Table 4.

Major themes of parent and child focus groups

	Exemplar quotes
Parents’ themes
The stress of competing priorities	It’s a lot to juggle. Make sure that you pass all your classes, make sure your kids are alright while you are in school and trying to work full-time and part-time jobs. It’s a lot’.
Perceived impact of stress	‘My hair started falling out. 1 had to get my hair cut. It started falling out. 1 couldn’t sleep. I’m still on anxiety pills. Just crazy’.
Influence of stress on parenting	‘I’m stressed out. I’m irritable. I’m angry. So he’s not getting the attention he needs’.
Influence of the environment	It’s bad this summer. 1 made my son stay in the house. He doesn’t go anywhere without me. I’m scared to the point where 1 don’t let me children out the house unless I’m there’.
Immediate goals and aspirations	‘I’m so close. And 1 want to just get my foot in the door somewhere within my field and I’m just so ready to move on. Not live paycheck to paycheck. That’s kind of what I’m doing. Try to save’.
Children’s themes
Environmental sources of stress	The main thing that makes me stressed is when people always be fighting on our block’.
Perceptions of parental stress	‘My mom’s stressed because she has all of these problems and don’t have nobody else to back her up. And she’s tired and she don’t have enough sleep. And I’m tired and 1 don’t have enough sleep’.
Perceptions of influence of housing-plus programme on parent	‘My mom was always working to pay the money for the bills and everything. But now it’s a little cheaper. And she doesn’t have to work harder and all the time. She get to spend time with me because when 1 have homework 1 need somebody to sit with me and explain to me and everything so she gets to sit with me and explain my homework and 1 get better grades’.