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The protective function of neighborhood social ties on psychological health
He Len Chung1, Meagan Docherty
1The College of New Jersey, Psychology Department, Ewing, NJ, USA. chung@tcnj.edu
Objective:
To examine relations between neighborhood characteristics and psychological health, specifically whether neighborhood trust and cooperation buffers the effects of neighborhood disorder on depression and aggressive behavior.
Methods:
The sample was composed of 127 urban, African American young adults from Trenton, NJ.
Results:
The protective function of neighborhood social interactions depended on the outcome, such that trust and cooperation among neighbors moderated the effect of neighborhood disorder on aggression but not depression.
Conclusions:
Results confirm the importance of taking an ecological approach to study and promote the emotional and behavioral health of young adults living in urban communities.
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