AN ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED POVERTY AMONG INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING PUBLIC CASH ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

This study examines the perception of poverty among individuals receiving public cash assistance in relation to demographic variables. Based on data collected from 650 beneficiaries of state-supported cash aid programs in Ağrı through face-to-face surveys using the Poverty Perception Scale, which includes absolute, relative, and human poverty dimensions, the analysis was conducted using nonparametric tests such as the Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests. The results indicate no statistically significant differences in poverty perception by gender, age, marital status, employment status, or type of assistance; however, significant differences were found across education and income levels, with higher education and income associated with increased poverty perception scores. Overall, the findings suggest that public cash transfers alone are insufficient to fully alleviate perceptions of poverty and should be supported by education, employment, and social integration policies. As one of the few empirical studies assessing the impact of public assistance on poverty perception, this research contributes theoretically and practically by highlighting the necessity of incorporating demographic diversity into social policy design.