Perceived neighborhood social resources as determinants of prosocial behavior in early adolescence

The developmental trajectory of prosocial behavior in economically disadvantaged children: General tendencies and heterogeneity

INTRODUCTION

This study explored the general tendencies and heterogeneous developmental trajectory of prosocial behavior and predictors.

METHOD

The present study conducted latent growth model and growth mixture model analyses in a sample of 814 students (Mage = 13.79 years old at baseline; 57% girls) from economically disadvantaged families, classified as being below the local income threshold in China, with four follow-up surveys administered during the following 2 years.

RESULTS

The general tendency in the developmental trajectory of prosocial behavior showed a linear decrease. A gender difference in initial levels was observed, with girls showing a higher initial level of prosocial behavior than boys. Family functioning, subjective support, and support utilization significantly affected the intercept, but objective support significantly negatively affected the slope. Heterogeneity in the development of prosocial behavior was best classified with a 3-class solution, including C1 (Rapid-decrease, 10.6%), C2 (Medium-stable, 42.5%), and C3 (High-increase, 46.9%). The patterns of prosocial behavior development in economically disadvantaged children with higher family functioning were more likely to be in the High-increase Class than in the Rapid-decrease Class.

CONCLUSION

The present study revealed an average decline in the trajectories of prosocial behavior development in economically disadvantaged children. However, it also captured heterogeneous developmental trajectories. Furthermore, the study revealed that family functioning, subjective support, and support utilization all served as protective factors for prosocial behavior among economically disadvantaged children.

Effects of recalling place memory on promoting cooperative behaviors in local communities

AIMS

The present study aimed to develop a theoretical model that explores the influence of recalling place memory on cooperative behaviors in local communities.

METHODS

Five hundred ninety-five Japanese residents (mean age = 49.75 years) participated in an online survey, in which they received one of the three interventions: (1) positive memory; (2) neutral memory and (3) negative memory. Participants were instructed to recall their place memories within their living areas and provide ratings for their place attachment, emotional valence, perceived self-interest, and willingness to engage in cooperative behaviors.

RESULTS

The results revealed that individuals who recalled positive-valenced place memories exhibited a higher willingness to engage in cooperative behaviors. Additionally, this study reveals the previously unreported mediating role of place attachment and perceived self-interest in promoting cooperative behaviors.

CONCLUSION

The findings hold significance in elucidating the relationship between place memory and cooperative behaviors, offering novel insights for community management.

The combined effects of adverse childhood experiences and neighborhood quality on child health and well-being

BACKGROUND

Many studies have investigated the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the health, development, and well-being of children and adolescents. However, most studies have failed to examine whether childhood adversity and ecological factors interact to influence relevant health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

We used pooled data from the 2018-19 National Survey of Children's Health (n = 24,817) to assess the relationship between ACEs, neighborhood quality, and three domains of adolescent health and well-being: mental health (i.e., symptoms of anxiety problems and depression), neurodevelopmental health, and behavioral problems.

METHODS

Nine types of ACEs were captured in the NSCH data. Logistic regression models were employed to explore the relationship between ACEs, neighborhood quality, and adolescent health and well-being.

RESULTS

Our results indicate that ACEs are associated with each of these domains, with higher ACE scores associated with a higher risk of detrimental outcomes. Neighborhood disorder is also associated with several outcomes. Consistent with our expectations, in the presence of neighborhood disorder the association between higher ACEs exposure and behavior/conduct problems or neurodevelopmental disorders is larger.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results have important implications for understanding how individual and contextual factors may combine to influence child health and behaviors, as well as offering policy recommendations that might help children who experience traumatic events.

The association between social support and prosocial behavior: A three-level meta-analysis

Numerous studies have examined the relationship between social support and prosocial behavior and have concluded that social support is an important factor in generating prosocial behavior. However, different studies have produced different conclusions, and the moderating effect on the relationship is not entirely clear. The current study uses a three-level meta-analysis method to clarify the relationship between social support and prosocial behavior, and explores the moderating variables that affect the relationship between the two variables. Through a systematic literature search, a total of 92 studies, 418 effect sizes, and 74,378 participants were obtained. The main effects test found a significant positive correlation between social support and prosocial behavior. Tests of the moderating effects indicated that the relationship between social support and prosocial behavior was moderated by year of publication, source of social support, measurement of social support and measurement of prosocial behavior. In summary, social support plays an important role in prosocial behavior, and exploring their relationship is beneficial to families, schools and society in guiding individuals' prosocial behavior.

Creating A child-friendly social environment for fewer conduct problems and more prosocial behaviors among children: A LASSO regression approach

BACKGROUND

Creating a child-friendly social environment is an important component of promoting child-friendly city development. This study aims to explore the key indicators of friendly family, school and community social environments from the perspective of children's conduct problems and prosocial behaviors.

METHOD

The sample included grade 3-5 students from one public elementary school in the urban areas and another public elementary school in the rural areas of a Chinese city pursuing a child-friendly philosophy. A total of 418 participants were included in this study. Data on conduct problems, prosocial behaviors and the social environment were collected. To effectively select important variables and eliminate estimation bias, this study used LASSO regression to identify key indicators predicting children's conduct problems and prosocial behavior, followed by linear regression coefficient estimation and significance testing.

RESULTS

Creating a friendly family environment (ensuring family members' assistance with academic problems) and school environment (reducing cheating, fighting, and unfriendly teacher language) was associated with reduced conduct problems in children. Creating a positive family atmosphere (enhancing children's trust in family members), school environment (increasing parents' awareness of school affairs, reinforcing students' prosocial behavior, increasing extracurricular activity programs, and encouraging student engagement in academics) and community environment (respecting all children in the community) was associated with improving children's prosocial behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

This study transforms the multidimensional, complex child-friendly social environment evaluation indicator system into concise and specific measurement indicators, which can provide theoretical and practical implications for government decision-making in child-friendly city development through empirical research.

