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Neighbors' perceptions of group homes
1Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte 28223, USA.
Community Mental Health Journal
|August 1, 1997
Summary
Community members often fear negative impacts from group homes (GHs), but research shows these expectations far exceed actual experiences. Neighbors reported fewer adverse effects than non-neighbors anticipated, highlighting a gap between perception and reality regarding GHs.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Community Psychology
Background:
- Community members often hold negative preconceptions about group homes (GHs).
- The actual impact of GHs on neighborhoods is not well-documented, leading to uncertainty.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the discrepancy between anticipated and experienced effects of group homes on neighborhoods.
- To compare the expectations of non-neighbors with the actual experiences of neighbors living near GHs.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study interviewing neighbors of GHs and a matched group of non-neighbors.
- Non-neighbors were surveyed about their expectations, while neighbors reported their lived experiences.
Main Results:
- Non-neighbors' expectations of negative effects (e.g., noise, traffic) from GHs were significantly higher than neighbors' reported experiences.
- Non-neighbors also overestimated positive effects (e.g., learning about disabilities) associated with GHs.
- Expectations of negative impacts consistently exceeded actual experienced effects.
Conclusions:
- Perceived negative impacts of group homes are often greater than the reality experienced by adjacent residents.
- Group home operators could leverage positive community perceptions that are often overshadowed by unfounded negative expectations.