The purpose of this study was to examine the mediation of self-efficacy in the relationship between anger and the functional health of homeless men in order to provide a basis for planning nursing interventions to improve the functional health of homeless persons.

The participants were 137 homeless men who lived in homeless shelters or visited one center serving free meals for homeless persons in Seoul. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires and analyzed with the SPSS-WIN 20.0 program. The instruments were the Functional Health Pattern Screening Assessment Tool (FHPAST), Self-efficacy Scale (SES), and State-trait Anger Expression Inventory-Korean version (STAXI-K).

The mean score for functional health was 2.41. Overall self-efficacy was 70.82. state anger was 16.53, trait anger was 19.54, and anger expression was 25.31. There were signigicant correlations among the 3 variables, functional health, self-efficacy, and anger. Also, self-efficacy had a complete mediating effect in the relationship between anger and functional health.

Based on the findings of this study, health management programs focusing on anger management and self-efficacy improvement are highly recommended to promote functional health in homeless persons.