disorder (8%)” (Lachaud, et
al., 2024, p 4).
6. Particular Methodologies Used:
In both research cases herein, a descriptive meta-analysis of multiple subject studies
was reviewed and synthesized.
A competent effort in data collection was established from multiple previous
reports on the mental attitudes of the homeless population.
Both studies herein, Berry (et al 2024) and Lachaud (et al. 2024), focused on
deeply concerning what variables contribute to the homeless crisis and what
could be a resolution.
The data collected was appropriate and reliable. Proof of previous studies helps
amplify the need for further research as well as a specific focus point in future
research.
7. Research Findings:
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1. In the study of Lachaud, (et al. 2024), several variables were the cause of becoming
homeless. It was reported “any substance use disorder (44%), antisocial personality disorder
(26%), major depression (19%), schizophrenia (7%), and bipolar disorder (8%)” (Lachaud et
al., 2024, p 3), providing areas of specific treatments and improved professional approaches.
2. In Berry (et al, 2024), several variables were the cause of becoming homeless. It was
reported “The prevalence of several specific disorders was estimated, including any
substance use disorder (44%), antisocial personality disorder (26%), major depression (19%),
schizophrenia (7%), and bipolar disorder (8%)” (Berry et al, 2024, p 3).
This generalization of data collection did not address geographic or ethnic factors as
having any influence on becoming homeless, which could have been viewed as bracketing.
8. Conclusion
The team of Berry (et, al, 2024) and Lachaud (et, al, 2024), after a long, intense
effort of writing and research, are some of the latest and accurate research findings on
the variables that cause the homeless crisis in the United States of America, which
hopefully one day will be resolved.
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Reference
Barry, R., Anderson, J., Tran, L., Bahji, A., Dimitropoulos, G., Ghosh, S. M., ... & Seitz, D. (2024).
Prevalence of mental health disorders among individuals experiencing homelessness: a
systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA psychiatry, 81(7), 691-699.
In conclusion, Barry et al (2025), https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0426
Lachaud, J., Yusuf, A. A., Maelzer, F., Perri, M., Gogosis, E., Ziegler, C., ... & Hwang, S. W. (2024).
Social isolation and loneliness among people living with experience of homelessness: a
scoping review. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2515.https://doi.org
/10.1186/s12889-024-19850-7
Snow-Hill, N. L., Reeb, R. N., & Bell, J. S. (2024). The stigma of homelessness as a function of
mental illness comorbidity. Stigma and Health. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000526
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