Neighborhood influences on adolescent developmental outcomes

Previous research has demonstrated the importance of neighborhood context on youth development. From an ecological perspective, neighborhoods may affect youth directly and indirectly through families, schools, and larger communities. Most research has assumed that low SES neighborhoods are associated with negative neighborhood factors, although neighborhood disorganization and safety are primarily the only variables investigated thus far. This study broadens the research on neighborhood characteristics affecting adolescent educational outcomes, which has focused mainly on SES in the past. In the same way, this study deepens our understanding of neighborhood influences on adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems by investigating the effects of social networks, neighborhood services, and adult and peer modeling influences. Finally, the present study explores the influences of neighborhoods on adolescent thriving, representing a new direction for neighborhood research.;The sample includes 587 ethnically diverse, male (321) and female (266) participants from ages 13 to 17 selected through random telephone dialing from a Southern California city. Through the use of planned-missingness in statistical analysis, each participant answered a portion of The Fuller Youth Initiative's "Survey of Youth Risk and Safety" that assesses developmental resources, risk factors, and behavioral and psychological outcomes. Geographic maps were consulted to identify participant census tracts through their self-reported schools and zip codes. High and low neighborhood SES were measured through the U.S. Census Bureau's data on the percentage of adults per census track with the specified education, employment type, and income level. Z transformations were conducted and summed. Neighborhood services including schools, churches, and child care centers were identified through the local online Yellow Pages.;Hierarchical multiple regression was used while controlling for family SES. Results revealed that contrary to previous assumptions, SES was largely unrelated to other neighborhood characteristics apart from organization. Neighborhood service results were likewise surprising, with high SES neighborhoods associated with fewer services, and vice versa. High levels of organization, perceived community safety, social networks, and non-delinquent peers predicted positive educational outcomes. Perceived community safety and non-delinquent peers were associated with lower levels of youth internalizing and externalizing problems. Youth thriving was related to strong social networks and non-delinquent peer influences.