The effect of autistic traits on prosocial behavior: The chain mediating role of received social support and perceived social support

ABSTRACT

There is growing evidence that the defining characteristics of autism spectrum disorder are distributed across the general population; therefore, understanding the correlates of prosocial behavior in individuals with high levels of autistic traits could shed light on autism spectrum disorder and prosocial behavior. In this study, the mechanism underlying the influence of individuals’ autistic traits on their prosocial behavior was explored by conducting a questionnaire survey of 414 Chinese college students. The results showed that autistic traits can influence individuals’ prosocial behavior not only through the separate effects of received social support and perceived social support but also through the chain mediating effects of received social support and perceived social support; however, the direct effect of autistic traits on individuals’ prosocial behavior is not significant. This study is conducive to understanding the internal mechanism underlying the relationship between autistic traits and prosocial behavior. Future work is required to further investigate the clinical autism spectrum disorder samples and cross-cultural applicability of the model found in this study.

Comparing two measures of neighborhood quality and internalizing and externalizing behaviors in the adolescent brain cognitive development study

PURPOSE

There is widespread recognition of the importance and complexity of measuring neighborhood contexts within research on child psychopathology. In this study, we assessed the cross-sectional associations between two measures of neighborhood quality and internalizing and externalizing behaviors in preadolescence.

METHODS

Drawing on baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (n = 10,577 preadolescents), we examined two multi-component assessments of neighborhood quality in relation to children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms: the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), which measures socioeconomic adversity, and the Child Opportunity Index 2.0 (COI), which measures economic, educational, and environmental opportunity. Both measures were categorized into quintiles. We then used mixed-effects linear regression models to examine bivariate and adjusted associations.

RESULTS

The bivariate associations displayed strong inverse associations between the COI and ADI and externalizing symptoms, with a graded pattern of fewer externalizing behaviors with increasing neighborhood quality. Only the ADI was associated with externalizing behaviors in models adjusted for child and family characteristics. We did not observe a clear association between either measure of neighborhood quality and internalizing behaviors in bivariate or adjusted models.

CONCLUSIONS

Neighborhood quality, as measured by the COI and ADI, was associated with externalizing behaviors in preadolescent children. The association using the ADI persisted after adjustment for family-level characteristics, including financial strain. Our results indicate that different assessments of neighborhood quality display distinct associations with preadolescent behavioral health. Future research is needed to assess the association between neighborhood quality and behavior trajectories and to identify place-based intervention strategies.

Effects of multidomain environmental and mental health factors on the development of empathetic behaviors and emotions in adolescence

Empathy is at the core of our social world, yet multidomain factors that affect its development in socially sensitive periods, such as adolescence, are incompletely understood. To address this gap, this study investigated associations between social, environmental and mental health factors, and their temporal changes, on adolescent empathetic behaviors/emotions and, for comparison, callous unemotional (CU) traits and behaviors, in the early longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development sample (baseline: n = 11062; 2-year follow-up: n = 9832, median age = 119 and 144 months, respectively). Caregiver affection towards the youth, liking school, having a close friend, and importance of religious beliefs/spirituality in the youth's life were consistently positively correlated with empathetic behaviors/emotions across assessments (p<0.001, Cohen's f = ~0.10). Positive family dynamics and cohesion, living in a neighborhood that shared the family's values, but also parent history of substance use and (aggregated) internalizing problems were additionally positively associated with one or more empathetic behaviors at follow-up (p<0.001, f = ~0.10). In contrast, externalizing problems, anxiety, depression, fear of social situations, and being withdrawn were negatively associated with empathetic behaviors and positively associated with CU traits and behaviors (p<0.001, f = ~0.1-0.44). The latter were also correlated with being cyberbullied and/or discriminated against, anhedonia, and impulsivity, and their interactions with externalizing and internalizing issues. Significant positive temporal correlations of behaviors at the two assessments indicated positive (early) developmental empathetic behavior trajectories, and negative CU traits' trajectories. Negative changes in mental health adversely moderated positive trajectories and facilitated negative ones. These findings highlight that adolescent empathetic behaviors/emotions are positively related to multidomain protective social environmental factors, but simultaneously adversely associated with risk factors in the same domains, as well as bully victimization, discrimination, and mental health problems. Risk factors instead facilitate the development of CU traits and behaviors.

Examination of promotive and protective effects on early adolescent prosocial behavior through a bioecological lens

Introduction

Prosocial behavior during childhood has been associated with numerous positive developmental and behavioral outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. Prosocial behavior, which includes cooperation and helping others, develops within a bioecological context. Considering it through such a lens enhances the understanding of the roles of different bioecological factors in its development.

Methods

Using data from a longitudinal study of adopted children and children reared with their biological parents, this paper examined if positive aspects of a child's bioecological system at age 7 predict prosocial behavior in early adolescence (age 11), and whether these bioecological factors could offset risk due to biological family psychopathology and/or maternal prenatal substance use. The analyses incorporated variables from different levels of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model (the individual, microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem) and examined the promotive, and potentially protective, effect of each contextual factor, while also considering their interplay with biological family psychopathology and prenatal substance use.

Results

Results from linear regression models indicated that the microsystem variable of parental warmth at age 7 had a promotive effect on age 11 prosocial behavior. Further, in addition to its main effect, parental warmth was protective against maternal substance use during pregnancy when children were raised with their biological parent (s). Household type (biological family) and biological family internalizing psychopathology were the only other significant predictors in the model, with each associated with lower prosocial behavior at age 11.

Discussion

Study results extend prior work on the benefits of parental warmth on child outcomes by employing a strength-based, bioecological approach to the development of prosocial behavior during early adolescence and examining "for whom" the effects of parental warmth are most protective.

Air Pollution and Prosocial Behavior in Chinese Adolescents: The Role of Resilience and Interpersonal Relations

Purpose

Past studies have indicated that air pollution is a major environmental factor that negatively affects prosocial behavior in adolescents. However, the mechanism underlying this negative relationship has not been fully explored. This study postulated that this impact may occur through individual resilience, a major psychological capital for adolescents. In addition, we studied interpersonal relations, namely, adolescents' perceived family and teacher support, which may moderate the proposed relationship.

