COMPARING NEIGHBORHOOD‐FOCUSED ACTIVISM AND VOLUNTEERISM: PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL‐BEING AND SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS

Does participating in neighborhood‐focused activism confer different benefits than volunteering? The engagement of community members in neighborhood civic life has been identified as an important component of safe and healthy communities. Research on community engagement has encompassed voluntary associations, volunteering, as well as participation in neighborhood activism. A diverse set of research suggests that there are psychological and social benefits to community engagement, but also suggests that there are differences between forms of participation. To understand these differences, I examine the relationship of both volunteerism and neighborhood activism to psychosocial outcomes using survey data from a neighborhood‐based sample of Chicago residents (n = 3105). Findings suggest that activism is different—activists have higher neighborhood and personal mastery than those who only volunteer. Participation in neighborhood activism is also associated with an increased likelihood of contact with local officials and social ties in the neighborhood. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

TIED TOGETHER: BUILDING RELATIONAL WELL‐BEING AND REDUCING SOCIAL ISOLATION THROUGH PLACE‐BASED PARENT EDUCATION

Recent research has begun to shed light on the role community organizations can play in fostering relational well‐being, particularly among low‐income parents living high‐poverty neighborhoods. However, less well understood are the organizational, programmatic, and neighborhood factors that contribute to the formation of new social network connections among participants in these settings or the nature of connections developed. This qualitative study examines the efforts of one neighborhood‐based human service organization to counter the effects of social isolation through a place‐based parent education initiative. Findings from 69 interviews suggest that for participants the program served as transformative learning environment that challenged existing narratives about public housing residents and fostered the development of a positive shared identity as parents. Formal structures and informal opportunities in the neighborhood supported the development and maintenance of new social connections and served as the foundation for an ongoing community of practice among participants.     

DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP DIFFERENCES IN DOMAIN‐SPECIFIC WELL‐BEING

Although research is available on group differences for overall well‐being, little research has explored group differences for domain‐specific well‐being. Therefore, we examined differences in overall and domain‐specific well‐being across several demographic variables: gender, income, marital status, age, ethnicity, education level, employment status, occupation, and housing tenure. We analyzed data from 1,087 participants on the I COPPE Scale, which provides scores for overall, interpersonal, community, occupational, physical, psychological, and economic well‐being. Group differences were found across multiple domains with small to large effect sizes. While there were no gender differences, compared with those in the same demographic variable, higher income earners, married, elderly, Hispanic, educated, white‐collar professionals, and homeowners reported the highest levels of well‐being. The unemployed reported the lowest level of well‐being on all but one of the domains–the interpersonal domain. Findings suggest people report different levels of well‐being based on their unique demographic and life circumstances.     

TESTING A THEORY OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY IN ORGANIZATIONS: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF PREDICTIVE CAPACITY ON EMPLOYEE WELL‐BEING AND ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP

This study attempts to advance our understanding of the experience of community in organizational settings by empirically testing a theory of sense of community responsibility (SOC‐R) in relation to traditional measures of sense of community [SOC] on outcomes of employee well‐being and organizational citizenship. Findings support the notion that SOC is a better predictor of employee well‐being, while SOC‐R more strongly predicts organizational citizenship behavior. The findings add new knowledge to the literature on the experience of community in organizations, as well as representing an important contribution to our understanding of the factors that drive employee action and well‐being at work.     

GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECTIVE WELL‐BEING AMONG INDIGENOUS AND NON‐INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS

Published data that describe the subjective well‐being (SWB) of Indigenous people across Australia are scarce. This study reports differences in the SWB of 3 sample groups–mainstream Australian adults, Indigenous adolescents, and non‐Indigenous adolescents–in 5 geographic areas classified by remoteness. Both groups of adolescents were participating in a national program for disengaged youth. Consistent with results from general population samples, the SWB for people living in rural centers was higher than for those in either major cities or very remote areas. This suggests that there may be an optimum size of community that acts as a buffer to the well‐being of both Indigenous and non‐Indigenous adolescents and adults. This may be achieved through greater community connection, as well as having a reasonable level of amenities available. The results of this study are likely relevant to Indigenous populations in other countries, and the implications of these findings for service delivery are discussed.     

EMPIRICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PAST IN ASSESSING MULTIDIMENSIONAL WELL‐BEING

The purpose of this brief report was to provide a preliminary evaluation of the empirical contributions of an individual's perceptions of the past in the practical assessment of multidimensional well‐being. Dimensions of well‐being assessed with the I COPPE Scale were interpersonal, community, occupational, physical, psychological, economic, and overall. Four hundred twenty‐six participants provided responses to the I COPPE Scale and several comparison instruments. Two practical methods for creating I COPPE composite scores were compared and differed by only the inclusion (i.e., Method 1) or exclusion (i.e., Method 2) of an indicator of past well‐being. Multiple‐group structural equation modeling framework was used and method (i.e., Method 1 and Method 2) was the grouping variable. An individual's perceptions of the past offered negligible empirical contributions over and above an individual's perceptions of the present and future in the practical assessment of multidimensional well‐being. Method 2 performed as well as Method 1.     

FINANCIAL STRESS,NEIGHBORHOOD STRESS,AND WELL‐BEING: MEDIATIONAL AND MODERATIONAL MODELS

This study explores whether high quality neighborhoods or social integration have protective effects on psychological well‐being, especially in the face of financial challenges. Previous research suggests that low levels of financial stress, lower neighborhood stress, and social integration are each associated with greater levels of well‐being; few studies, however, investigate these contextual variables in confluence. Data from the Notre Dame Study of Health and Well‐Being were used to investigate whether (a) neighborhood stress mediates the relationship between financial stress and psychological well‐being and (b) social integration moderates the relationship between neighborhood stress and psychological well‐being. Results were consistent with both hypotheses and were replicated in data from Successful Aging in Context. These results suggest that proximal contextual variables, such as social integration and neighborhood stress can arbitrate the effect that less proximal contextual variables, such as economic conditions, have on individuals’ psychological well‐being.     

ASSESSING MULTIDIMENSIONAL WELL‐BEING: DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE I COPPE SCALE

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a scale of perceptions of well‐being in key areas of life. We developed the I COPPE Scale, which incorporates overall as well as Interpersonal, Community, Occupational, Physical, Psychological, and Economic well‐being. A total of 426 U.S. participants provided online responses to the I COPPE Scale and relevant comparison instruments. We used exploratory structural equation modeling to examine the factor structure of responses and document convergent validity by comparing I COPPE Scale scores with comparison instrument scores. We found strong empirical evidence to support the theorized factors. This study fully and reliably assessed the underlying constructs of the I COPPE Scale and provided psychometric evidence of construct validity. The ability of this scale to assess the domains in a single, easy to administer instrument is a potential contribution to the growing body of literature on well‐being.     

RESIDENT WELL‐BEING,COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS,AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PERCEPTIONS,PRIDE, AND OPPORTUNITIES AMONG DISADVANTAGE METROPOLITAN AND REGIONAL COMMUNITIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL PROJECT

The current study aims investigate the relationship between participants’ neighbourhood perceptions and social capital and resident well‐being using data from the Neighbourhood Renewal Project (NRP; n = 7855). Resident well‐being was positively associated with the quality of the physical environment and safety of the neighbourhood, but negatively associated with government trustworthiness and community connections. Life satisfaction had a positive relationship with community connections, resident well‐being, as well as quality of community services and safety. We conclude that free or low‐cost opportunities to engage and connect with neighbours through participation in activities such as sporting groups, volunteer organizations, and leisure/hobby groups may increase life satisfaction of individuals in a neighbourhood, particularly for those living in low socioeconomic or stigmatized areas.     

