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Dissertation_Kristen A Berg.pdf (2.11 MB)

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Neighborhood and Filial Self-Efficacies as Potential Mechanisms of Resilience Against Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence

Berg, Kristen A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1554814870176373

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Social Welfare.
A growing body of research suggests that neighborhood social and institutional characteristics may affect adolescents' depressive symptoms. However, less research has tested psychological mechanisms by which adolescents may internalize characteristics of their environments, and fewer studies have examined how neighborhood and family environments interact in ways that promote resilience from depressive symptoms. Informed by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory as well as Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, this study examined the effects of neighborhood disorder, collective efficacy, and institutional characteristics on adolescent depressive symptoms both directly and indirectly through neighborhood self-efficacy. This study also examined whether or not those effects changed according to adolescents’ higher or lower filial self-efficacy. This dissertation utilizes data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) in order to test latent variable structural equation models, and multigroup latent variable structural equation models, to explore the degree to which adolescents’ neighborhood self-efficacy intervened upon links between their neighborhood characteristics and depressive symptoms. Latent variable structural equation models were tested on a sample of 1,390 Chicago adolescents within six months of their 9th or 12th birthdays at baseline. Multigroup latent variable structural equation models were tested on a slightly reduced sample of 1,135 Chicago adolescents. Analysis results suggest that neighborhood self-efficacy may convey some effect of neighborhood disorder on depressive symptoms such that adolescents living in more disordered neighborhoods report less neighborhood self-efficacy which, in turn, predicts more depressive symptoms over time. Further, adolescents living in neighborhoods with more youth-centered institutional resources reported both more neighborhood self-efficacy and fewer depressive symptoms. Finally, structural relationships between neighborhood, self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms did not differ according to adolescents’ lower or higher filial self-efficacy. However, more filially-efficacious youth tended to report more neighborhood self-efficacy when presented with hypothetical scenarios that positioned them in social interaction out in the neighborhood with peers or other community members. Findings suggest that neighborhood self-efficacy may be one mechanism by which neighborhood social and institutional characteristics affect adolescents’ depressive symptoms. Findings also indicate that neighborhood youth-centered institutions may provide opportunities for adolescents to strengthen their neighborhood self-efficacy in ways that promote resilience from depressive symptoms. Ecologically-informed interventions may consider neighborhood programming that offers adolescents opportunities to experience vicarious success and build mastery in adaptively socializing with peers, bolstering both neighborhood self-efficacy and behavioral health. Furthermore, future research may seek to better understand how experiences in the neighborhood and family environments converge to promote adolescents’ well-being.
Megan R. Holmes, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Claudia J. Coulton, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
David L. Hussey, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Adam T. Perzynski, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Developmental Psychology; Public Health; Social Research; Social Work
neighborhood; community; self-efficacy; neighborhood self-efficacy; filial self-efficacy; adolescence; depressive symptoms; behavioral health

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Berg, K. A. (2019). Neighborhood and Filial Self-Efficacies as Potential Mechanisms of Resilience Against Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1554814870176373

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Berg, Kristen. Neighborhood and Filial Self-Efficacies as Potential Mechanisms of Resilience Against Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence. 2019. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1554814870176373.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Berg, Kristen. "Neighborhood and Filial Self-Efficacies as Potential Mechanisms of Resilience Against Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1554814870176373

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1554814870176373
391
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This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.