Neighborhood‐specific and general social support: which buffers the effect of neighborhood disorder on depression?

Abstract

Is neighborhood‐specific social support the most effective type of social support for buffering the effect of neighborhood disorder on depression? Matching theory suggests that it is. The authors extend the research on neighborhood disorder and adult depression by showing that individuals who have higher levels of both general and neighborhood‐specific social relationships, measured by social support and neighborhood social ties, are less vulnerable to negative effects of neighborhood disorder. Using the Community, Crime, and Health Survey, the authors found that neighborhood disorder's association with depression is lower for people with supportive social ties with neighbors and for people with more general social support. The latter conditional effect is stronger than the former, indicating that support in which the source of support matches the source of strain is not more effective than general support at buffering the effects of neighborhood strain. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neighborhood disorder and the sense of personal control: which factors moderate the association?

“…We suggest two mechanisms-the status discord and double jeopardy hypotheses-by which individual characteristics moderate the association between neighborhood disorder and a sense of personal control. A number of studies of neighborhood and individual health outcomes support the double jeopardy hypothesis, finding that the negative effects of neighborhood disorder on human outcomes are greater among those who lack social and psychosocial resources (Kim & Ross, 2009;Ross & Jang, 2000;Schieman & Meersman, 2004). In general, those with higher socioeconomic standing possess more social resources and a greater capacity to prevent some stressful life events, thereby suggesting that the negative effects of disordered neighborhoods on individual outcomes may be stronger for those who lack resources.…”

“…Compared with those living in ordered neighborhoods, those who live in disordered neighborhoods are more likely to experience undesirable social events, exposure to ambient threats, and the lack of social ties and trust among neighbors (Aneshensel & Sucoff, 1996;Geis & Ross;Hill, Ross, & Angel, 2005;Kim & Ross, 2009;Latkin & Curry, 2003;Ross & Mirowsky, 2009;Schieman & Meersman, 2004). These experiences may influence residents' perceptions of their ability to determine the occurrence or outcome of events in their lives (Seeman, 1983).…”

Neighborhoods and Health in Later Life: The Intersection of Biology and Community

“…In fact, a recent study links neighborhood walkability with lower rates of hypertension among older adults (Li, Harmer, Cardinal, & Vongjaturapat, 2009). Finally, a lack of social support and cohesion that might otherwise buffer the negative physiological impact of stressors (see, e.g., Kim & Ross, 2009) may ultimately lead to higher rates of hypertension in more poorly maintained neighborhoods.…”

Socioeconomic status and the health of youth: A multilevel, multidomain approach to conceptualizing pathways.

“…Specifically, living in violent neighborhoods has been linked to worse overall parent mental health, more restrictive parenting, and less warmth and closeness from parents towards their children (Burton, 1990; Furstenberg et al, 1993; Klebanov, Brooks-Gunn, & Duncan, 1994; Stockdale et al, 2007). Conversely, living in a positive neighborhood environment marked by trust and cohesion is known to protect parents’ mental health (Kohen, Leventhal, Dahinten, & McIntosh, 2008; Ann Wright & Kloos, 2007; Kim & Ross, 2009; Kim, 2010) and is associated with improved family functioning, such as greater support, acceptance, and warmth within families (Chung & Steinberg, 2006; Law & Barber, 2006; Kohen et al, 2008; Vieno, Nation, Perkins, Pastore, & Santinello, 2010). These connections are highly relevant, given that both parent mental health problems (Bartlett et al, 2001; Klinnert et al, 2008; Koch et al, 2008) and parenting behaviors (Wamboldt et al, 1995; Brook & Tepper, 1997a; Chen et al, 2007; Garasky et al, 2009) have been linked to youth asthma and obesity outcomes.…”