Methods

This study combined the three-year tracking survey data of 11-to-15 old adolescents (N=1301; approximately 48% female) in China with objective data from the air quality index (AQI) to measure the level of air pollution.

Results

Findings from ordinary least squares analysis indicated that air pollution negatively influences adolescents' prosocial behavior, and their resilience mediates this negative relationship. In addition, the results showed that the negative effect of air pollution on adolescent resilience is attenuated by higher family income, whereas it is accentuated by the absence of teacher support.

Conclusion

Our study provides insight into how the negative effect of air pollution on adolescents' prosocial behavior is mediated by their psychological resilience, and highlights the moderating role of adolescents' interpersonal relations in the association between air pollution and their psychological resilience. Our research also provides practical advice on how families, teachers, and psychologists can mitigate this negative impact.

Gang Membership Among Adolescents from Distinct Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds: The Roles of Neighborhood Conditions and Victimization

Adolescent gang participation has been noted as a major public health concern. Therefore, researchers have placed a growing emphasis on identifying processes that propel adolescents toward gang membership. Previous studies have highlighted as relevant risk factors victimization experiences as well as neighborhood conditions, which reflect sociopolitical and socioeconomic disparities and precipitate social disorganization. However, research to date has not considered potential dynamic interrelations among these risk factors, which are suggested by an integrated trauma-informed developmental-ecological perspective. Additionally, given that minoritized youth are disproportionately represented in gangs and differentially exposed to many of the risk factors for gang membership, it is important to examine whether gang membership pathways are similar or distinct across racial and ethnic groups. In order to address these gaps, the present study examined longitudinal self-report data, including neighborhood conditions (Baseline), direct and witnessed victimization (12-month follow-up), and gang membership versus nonmembership (24-month follow-up) gathered from 1,284 adolescents identified as serious offenders (22% non-Hispanic White, 36% Latinx, and 43% African American) who participated in the Pathways to Desistance Study. Findings from structural equation modeling showed that pathways toward gang membership were similar across racial and ethnic groups. Results further demonstrated that neighborhood conditions increased the likelihood of adolescent gang participation through direct and witnessed victimization. These findings highlight the value of examining gang membership from an integrated trauma-informed developmental-ecological frameworks. Further, these findings emphasize the need for prevention and intervention initiatives at different levels of the social ecology.

The moderating role of neighborhood social cohesion on the relationship between early mother-child attachment security and adolescent social skills: Brief report

Background

Social skill is a critical asset for adolescents, and early mother-child attachment is an essential contributor to their development. While less secure mother-child attachment is a known risk factor for adolescent social development, the protective factor of neighborhood context in buffering this risk is still not well understood.

Research Design

This study used longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 1,876). Adolescent social skills (at age 15) were examined as a function of early attachment security and neighborhood social cohesion (age 3).

Results

Children with higher mother-child attachment security at age three had higher adolescent social skills at age 15. The findings show that there was an interaction effect such that neighborhood social cohesion buffered the relationship between mother-child attachment security and adolescent social skills.

Conclusion

Our study highlights that early mother-child attachment security can be promotive for cultivating adolescent social skills. Furthermore, neighborhood social cohesion can be protective among children with lower mother-child attachment security.

Trends in Neighborhood Social Cohesion among Families with Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had far-reaching economic and social consequences, affecting economic well-being, health, mobility, relationships, and daily routines. What effect did the COVID-19 pandemic have on neighborhood social cohesion? Drawing on data from the National Survey of Children's Health, the authors examine trends in neighborhood social cohesion as reported by caregivers of U.S. children from 2016 to 2021. Despite the substantial changes spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors find that the pandemic did not lead to a significant change in perceived neighborhood social cohesion. These findings reveal the durability of perceived neighborhood social cohesion, showing that it appears to be unaffected even by sizable changes in social and economic contexts. Moreover, the findings provide additional evidence of disparities in perceived neighborhood social cohesion across social groups and contribute to ongoing debates related to potential declines in neighborhood relationships.

The influence of students' sense of social connectedness on prosocial behavior in higher education institutions in Guangxi, China: A perspective of perceived teachers' character teaching behavior and social support

The objective of this study is to examine the sense of social connectedness (SSC) and prosocial behavior (PB) of students in Guangxi higher education institutions in China and to further understand the factors influencing PB of higher education students. In this study, a total of 1,007 students were sampled from 8 Guangxi higher vocational schools through purposive sampling using questionnaires, of which 676 (67.1%) were male students and 331 (32.9%) were female students. This study further enriches self-determination theory by exploring the effects of teachers' character teaching behaviors and social support on PB, using the SSC as an intrinsic motivation. In addition, the results of the study revealed that SSC, perceived teacher character teaching behaviors and perceived social support (PSS) were positively related to students' PB. SSC affects PB not only directly, but also indirectly through the mediating role of perceived teacher character teaching behavior and perceived teacher support. Teacher character teaching behaviors and PSS also play a chain mediating role in the relationship between SSC and PB. Finally, this study provides strategies to optimize school character management for higher education students in order to meet their basic psychological needs and thus promote the production of PB.

Informal supports, housing insecurity, and adolescent outcomes: Implications for promoting resilience

Adolescents in low-income, marginalized families are vulnerable to behavior problems that impede healthy functioning and threaten long-term well-being. Informal supports may fill an important gap for these households as they navigate financial and social stressors. Instrumental support from social networks and neighborhood cohesion may promote family stability and youth well-being; further, these informal supports may promote resilience to housing insecurity, which is linked with a range of adverse adolescent outcomes. The present study utilized data from a large sample of at-risk families with children (N = 2425) to investigate whether instrumental support and neighborhood cohesion predicted adolescent behavior problems over 10 years and whether these links were mediated by housing insecurity. Results of structural equation modeling with latent variables showed direct links from instrumental support to anxious/depressed behaviors and from neighborhood cohesion to aggressive behaviors, as well as an indirect link from instrumental support to aggressive behavior via housing insecurity. Findings suggest informal supports are an important source of resilience for low-income families who may be excluded from or are reluctant to engage with formal social systems. Further, stable, connected communities with highly embedded social networks can promote housing stability and youth well-being in a virtuous cycle.