SEYMOUR SARASON IN MEMORIAL: PROSPECTS FOR COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE

Seymour Sarason passed away on January 10, 2010 at the age of 91. He was the author of more than 40 books, including The Culture of the School and the Problem of Change (1971), The Creation of Settings and the Future Societies (1972), and The Psychological Sense of Community: Prospects for a Community Psychology (1974). His groundbreaking ideas were major influences in the .elds of education, community psychology, mental retardation, and care of the aged. Seymour is a seminal figure in the development of community psychology, providing a paradigm for action research (Psychoeducational Clinic). He generated key ideas to guide the field, emphasized the importance of historical and cultural context, and developed intellectually and personally meaningful relationships with many of the field's leaders     

FROM ISOLATION TO COMMUNITY: EXPLORATORY STUDY OF A SENSE‐OF‐COMMUNITY INTERVENTION

This exploratory pilot study analyzes the role a facilitated neighborhood intervention, geared towards meeting one's neighbors and discussing local needs and civic action, can play in moving individuals from isolation to community. It focuses on whether NeighborCircles (NC), a neighborhood intervention run by a nonprofit in Massachusetts, is associated with increases in social capital (SC); the main constructs used are Perkins and Long's (2002) 4 dimensions of SC (sense of community [SOC], collective efficacy, neighboring, and participation), with a primary focus on SOC. Surveys and interviews with a majority Latino sample group reveal NC is associated with reported increases in all 4 dimensions of SC. The author concludes by considering what may have led to these reported increases, as well as implications for both future research about and experimentation with similar interventions.     

BONDING AND BRIDGING: TRANSITION TO SCHOOL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL FORMATION AMONG A COMMUNITY OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN

This study reports on an intervention program designed to facilitate transition to school of a whole community of Indigenous Australian children who had previously not been attending. The children were from families displaced from their traditional lands and experienced on‐going social marginalisation and transience. A social capital framework was employed to track change in the children's social inclusion and family‐school engagement for two years, from school entry. Sociometric measurement and interview techniques were applied to assess the children's social connectedness and peer relationship quality. Using these data, analyses examined whether bonding within the group supported or inhibited formation of new social relationships. Although transience disrupted attendance, there was a group trend towards increased social inclusion with some evidence that group bonds supported bridging to new social relationships. Change in family‐school engagement was tracked using multi‐informant interviews. Limited engagement between school and families presented an on‐going challenge to sustained educational engagement.     

BUILDING A RESEARCH‐COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY CARE FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS AT‐RISK FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

This article describes the formation and initial outcomes of a research‐community collaborative group that was developed based on community‐based participatory research principles. The group includes a transdisciplinary team of practitioners, funding agency representatives, researchers, and families of children with autism spectrum disorders, who partnered to improve community‐based care for infants and toddlers at risk for autism through the implementation of evidence‐based practices. Data from this group provide support for the feasibility of developing and sustaining a highly synergistic and productive research‐community collaborative group who shares common goals to improve community care.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY COMMUNITY ADVERSITY,SOCIAL RESOURCES,AND ADOLESCENT LONG‐TERM MENTAL HEALTH

This study examined early life community characteristics to predict mental health from adolescence to adulthood. Confirmatory factor and latent growth analyses were conducted with 1,796 participants from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health spanning adolescence (Wave 1) through early adulthood (Wave 4). Analyses modeled community structural adversity and social resources as predictors of depressive symptoms trajectories via indirect effects of parent mental health and parent–child relationships. Community connectedness and integration were protective factors for long‐term mental health via parental happiness and positive parent–child relationships. Findings add to the body of work distinguishing structural community characteristics from social characteristics, specifying them as two simultaneous dimensions and identifying social resources as early life factors that provide long‐term protection.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN GLOBAL AND DOMAIN‐SPECIFIC SELF‐EVALUATIONS AND TYPES OF OFFENDING IN COMMUNITY BOYS AND GIRLS

This study investigates age‐ and gender‐specific relationships between global and domain‐specific self‐evaluations and types of offending in school‐going adolescents. A self‐report survey was administered to 710 boys and girls, using the Dutch version of the Self‐Perception Profile for Adolescents and an offending questionnaire. Property‐only (vs. non‐) offending is related to low perceived behavioral conduct. Violent‐only (vs. non‐) offending is negatively related to perceived behavioral conduct in both boys and girls. In addition, violent‐only (vs. non‐) offending is related to low perceived scholastic competence in girls but high perceived scholastic competence in boys. Both property and violent (vs. non‐) offending is related to low perceived behavioral conduct but high perceived close friendship. The findings generally support the view that low rather than high self‐evaluation is related to offending. This relation differs according to the subscale of self‐evaluation, the type of offending, only marginally according to gender, and not at all according to age.     

