Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Residential Stability, and Perceptions of Social Support among New Mothers

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Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing survey (N = 4,211), this study examines neighborhood disadvantage and perceptions of instrumental support among mothers with young children. The authors find that (a) living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with less instrumental support, particularly financial assistance, from family and friends; (b) residential stability is associated with stronger personal safety nets irrespective of neighborhood quality; and (c) mothers who move to a more disadvantaged neighborhood experience a small but significant decline in perceived instrumental support compared with those who do not move. In interpreting these results, the authors suggest instrumental support may be either a cause or consequence of living in an advantaged neighborhood, but in either case, neighborhood and social network disadvantages go hand in hand.

Turney, Kristin, and Kristen Harknett. 2010. “Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Residential Stability, and Perceptions of Social Support among New Mothers.” Journal of Family Issues 31:499–524.