An examination of ethnic identity as a mediator of the effects of community participation and neighborhood sense of community on psychological empowerment among urban youth of color

Empowerment research has made important contributions toward understanding youth development, well‐being, and activism; however, it has failed to consider the impact that ethnic identity has on psychological empowerment (PE) and among related empowerment predictors (e.g., community participation and neighborhood sense of community [SOC]). The present study focuses on examining the mediating role of ethnic identity between community participation, neighborhood SOC, and PE. Using structural equation modeling path analysis techniques among a sample of Hispanic and Black youth (N = 1,480) from an underresourced community, this study examines the mediating role of ethnic identity between community participation, neighborhood SOC, and PE. Community participation and neighborhood SOC had a positive direct effect on both ethnic identity and PE. Both community participation and neighborhood SOC also indirectly affected PE through ethnic identity. This study supports the mediating role of ethnic identity and the direct effect of ethnic identity on PE. Results point toward the importance of ethnic identity with PE and in the empowerment process. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

The brief sense of community scale: Testing dimensionality and measurement invariance by gender among Hispanic/Latinx youth

Psychological sense of community is defined as feelings of belongingness and a shared belief that community members will meet one another's needs. Psychological sense of community has four dimensions: membership, influence, needs fulfillment, and emotional connection. In this study, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the first and second-order factor structure of the brief sense of community scale (BSCS) between male and female Hispanic/Latinx adolescents from an urban community (N = 947). To help validate the BSCS model, the second-order factor model was tested with regression to predict the measures of intrapersonal psychological empowerment and ethnic identity, as constructs conceptually related to psychological sense of community. Findings support that: (1) psychological sense of community can be measured through the BSCS and as a four-factor model among Hispanic/Latinx youth, supporting McMillan and Chavis's (1986) original theoretical discussions; (2) while no differences between genders were present at the model-level, there was path-specific variation; and (3) intrapersonal psychological empowerment and ethnic identity were associated with psychological sense of community.     

Sense of community,psychological empowerment,and relational structure at the individual and organizational levels: Evidence from a multicase study

The aim of this study was to determine the associations among psychological sense of community (PSoC), psychological empowerment (PE), and relational structure with indicators of centrality and cohesion in egocentric and sociocentric networks when analyzed at different levels. A multicase analysis was used (four developed in Colombia and one in Spain) in which 458 people participated in five studies conducted in organizational and community contexts of vulnerable urban and rural areas. The results suggest that PSoC and PE are intertwined processes whose association is accentuated in organizational contexts. However, the relationships between relational context and PSoC and PE vary notably depending on (a) the type of relationship evaluated, (b) the focus of the study (individual/egocentric vs. group/sociocentric) and the type of indicator used to assess the relational context (centrality vs. structural cohesion). Findings are discussed to understand the role that social bonds play in the development of PSoC and in the ability of subjects to empower themselves in different contexts.     

Sense of community in poverty contexts in Brazil,Colombia, and Mexico: A transcultural study

The aim of this article is to analyze the sense of community of three communities in conditions of poverty in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. The general sample was composed of 533 people: 124 from Bogotá (Colombia), 200 from Mérida (Mexico), and 209 from Porto Alegre (Brazil). The scale applied was the Sense of Community Index, performing variance analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance. The results conclude that there are significant differences between the general averages of the Sense of Community Index between the countries, observing the largest differences between the samples of Brazil and Mexico. The interaction between the factors has significant differences, particularly in the factors of influence and emotional connection in account of specific cultural aspects in each country and community. The sense of community derives from the encounter of transcultural and contextual aspects linked to poverty.     

高职生父母教养方式与生命意义:自尊的中介作用

目的:考察高职生父母教养方式与高职生生命意义感的关系,以及自尊在其中所起的作用。方法:采用方便取样,从广州市两所高等职业技术学院的高职生中抽取一、二年级学生316名,用生命意义量表(PIL)、自尊量表(SES)和父母教养方式评价量表(EMBU)进行测查。结果:男生的父亲惩罚严厉、父亲过分干涉、父亲拒绝否认、父亲过度保护、母亲过分干涉、母亲拒绝否认、母亲惩罚严厉得分均高于女生,而母亲情感温暖得分低于女生(均P<0.01);城镇学生的母亲过分干涉得分高于农村学生,而生活目标得分低于农村学生(均P<0.05)。父亲情感温暖能积极预测生命热忱、逃避(β=0.21、0.29,P<0.05),母亲情感温暖积极预测生活目标、未来期待(β=0.25,0.14;P<0.05)。自尊在父亲情感温暖与生命热忱(β=0.15,P>0.05)、父亲情感温暖与逃避(β=0.26,P>0.01)、母亲情感温暖与生活目标(β=0.17,P>0.05)、母亲情感温暖与未来期待(β=0.09,P>0.05)的作用过程中起着中介作用。结论:高职生父母教养方式与生命意义密切相关,自尊在二者关系中有着中介作用。     

Sense of community,meaning in life,and satisfaction with life among Ultra-Orthodox Jews: A mediation model

The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, characterized by close-knit ties and strong community values, has been particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, both epidemiologically and socially. Accordingly, the current study examined whether the connection between the sense of community and life satisfaction in this population is mediated by meaning in life (MIL). Three hundred and fifty-eight Ultra-Orthodox participants (age range: 30−70; M = 49.50, SD = 10.24) filled out scales assessing MIL, sense of community, and satisfaction with life (SWL), as well as sociodemographic and COVID-19-related scales. Sense of community was linked with increased MIL and life satisfaction. Moreover, the connection between sense of community and life satisfaction was mediated by MIL. This study highlights the roles of sense of community and MIL for Ultra-Orthodox individuals and emphasizes the importance of both concepts for maintaining SWL during COVID-19. Practical implications for Ultra-Orthodox communities are suggested.     

A latent class analysis of cognitive empowerment and ethnic identity: An examination of heterogeneity between profile groups on dimensions of emotional psychological empowerment and social justice orientation among urban youth of color

Psychological empowerment (PE) encompasses key aspects of youth development and civic engagement. Empowerment scholarship has largely focused on the intrapersonal or emotional component of PE, which considers perceptions of control and self‐efficacy, specifically in the sociopolitical sphere. Fewer studies have assessed the interactional or cognitive component of PE. Even less have examined the empirical association aspects of PE, including cognitive empowerment, with conceptually related variables, such as ethnic identity. Those studies that are present have shown that the association between aspects of PE and ethnic identity are complex. The current study of urban high school students of color (N = 383; 53.1% female; 75% Hispanic/Latinx) investigates the heterogeneity present between cognitive empowerment and ethnic identity. Latent class cluster analyses were conducted and five distinct profile groups emerged. Differences were observed on the basis of profile groups of cognitive empowerment and ethnic identity on self‐reported dimensions of emotional PE (e.g., leadership and policy control) and social justice orientation. The majority of study participants were clustered in groups that identified moderate to high levels of both cognitive empowerment and ethnic identity. Results provide useful insights for theory and programming.