Explaining civic engagement: The role of neighborhood ties, place attachment, and civic responsibility

This study examines whether neighborhood ties (comprising neighborhood trust and neighborhood friendship), place attachment, and civic responsibility influence a person's decision to engage in neighborly civic activities. Three personality traits were added to the model as potential moderators: egoism, altruism, and fear of negative evaluation. Using data from a survey of German citizens (n = 610), the structural equation model adopted revealed that place attachment and civic responsibility (partially) mediate the effect of neighborhood trust (neighborhood friendship) on local civic engagement intention. Furthermore, egoism negatively moderates the relationship between civic responsibility and engagement intention.

Parental Collectivism Goals and Chinese Adolescents' Prosocial Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Authoritative Parenting

Prosocial behaviors are important indicators of positive social adjustment during adolescence in collectivistic cultures. Although parents play a central role in the process of cultural socialization, it remains unclear how culturally embedded parental goals for their children are related to adolescent prosocial development, especially in non-Western countries. Moreover, little is known about whether parenting practices serve as an underlying mechanism in linking parental goals and adolescents' prosocial behaviors. To address these issues, this two-wave longitudinal study investigated the associations between parental collectivism goals and Chinese adolescents' prosocial behaviors, with attention to the mediating role of authoritative parenting. Two hundred and eighty-five Chinese adolescents (51% girls; mean age = 12.29 years, SD = 0.64, range = 11-14) completed measures on parental collectivism goals, parenting practices, and their own prosocial behaviors. Results showed that adolescents' perceived parental collectivism goals positively predicted their prosocial behaviors one year later, which was partially mediated by authoritative parenting. Notably, the effects of perceived parental collectivism goals and authoritative parenting on adolescents' later prosocial behaviors were more salient when adolescents initially showed a lower level of prosocial behaviors. The findings highlight the positive effects of parental collectivism goals in promoting adolescent prosocial development via authoritative parenting in the Chinese context, and identify the subgroup of adolescents who may derive particular benefits from this process.

Older Neighbors and The Neighborhood Context of Child Well-Being: Pathways to Enhancing Social Capital for Children

Drawing on Coleman's concept of social capital, researchers have investigated how the quality of neighborhood social networks influences child development and well-being. The role of non-kin older neighbors in advancing child well-being through the enhancement of social capital, however, has been under-studied. Our objective was to delineate specific pathways through which non-kin older neighbors contribute to neighborhood quality for children and families and potentially advance child well-being. We examined open-ended interview data from 400 parents who cared for at least one child under 18 years of age and resided in 20 neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio. A subsample of 113 parents connected older neighbors to neighborhood quality for families and children in their narratives. Our analysis identified three primary pathways through which parents positively linked older neighbors to neighborhood quality: older neighbors support parents and children, promote neighborhood safety, and contribute to neighborhood residential stability. These contributions are evidence of intergenerational closure, reciprocated exchange, and informal social control working together to create social capital in neighborhoods for children. It is by enhancing social capital that older neighbors potentially improve child well-being. We discuss the implications of our findings for neighborhood research and practice.

Applying the volunteer process model to predict future intentions for civic and political participation: same antecedents, different experiences?

Drawing on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the volunteer process model (VPM), we compared proximal (the TPB variables) and distal (general social support and sense of community) antecedents and quality of experience between civic (CP) and political (PP) participation. Outcome variables were future intentions. We used data from a mail survey of 3,231 adults with or without prior CP or PP experience. Both inexperienced and experienced individuals perceived PP more negatively than CP. Quality of experience was also rated substantially more negatively for PP than for CP. Distal antecedents had similar effects for CP and PP, but they were mostly significant for CP only. In line with the VPM, quality of experience was the strongest predictor of future intentions in experienced individuals. Perceived behavioral control was the strongest mediator. Findings corroborate the distinction between CP and PP and suggest that PP is much less attractive on average.

Conditions under Which Rural-to-Urban Migration Enhances Social and Economic Sustainability of Home Communities: A Case Study in Vietnam

Rural-to-urban migration contributes to the economic and social sustainability of sending communities. The aim of this study was to obtain quantitative evidence supporting the theoretical argument that (i) rural-to-urban migrants contribute to the sustainability of their sending communities, and (ii) once they return, they are likely to behave prosocially as return migrants because they feel a responsibility to apply the knowledge and skills they acquired during migration for the sake of others in their sending communities. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Hanoi, Vietnam, a typical destination city of domestic rural-to-urban migrants. Three hundred rural-to-urban migrants participated in this survey. The ultivariate regression analysis results indicate that rural-to-urban migrants contribute more to the social and economic sustainability of their rural home communities when they have spent longer in their migration destinations and have accumulated skills and knowledge because their experiences foster a sense of responsibility toward their home communities. This is the first quantitative investigation of the relationship between rural-to-urban migrants’ characteristics representing their accumulation of skills and knowledge in their destination cities and their supportive attitudes toward their home communities. This investigation seemed important because it was expected to clarify the conditions under which rural-to-urban migration stimulates migrants’ sense of responsibility and thus their contributions to the social and economic sustainability of their sending communities.

Towards a Multisystem, Strength-Based Model of Social Inequities in US Latinx Youth

US Latinx youth are overrepresented across numerous social inequity domains (e.g., education, incarceration, health) in US society. Such concerning data call for culturally sensitive and strength-based models to guide future research to better understand, and perhaps mitigate, such inequities. The present paper presents a conceptual model that highlights the roles of multiple systems (cultural, relational, intrapersonal, behavioral) that predict US Latinx youth social inequities. The proposed model incorporates a culture- and strength-based approach to further our understanding of US Latinx youth developmental trajectories associated with social inequalities. We also highlight a set of culture-specific and non-culture-specific risk and protective factors (e.g., ethnic identity, social support, neighborhood characteristics) that can exacerbate or mitigate social inequities, with a focus on positive social behaviors. The extant research literature that yields supportive evidence for the model and gaps in the research are briefly reviewed. The essay concludes with recommendations for future research.

