The Relationship Between Neighborhood Characteristics and Effective Parenting Behaviors

Abstract

Neighborhood characteristics have been linked to healthy behavior, including effective parenting behaviors. This may be partially explained through the neighborhood’s relation to parents’ access to social support from friends and family. The current study examined associations of neighborhood characteristics with parenting behaviors indirectly through social support. The sample included 614 mothers of 11–12 year old youths enrolled in a health care system in the San Francisco area. Structural equations modeling shows that neighborhood perceptions were related to parenting behaviors, indirectly through social support, while archival census neighborhood indicators were unrelated to social support and parenting. Perceived neighborhood social cohesion and control were related to greater social support, which was related to more effective parenting style, parent-child communication, and monitoring. Perceived neighborhood disorganization was unrelated to social support. Prevention strategies should focus on helping parents build a social support network that can act as a resource in times of need.

Interdependencia Funcional de la Crianza Positiva Materna

“…El nivel explicativo de la varianza del modelo con respecto de la crianza positiva fue del 27 %, por lo cual casi una tercera parte de la crianza positiva es explicada por las variables utilizadas en la presente investigación, sin embargo, los coeficientes estructurales fueron de bajos a moderados, siendo el valor más alto un valor de 0.26 entre las variables bienestar psicológico y la crianza positiva, por lo cual es necesario considerar estos puntajes en la interpretación del modelo en su conjunto. Tanto las variables cohesión social del vecindario, como el apoyo social familiar fueron variables exógenas que presentaron relación con la crianza positiva, como se ha demostrado en otras investigaciones (Byrnes & Miller, 2012;Oravecz et al, 2011). Otros estudios apoyan las relaciones encontradas entre el apoyo social familiar, la cohesión social del vecindario y la crianza positiva a través de las variables salud positiva, autorregulación, autoestima, y bienestar psicológico (Diez-Roux & Mair, 2010;Grusec, 2011;Kim et al, 2012;Tahmassian et al, 2011).…”

“…La cohesión social es el grado de confianza y de valores compartidos entre las personas (Silk, Sessa, Morris, Steinberg & Avenevoli, 2004), lo cual afecta el nivel de seguridad y tranquilidad entre sus habitantes (Carpiano & Kimbro, 2012). La cohesión social se relaciona con el apoyo social familiar, debido a que las familias se encuentran inmersas en un contexto social-cultural donde se establecen relaciones de interacción (Grusec, 2011;Byrnes & Miller, 2012), y algunos comportamientos que suceden al exterior de las familias se practican al interior de las mismas, afectando las características de los intercambios del apoyo social familiar. Existen varios tipos de apoyo social: el instrumental, el emocional, la información, la ayuda tangible, las interacciones sociales positivas, el afecto y la estima (Yu, Lee & Woo, 2004).…”

The social context of parenting: mothers’ inner resources and social structures

“…Specifically, in neighbourhoods perceived to be impoverished or dangerous, parents tend to monitor their children and expect obedience and respect for authority (rather than offering autonomy support) to keep them safe (Odgers et al 2012). In contrast, perceived neighbourhood social cohesion has been found to relate to parents' increased social support, which was linked to more effective parent-child communication (Byrnes and Miller 2012).…”

“…Some have approached neighbourhood interactions as a buffer that moderates the link between negative/harsh parenting and child behaviour, whereas others have treated parenting practices as a mediating factor, a buffer between poor neighbourhoods and child outcomes (see Odgers et al 2012 for a review). Although there is a plethora of studies on how neighbourhoods affect child development, we know little about the association between parents' perceptions of and interactions with their neighbourhood, as a spatial and social space, and their parenting (Byrnes and Miller 2012). Finally, a small but growing number of studies have examined associations between parenting styles and children's access to virtual communities (e.g.…”

The places parents go: understanding the breadth, scope, and experiences of activity spaces for parents

“…According to social ecology theory, the social environment of a community is also associated with behaviors (Stokols, 1996). For example, the social characteristics of a neighborhood, such as levels of social organization and local social networks appears to impact parenting behaviors (Byrnes and Miller 2012; Freisthler and Holmes 2012). …”