Neighborhood Environment and Internalizing Problems in African American Children

Abstract

This study examines gender differences in the association between environment and internalizing problems in a sample of predominately African American schoolchildren. Internalizing problems was assessed using the Youth Self Report. Violence and alcohol and other drug (AOD) exposure subscales were created using observational assessments of neighborhood blocks. Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between neighborhood environment and internalizing problems. For each AOD item present on the block the odds of internalizing problems among girls increased by 17% (OR = 1.17, CI: 1.01, 1.35, p = 0.039). The relationship was not significant among boys. Violence exposure did not predict internalizing problems in boys or girls. These preliminary findings suggest that primary school-aged girls' emotional well-being is more negatively impacted by deleterious environments. Future investigations will examine the relationship between deleterious neighborhood environments and internalizing problems as the children age into adolescence.

Alcohol Outlets and Substance Use Among High Schoolers

“…The relationship between alcohol outlet density and perceived availability remained significant after controlling for urbanicity among girls. The current findings are consistent with other similar studies that examined children’s and adolescents’ neighborhood context and behavioral outcomes, in which girls were also more sensitive to the disordered neighborhood environment than boys (Brown et al, 2014; Drukker et al, 2010; Fagan and Wright, 2012; Milam et al, 2012). It is possible that high school girls may be more sensitive to environmental exposure and specifically the alcohol environment than their male counterparts.…”

Effect of Environmental Risk and Externalizing Comorbidity on Internalizing Problems Among Economically Disadvantaged African American Youth

“…Additionally, these results may clarify previous mixed evidence regarding the roles of various environmental stressors in internalizing problems (e.g. Gaylord-Harden, Cunningham, et al, 2011; Milam et al, 2012) by examining pathways to internalizing problems via comorbid externalizing problems. This implies that internalizing problems may be comprised of heterogeneous components, some of which may be directly or uniquely related to stressful experiences, while others share variances with externalizing problems.…”

“…Gaylord-Harden, Cunningham, & Zelencik, 2011; Kliewer & Sullivan, 2008) but not in others (e.g. Milam et al, 2012; Sanchez et al, 2013). As with stressful life events, these studies focused on early adolescence only (Gaylord-Harden, Cunningham, et al, 2011; Kliewer & Sullivan, 2008; Sanchez et al, 2013).…”

“…Milam et al, 2012; Sanchez et al, 2013), we were interested to test the relation of exposure to violence in light of the possible mediating role of externalizing problems. The results showed that exposure to violence was not directly associated with internalizing problems among African American adolescents.…”

Evaluating nighttime observational measures of neighborhood disorder: Validity of the nighttime NIfETy assessment

“…The NIfETy Instrument is reliable and valid (Furr-Holden et al, 2010), takes about 20–30 minutes to complete (depending on the block features), and includes domains to assess key indicators of physical and social disorder. Neighborhood disorder, as assessed using the NIfETy, has been shown to be strongly associated with youth-reported exposure to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) (Furr-Holden et al, 2015; Milam et al, 2012). …”