Self-compassion and posttraumatic growth mediate the relations between social support, prosocial behavior, and antisocial behavior among adolescents after the Ya'an earthquake

Background: Previous studies indicate that social support, self-compassion, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) can affect prosocial behaviour and antisocial behaviour, but few studies have examined their combined role in prosocial and antisocial behaviour among adolescents who have experienced traumatic events. Objective: This study examined the mediating roles of self-compassion and PTG in the relationship between social support and prosocial and antisocial behaviour among Chinese adolescents after the Ya'an earthquake. Method: Four and a half years after the Ya'an earthquake, 492 students aged 13 to 18 in Lushan County (98.6% of the 499 students surveyed) were assessed using the following system: Measures of Trauma Exposure Questionnaire, Social Support Questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and Child Behaviour Problems Questionnaire. Results: When we controlled for gender, age, and traumatic exposure, social support had a positive effect on prosocial behaviour. Moreover, social support had an indirect and positive effect on prosocial behaviour via positive self-compassion and PTG, as well as via an indirect path from positive self-compassion to PTG, but social support had a negative effect on antisocial behaviour via PTG, as well as via an indirect path from positive self-compassion to PTG on antisocial behaviour. Social support also had a positive effect on antisocial behaviour via negative self-compassion. Conclusion: Findings suggest that increased support may be beneficial for prosocial behaviour and reduce antisocial behaviour. Self-compassion and PTG play a significant mediating role between social support, prosocial behaviour, and antisocial behaviour.

The association of community and individual parental social capital with behavior problems among children in Japan: results from A-CHILD longitudinal study

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of individual-level and community-level parental social capital with childhood behavior problems using population-based longitudinal data in Japan.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a population-based longitudinal survey study which followed first-grade elementary school children (6-7 years old) in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan. At baseline, the parents of first-grade students from all 69 elementary schools in Adachi City were asked to respond to a questionnaire assessing behavior problems and prosocial behavior (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and parental social capital in the community (N = 5494). Data on follow-up questionnaires on behavior problems were collected when children were second grade. Among both surveys, 3656 parents returned valid responses. The association between individual-level and community-level parental social capital and children's behavior problems were analyzed using multilevel analyses adjusting for covariates.

RESULTS

Community-level social capital was positively associated with prosocial behaviors, but not for total difficulties, after adjustment for covariates (coefficient = 0.19, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.36). Individual-level parental social capital was also positively associated with prosocial behaviors (coefficient = 0.27, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.41) and negatively associated with total difficulties (coefficient = - 0.54, 95% CI - 0.89 to - 0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that greater community-level social capital can benefit children with increased prosocial behaviors. Individual-level parental social capital can be protective of youth by increasing prosocial behaviors and reducing difficult behaviors. Boosting both community and individual social capital can be a promising means to enhance children's well-being.

Social Capital and Prosocial Behavior among German Children

A robust literature connects children’s and adolescents’ social capital to a range of desirable outcomes, including increased academic achievement and decreased delinquency. We extend this research by extending possible associations with child social capital to positive behaviors, measured here as prosocial behaviors. We examine data on 6th graders in Germany. We select the German context in part because one important source of child social capital, participation in religious congregations, is not as prevalent in modern Germany as in the US samples from which many social capital studies are derived. We use data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) and measures of child social capital, including parent–child interactions, family activities, and religious participation, to predict prosocial behavior. Results indicate that social capital in the form of parent-child interactions in the home and child religiosity is associated weakly with greater prosocial behavior. These results suggest that adults can help children develop stronger prosocial norms by increasing interaction with their children and by exposing their children to network ties in religious settings, but also that social capital can be derived different ways in different contexts.

The effect of neighbourhood cohesion on mental health across sexual orientations: A longitudinal study

Given the persistent mental health disparities between sexual minorities and the general population, social epidemiological research should address this disparity by investigating the differential impact of neighbourhood social environments across sexual orientations. There is growing evidence that neighbourhood cohesion, conceptualized as a sense of belonging and social connection, is an important social determinant of mental health in the general population, but little is known about its impact across sexual orientations. Using data from the UK household longitudinal study (2009-2018) including waves 1, 3, 6, and 9 ( n = 52,903), this paper examined the longitudinal relationship between neighbourhood cohesion and mental health (using GHQ-12) across sexual orientations. A fixed-effect regression approach was taken to model the within-person change over time in GHQ predicted by neighbourhood cohesion with disaggregated analyses by gender and sexual orientation. Across all sexual orientations and genders, individuals who experienced an increase in neighbourhood cohesion also saw an improvement in their mental health over time. Moreover, the effect of neighbourhood cohesion on mental health over time differed by sexual orientation. Each 1-point increase in neighbourhood cohesion (on a 5-point scale) lead to mental health improvements of -0.8 GHQ score (95%CI -0.89 to -0.71) for heterosexual males at the lowest end, and up to -1.71 GHQ score (95%CI -2.31 to - 1.11) for homosexual men at the highest end. Given that the study demonstrates notable differences in the effects of neighbourhood social environment across gender and sexual orientations, this points to the need to consider sexual orientation (along with gender) as a key modifier in research involving neighbourhood effects. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of specific policies aimed at improving neighbourhood social environment for sexual minorities to help close mental health disparities.

Association of parental social network diversity with behaviour problems and resilience of offspring in a large population-based study of Japanese children

OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed to elucidate the impact of parental social network diversity on the behaviour problems and resilience of offspring.

DESIGN

We used cross-sectional data from the Kochi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty study in 2016.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Participants were first, fifth and eighth grade children living in Kochi prefecture, Japan (N=9653). We calculated parental social network diversity by counting the number of people with whom parents connected on a daily basis (ie, structural social network diversity) and by assessing perceived psychosocial support (ie, functional social network diversity).

