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Neighborhood Context, Divine Struggles, and Psychological Distress.
Terrence D Hill1, Pui Yin Cheung2, David S Curtis3
1The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Society and Mental Health
|November 5, 2025
Summary
Structural neighborhood disadvantage is linked to psychological distress. This study found that perceived neighborhood disorder and divine struggles mediate this association, impacting mental health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Structural neighborhood disadvantage is consistently linked to poorer mental health.
- The specific mechanisms underlying this association require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating roles of perceived neighborhood disorder and divine struggles.
- To examine the indirect effect of neighborhood structural disadvantage on psychological distress.
Main Methods:
- Utilized longitudinal national survey data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2 and 3) study (n = 2,083).
- Employed structural equation modeling and marginal models with unstructured covariances for mediation analysis.
Main Results:
- Confirmed the indirect effect of neighborhood structural disadvantage on psychological distress (depression and anxiety).
- Perceived neighborhood disorder (safety, built environment) and divine struggles (strained relations with God) significantly mediated this relationship.
Conclusions:
- Divine struggles may contribute to understanding the link between disadvantaged and disordered neighborhoods and poorer mental health.
- Findings highlight the complex interplay between environment, spirituality, and psychological well-being.
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