Social Cohesion, Neighborhood Collective Efficacy, and Adolescent Subjective Well being in Urban and Rural Taiwan.
This study investigates the association between neighborhood social cohesion, collective efficacy, and adolescent subjective well being in a nationally representative sample of Taiwanese youth. The study represents a first to adapt and test a developmental ecological model within a Chinese cultural context. Data came from the Taiwan Youth Project, which assessed representative samples of seventh graders (n 2,690) and ninth graders (n 2,851) from both urban and rural counties. The analytic sample included 4,988 adolescents (M age 14.4, SD 1.14; 50% female) in Taiwan. A path analysis estimated the direct and indirect effects of social cohesion on adolescent well being. The results suggest that neighbors can affect young people's well being by reinforcing their perception of safety and enhancing their self esteem. Comparisons between youth from urban and rural areas demonstrate a general similarity in the developmental processes, though the perception of safety is less of a concern in rural areas. Findings emphasize universal aspects of neighborhood collective efficacy and developmental ecological models, as well as allude to culturally specific dimensions in a Chinese based context.
American journal of community psychology