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Child behaviour problems and resilience were respectively assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Child's Resilient Coping Scale (CRCS), as rated by caregivers.

RESULTS

Diversity in parental structural and functional social networks showed an inverse association with SDQ total difficulties score (B=-0.16 (95% CI -0.25 to -0.07) and -0.20 (95% CI -0.27 to -0.13), respectively), and a positive association with prosocial behaviour score (B=0.11 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.15) and 0.09 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.12), respectively) and CRCS score (B=0.75 (95% CI 0.46 to 1.05) and 1.12 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.35), respectively) in the adjusted model. Parental mental health accounted for 36% and 43% of the total effects of structural and functional social network diversity respectively on the total difficulties score. For prosocial behaviour score, parental involvement accounted for 31% of the effects of functional social network diversity.

CONCLUSION

The results shed light on new strategies to enhance child mental health that do not directly involve children but rather focus on parental social networking.

The role of negative emotional reactivity and neighborhood factors in predicting marijuana use during early adolescence

INTRODUCTION

Negative emotional reactivity and the neighborhood environment have been individually associated with marijuana use outcomes; however, less is known about whether neighborhood factors differentiate the association between negative emotional reactivity and marijuana use. The present study examined whether neighborhood risk (i.e., neighborhood problems) and protective factors (i.e., neighborhood social cohesion) moderated the relation between negative emotional reactivity and marijuana use during early adolescence.

METHODS

Participants were 775 adolescents (M = 10.95 ± 0.88 years; 69% male; 76% Caucasian), who reported on their past month frequency of marijuana use at Time 1 (when adolescents were 10-12 years old) and Time 2 (when adolescents were 12-14 years old). Mothers reported on neighborhood problems and neighborhood social cohesion at Time 1. Youth reported on their negative emotional reactivity at Time 2.

RESULTS

Negative binomial regression analyses indicated that neighborhood problems moderated the relationship between negative emotional reactivity and marijuana use. In particular, in the context of low neighborhood problems, individuals with lower negative emotional reactivity were at attenuated risk for marijuana use compared to individuals higher in negative emotional reactivity. In the context of high neighborhood problems, individuals were at heightened risk for marijuana consumption regardless of their negative emotional reactivity levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that individual-level factors alone do not sufficiently account for early marijuana use and that neighborhood problems play a role in risk for or abstention from using marijuana during early adolescence. Implications for prevention and intervention for marijuana use during adolescence are discussed.

'This is the place where I can be alone, no tension:' Photovoice evidence for adolescent perceptions of their microsystem and psychological adjustment

Adolescents experience myriad emotions which occur in relation to their immediate social space which may shape their perceptions of members within the microsystem. The photovoice method uniquely provides participants with the means to capture their life through the lens of a camera while also enabling them to express emotions and meanings they attach to their particular life situations. We explore the various emotions adolescents attach to the spaces they occupy and how they link them to socialization in the context of the microsystem. This study was conducted in rural and urban areas of Udupi taluk, southern India. A total of 21 participants, ranging from early to late adolescence participated and provided multiple forms of data with 112 photographs, 21 journals on their daily interactions and one-on-one interviews facilitated using the SHOWeD model. The analytical method involved compiling visual data from photographs, journal content and interview data pertaining to each participant as a single data file, developing codes using ATLAS.ti, version 8, and further developing sub-themes and themes as they emerged into narratives. Our study was able to elicit emotions and meanings that adolescents attached to social interactions with gendered nuances specific to the Indian cultural setting. Future applications of the photovoice methodology on research among adolescents have also been discussed.

Collective Efficacy as a Key Context in Neighborhood Support for Urban Youth

Neighborhood context, including the physical and social environment, has been implicated as important contributors to positive youth development. A transactional approach to neighborhood asserts that place and people are mutually constitutive; negative perceptions of place are intrinsically bound with negative portrayals of stigmatized groups, including youth. Adult perceptions of neighborhood youth may contribute to an increased sense of alienation and youth antisocial behavior. This study uses street-intercept interviews with adults (N = 408) to examine the relationship between neighborhood conditions and adult support for neighborhood youth. A path model was used to examine the direct and indirect relationship of neighborhood constructs (safety, aesthetic quality, and walkability) on adult support for neighborhood youth. Neighborhood aesthetic quality and the walking environment were directly associated with adult support for youth, whereas perceived safety was indirectly associated. Collective efficacy partially explained these relationships. Findings support theorized relationships between people and places; improvements to neighborhood physical environment may directly impact resident adults' perceptions of neighborhood young people.

Perceptions of Community Norms and Youths' Reactive and Proactive Dating and Sexual Violence Bystander Action

There is enthusiasm for programs that promote bystander intervention to prevent dating and sexual violence (DSV). However, more information about what facilitates or inhibits bystander behavior in DSV situations is needed. The present cross-sectional survey study investigated whether youth perceptions of adults' behavior and community norms were associated with how frequently youth took action and intervened in DSV situations or to prevent DSV. Specifically, study hypotheses were that youths' perceptions of community-level variables, such as adults' willingness to help victims of DSV or prevent DSV, perceptions of community collective efficacy, and perceptions of community descriptive and injunctive norms disapproving of DSV and supporting DSV prevention, would be associated with how frequently youths took reactive and proactive bystander action. Participants were 2172 students from four high schools in one New England state. ANOVA analyses found that descriptive norms were associated with all actionist behaviors, and perceptions of community cohesion were also consistently associated with them. Injunctive norms were associated, but less consistently, with actionist behaviors. Findings suggest that DSV-related social norms, and descriptive norms and community cohesion in particular, might be relevant to youth DSV bystander behavior.

