Psychopathology on the Streets: Psychological Assessment of the Homeless

Reported rates of mental illness and substance abuse in homeless populations vary widely and are frequently based on clinical impressions. Using structured interviews and objective measures of pathology, including the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-168 (MMPI-168) and specified criterion of disorder, we surveyed demographics, psychopathology, and substance abuse in a homeless population. The population was relatively young, male, and White. Serious alcohol abuse was indicated in about a third of the cases, and serious street drug abuse in a quarter. Severe psychopathology as indicated by scores three standard deviations about the mean on the MMPI psychotic scales was found in a third of the cases. With overlap among categories of disorder considered, over 50% of the population met criterion for severe psychological disorder.