Book Description
Prior research has shown that neighborhood living environments and their impact on adolescent quality of life seem to have significant influence on adolescent global levels of functioning. Research is limited in the extent to which it has addressed the community factors, beyond formal mental health services, that affect the quality of life of the adolescents who are directly involved in systems of care, a network of community based resources. Understanding the relationship between neighborhood context and adolescent behavior is important because the ability to identify gaps in community resources will aid in guiding the system towards getting adolescents the help that they need to enhance the quality of their developmental outcomes. A sample of N=110 families who are involved with the MeckCARES System of Care National Evaluation were included in the study. Contrary to expectations, neighborhood characteristics did not generally predict youth symptomatology, and worse neighborhoods tended to be associated with improvements in symptomatology. Increased involvement in activities by youth was also found to be related to reductions in externalizing behaviors.