Neighborhood structural characteristics and Mexican-origin adolescents' development

Ethnic-racial and socioeconomic residential segregation are endemic in the United States, representing societal-level sociocultural processes that likely shape development. Considered alongside communities' abilities to respond to external forces, like stratification, in ways that promote youth adaptive functioning and mitigate maladaptive functioning, it is likely that residence in segregated neighborhoods during adolescence has both costs and benefits. We examined the influences that early adolescents' neighborhood structural characteristics, including Latino concentration and concentrated poverty, had on a range of developmentally salient downstream outcomes (i.e., internalizing, externalizing, prosocial behaviors, and ethnic-racial identity resolution) via implications for intermediate aspects of adolescents' community participation and engagement (i.e., ethnic-racial identity exploration, ethnic-racial discrimination from peers, and school attachment). These mediational mechanisms were tested prospectively across three waves (Mage w1-w3 = 12.79, 15.83, 17.37 years, respectively) in a sample of 733 Mexican-origin adolescents (48.8% female). We found higher neighborhood Latino concentration during early adolescence predicted greater school attachment and ethnic-racial identity exploration and lower discrimination from peers in middle adolescence. These benefits, in turn, were associated with lower externalizing and internalizing and higher ethnic-racial identity resolution and prosocial behaviors in late adolescence. Findings are discussed relative to major guidelines for integrating culture into development and psychopathology.

Linking profiles of neighborhood elements to health and related outcomes among children across the United States

The current study explored association of neighborhood elements to children's health and related outcomes. Nationally representative data (N = 49,513,974, ages 6-17, 51.1% Male) was used to empirically define classes of neighborhoods based on presence or absence of various neighborhood elements. Analyses resulted in a three-class model: 1) "High Assets, Low Disorganization" (64.57%), 2) "High Assets, High Disorganization" (13.51%), and 3) "Few Assets, Low Disorganization" (21.91%). Class Membership was differentially associated with health, flourishing, and neighborhood cohesion. Results suggest health interventions should focus on increasing neighborhood assets, decreasing levels of neighborhood violence and poverty, and improving social dynamics of neighborhoods.

Challenging Behavior, Parental Conflict and Community Violence in Students with Aggressive Behavior

The effects of the presence of challenging behavior problems, parental conflict and violence in the community were determined by the probability of occurrence of bullying behaviors in elementary students. 664 students participated in the study, of whom 80 (12.04%) were identified as aggressors. 80 students with no reports of attacks were later selected randomly for comparison. Using logistic regression, it was found that the variables studied manifest significant differences between the student groups with and without aggressive behavior toward peers ^_(R2 = .39). Challenging behavior (OR = 7.83), parental conflict (OR = 3.77) and Community Violence (OR = 5.36) increase the probability of belonging to the group of aggressors. We conclude that it is necessary to analyze the bullying from an ecological framework that considers variables located in the contexts in which individuals interact.

The Relations between Prosocial Behaviors and Self-Regulation: Evidences from the Validation of the PTM-R for Portuguese Early Adolescents

The main goal of this study is to understand the relationship between different types of prosocial behaviors and different forms of self-regulation, as part of the adaptation and validation of the Portuguese version of the Prosocial Tendencies Measure-Revised (PTM-R). A total of 403 early adolescents (M = 11.81; SD = .92; 52.91% girls) completed self-reported measures. The evaluation of psychometric properties of the PTM-R involved a confirmatory factorial analysis, followed by the examination of factorial internal consistency and factorial invariance analyses across gender groups and school retention groups (retention vs. no-retention). The results support the premise that a 6-factor model similar to the original measure is the most appropriate factorial solution for the PTM-R Portuguese version (χ2(174) = 1.725, p < .001, CFI = .95, RMSEA = .030, SRMR = .08). The levels of internal consistency for the different subscales ranged from .67 to .78. Further convergent and divergent validity tests reveal that different forms of prosocial behavior are more often related to girls' cognitive, affective and behavioral regulation and that students who failed at least one school year and thus had to repeat it denote poorer relations between prosocial behaviors and self-regulation dimensions, as opposed to more successful students. In conclusion, the Portuguese version of the PTM-R has adequate psychometric properties and its use for research purposes in the field of social development may be appropriate. The discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for future research on prosociality.

The influence of mobility on mental health status in young people: The role of area-level deprivation

Residential mobility during childhood has been previously associated with poor mental health; however, this association could be mediated by several aspects of moving. This paper investigated the impact of mobility across different levels of area deprivation on the individual's mental health status in Northern Ireland. Mobility towards deprived areas was associated with an elevated risk of reporting poor mental health in both house owners and renters. However, the number of residential moves appeared to be moderating the effect of area change on the individual's mental health. Further exploration of this relationship is warranted through the use of more in-depth mental health measures.

"That was the Last Time I Saw my House": The Importance of Place Attachment among Children and Youth in Disaster Contexts

Place attachment is important for children and youth's disaster preparedness, experiences, recovery, and resilience, but most of the literature on place and disasters has focused on adults. Drawing on the community disaster risk reduction, recovery, and resilience literature as well as the literature on normative place attachment, children and youth's place-relevant disaster experiences are examined. Prior to a disaster, place attachments are postulated to enhance children and youth's disaster preparedness contributions and reinforce their pre-disaster resilience. During a disaster, damage of, and displacement from, places of importance can create significant emotional distress among children and youth. Following a disaster, pre-existing as well as new place ties can aid in their recovery and bolster their resilience moving forward. This framework enriches current theories of disaster recovery, resilience, and place attachment, and sets an agenda for future research.

Resilience and Vulnerability to the Psychological Harm From Flooding: The Role of Social Cohesion

OBJECTIVES

We examined the role of social cohesion as a component of vulnerability and resilience to the psychological distress of flooding.

METHODS

A survey collected data from 2238 individuals living in flood-affected areas of England (South Yorkshire and Worcestershire) in 2007. We used Bayesian structural equation modeling to assess factors relating to the latent variables of resilience (years in area, family nearby, and social cohesion) and vulnerability (disruption of essential services, flood risk, and previous flood experience).