TALKING TO YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT SEX IN SOUTH AFRICA: NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOCIAL INFLUENCES

Our study seeks to untangle systemic influences on specific family dynamics understudied in a non‐Western context. Specifically, we examine the associations between caregivers’ perceptions of neighborhood cohesion, neighborhood safety, and social support, and one aspect of parenting relevant to the South African community from which data were drawn, caregiver–youth communication about sex. Multivariate regression models demonstrate interactive relationships among our variables of interest (p ≤ .05). For caregiver–youth dyads (N = 99), living in a neighborhood caregivers perceived to be relatively cohesive or safe was associated with differential relationships (i.e., conditional effects; p ≤ .07) between caregiver social support and youth report of communication about sex. Our findings indicate that neighborhood and social‐level influences on parenting are not universal. Moreover, cross‐cultural adaptations of family‐based behavioral interventions to prevent HIV should consider the role of caregiver social support within diverse neighborhood contexts.     

MEASURING RESILIENCE AND ITS ASSOCIATION TO SOCIAL CAPITAL AMONG HIV‐POSITIVE SOUTH AFRICANS LIVING IN A CONTEXT OF ADVERSITY

The resilience concept encompasses dispositional attributes as well as different forms of social and external support. Cognitive and structural aspects of social support systems in a given context can be described as social capital. In this study, we explored the relationship between resilience and social capital in 265 HIV‐positive South Africans living in a context of adversity. Data were collected using the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) and a social capital questionnaire. The RSA showed good overall reliability (α = .81), but the subscales were only partially replicated. Resilience was best predicted by the demographic variables household income, education, self‐reported health, marital status, and area of living; however, cognitive social capital in the form of bonding and bridging trust, norms of reciprocity, and social cohesion also predicted resilience. Access to basic resources, perceived good, close networks, and social norms contributed to resilience in this study.     

EXPLORING ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY VIOLENCE EXPOSURE AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS CROSS‐CULTURALLY IN ISRAEL

Adolescent community violence exposure (CVE) has been linked to posttraumatic stress (PTS) and has been found to vary by race and ethnicity. Little is known about the relationship between adolescent CVE and PTS across ethnic groups in an international context. Arab and Jewish high school students (n = 1571) in Israel completed self‐report questionnaires. Jewish adolescents (n = 821) witnessed more community violence, while Arab adolescents (n = 750) were more likely to victimized in the community and endorse higher levels of PTS. Ethnicity was found to be a significant predictor of PTS when controlling for CVE using hierarchical multiple regression (accounting for 2% of the variance in PTS). Ethnic affiliation did not moderate the relationship between CVE and PTS. These findings add to the small body of literature exploring cross‐cultural differences in CVE and associated psychological distress. Further investigation of CVE and mental health cross‐ethnically is warranted given the disparities in CVE and PTS rates.     

SUSTAINING MOTIVATION AMONG COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN AIDS CARE IN KWAZULU‐NATAL,SOUTH AFRICA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

A substantial part of community‐based AIDS care in South Africa is currently undertaken by poor, female volunteer community health workers (CHWs). Retention of volunteers over time is challenging, however. In this study, 12 female AIDS care volunteers in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, were interviewed about their motivations for becoming volunteers, perceived challenges in care work, and reasons for sustained volunteering. All women reported altruism and empathy as their main motivation for volunteering. Motivations for sustained volunteering included supportive networks, hopes of future employment in the formal health care system, personal growth, and appreciation from patients and community members. Despite reporting several challenges, all women were motivated to continue volunteering. To encourage retention, policy makers should pay attention to personal and professional rewards gained from volunteering, create career paths and clarify CHWs' roles and rights in the health care sector, and provide various coordination and support measures, including remuneration and stigma reduction.