The Effects of Social Support on Adolescents' Experiences and Perceptions of Neighborhood Danger
Adolescents have the highest risk of exposure to violence among any age group. Consequently, adolescents that have been victimized, or who have witnessed someone else being victimized may perceive their neighborhood to be unsafe, which can lead to adverse psychological outcomes. This study explored the relationship between social support, experiences and perceptions of neighborhood danger. The data collected were taken from a study conducted between 1992 and 1995. The sample for this study will be drawn from the larger sample, which consisted of three hundred and thirteen 11th and 12th grade students from a Chicago Catholic high school. Data for this study came from six measures, the demographic questionnaire, the social support questionnaire, the danger questionnaire, the perceptions of safety questionnaire, and measures of drug use, and drug attitudes. We found that 1) exposure to danger was directly related to negative outcomes. 2) Social support was not directly related to perceived safety and exposure to danger. 3) Social support did not moderate the relationship between exposure to danger and perceived safety. 4) Social support moderated the relationship between exposure to danger and negative outcomes (e.g., drug use, drug attitudes).
School:
Hampton University
Department:
Psychology
Research Advisor:
Mark Aber
Department of Research Advisor:
Psychology
Year of Publication:
2008