RESULTS

Flooding was strongly associated with poor mental health; however, resilience factors (associated with the ability to cope with natural disasters), but not vulnerability, were strongly associated with a reduction in psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS

Resilience and social cohesion were important influences on the risk of developing poor mental health following flooding. Increasing resilience of communities by strengthening social cohesion through measures that increase civic participation and changing land use should be considered as potentially inexpensive and effective defenses against avoidable mental harm that will result from increased climate instability.

Can Facebook informational use foster adolescent civic engagement?

The findings on the association between Social Networking Sites and civic engagement are mixed. The present study aims to evaluate a theoretical model linking the informational use of Internet-based social media (specifically, Facebook) with civic competencies and intentions for future civic engagement, taking into account the mediating role of civic discussions with family and friends and sharing the news online. Participants were 114 Italian high school students aged 14-17 years (57 % boys). Path analysis was used to evaluate the proposed theoretical model. Results showed that Facebook informational use was associated with higher levels of adolescent perceived competence for civic action, both directly and through the mediation of civic discussion with parents and friends (offline). Higher levels of civic competencies, then, were associated with a stronger intention to participate in the civic domain in the future. Our findings suggest that Facebook may provide adolescents with additional tools through which they can learn civic activities or develop the skills necessary to participate in the future.

The Crosstown initiative: art, community, and placemaking in Memphis

This case study examines an arts organization at the center of an urban neighborhood revitalization effort and its contributions to creative placemaking and inclusive community building. The study documents innovative arts practices and explores their meaning for a local context, an understudied city in the Mid-South region of the United States. It builds on the research team's ongoing work as teachers, students, and scholars in partnership with the arts organization. It includes systematic participant observation, interviews with stakeholders, and a review of historical and contemporary media coverage. We found that the organization and its practices provided a rich context for exploring an expanded sense of community including bridging social capital and place-based frameworks. Analysis suggests that the organization's intentional arts based practices bring multiple understandings of community and art into meaningful dialogue through the generation of creative and social friction. These practices illustrate one context-specific strategy addressing the tensions in a community-diversity dialectic (Townley et al. in Am J Commun Psychol 47:69-85, 2011).

A global study on the influence of neighborhood contextual factors on adolescent health

PURPOSE

This study uses data collected as part of the Well-Being of Adolescents in Vulnerable Environments study to (1) compare the perceptions of neighborhood-level factors among adolescents across five different urban sites; (2) examine the associations between factors within the physical and social environments; and (3) examine the influence of neighborhood-level factors on two different health outcomes-violence victimization in the past 12 months and ever smoked.

METHODS

Across five urban sites (Baltimore, New Delhi, Johannesburg, Ibadan, and Shanghai), 2,320 adolescents aged 15-19 years completed a survey using audio computer-assisted self-interview technology. To recruit adolescents, each site used a respondent-driven sampling method, which consisted of selecting adolescents as "seeds" to serve as the initial contacts for recruiting the entire adolescent sample. All analyses were conducted with Stata 13.1 statistical software, using complex survey design procedures. To examine associations between neighborhood-level factors and among our two outcomes, violence victimization and ever smoked, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Across sites, there was great variability in how adolescents perceived their neighborhoods. Overall, adolescents from Ibadan and Shanghai held the most positive perceptions about their neighborhoods, whereas adolescents from Baltimore and Johannesburg held the poorest. In New Delhi, despite females having positive perceptions about their safety and sense of social cohesion, they had the highest sense of fear and the poorest perceptions about their physical environment. The study also found that one of the most consistent neighborhood-level factors across sites and outcomes was witnessing community violence, which was significantly associated with smoking among adolescents in New Delhi and Johannesburg and with violence victimization across nearly every site except Baltimore. No other neighborhood-level factor exerted greater influence.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the important associations between perceptions of a neighborhood and adolescent health. At the same time, it demonstrates that not all neighborhood-level factors are associated with adolescent health outcomes in the same way across different urban contexts. Further longitudinal research is needed to examine the direction of causation between adolescent health neighborhood contexts and health outcomes and the reasons for why different urban contexts may exert varying levels of influence on the health of adolescents.

How school can teach civic engagement besides civic education: The role of democratic school climate

Civic engagement, defined as involvement in community life, is influenced by reciprocal relationships between individuals and contexts and is a key factor that contributes to positive youth development. The present study evaluates a theoretical model linking perceived democratic school climate with adolescent civic engagement (operationalized as civic responsibility and intentions for future participation), taking into account the mediating role of civic discussions and perceived fairness at school. Participants were 403 adolescents (47.9 % male) ranging in age from 11 to 15 years old (mean age = 13.6). Path analysis results partially validated the proposed theoretical model. Higher levels of democratic school climate were associated with higher levels of adolescent civic responsibility; the association was fully mediated by civic discussions and perceived fairness at school. Adolescents' civic responsibility, then, was positively associated with a stronger intention to participate in the civic domain in the future.

Does neighborhood social capital buffer the effects of maternal depression on adolescent behavior problems?

Neighborhood characteristics have been shown to impact child well-being. However, it remains unclear how these factors combine with family characteristics to influence child development. The current study helps develop that understanding by investigating how neighborhoods directly impact child and adolescent behavior problems as well as moderate the influence of family characteristics on behavior. Using multilevel linear models, we examined the relationship among neighborhood conditions (poverty and social capital) and maternal depression on child and adolescent behavior problems. The sample included 741 children, age 5–11, and 564 adolescents, age 12–17. Outcomes were internalizing (e.g. anxious/depressed) and externalizing (e.g. aggressive/hyperactive) behavior problems. Neighborhood poverty and maternal depression were both positively associated with behavior problems for children and adolescents. However, while neighborhood social capital was not directly associated with behavior problems, the interaction of social capital and maternal depression was significantly related to behavior problems for adolescents. This interaction showed that living in neighborhoods with higher levels of social capital attenuated the relationship between maternal depression and adolescent behavior problems and confirmed the expectation that raising healthy well-adjusted children depends not only on the family, but also the context in which the family lives.