title: Does neighborhood collective efficacy for families change over time? The Boston Neighborhood Survey.
abstract: There is an increased interest in how neighborhood social processes, such as collective efficacy, may protect mental health. Yet little is known about how stable these neighborhood processes are over time, or how to change them to influence other downstream factors. We used a population-based, repeat cross-sectional study of adults (n=5135) to assess stability of collective efficacy for families in 38 Boston neighborhoods across 4 years (2006, 2008, 2010) (the Boston Neighborhood Survey). We test temporal stability of collective efficacy for families across and within neighborhoods using 2-level random effects linear regression, fixed effects linear regression, T-tests, and Wilcoxon rank tests. Across the different methods, neighborhood collective efficacy for families remained stable across 4 years, after adjustment for neighborhood composition. If neighborhood collective efficacy is measured within 4 years of the exposure period of interest, assuming temporal stability may be valid.
authors: Northeastern University, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Institute on Urban Health Research, 360 Huntington Avenue, 322 International Village, Boston, MA 02115.
authors: Nicole M
authors: NM
authors: Schmidt
authors: Harvard School of Public Health, Departments of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 822, Boston, MA 02115.
authors: Eric J
authors: EJ
authors: Tchetgen Tchetgen
authors: Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Ehntholt
authors: Simmons School of Social Work, Boston, MA 02115.
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Almeida
authors: Northeastern University, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Institute on Urban Health Research, 360 Huntington Avenue, 322 International Village, Boston, MA 02115.
authors: Quynh C
authors: QC
authors: Nguyen
authors: Northeastern University, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Institute on Urban Health Research, 360 Huntington Avenue, 322 International Village, Boston, MA 02115 ; Northeastern University, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, 360 Huntington Avenue, Robinson 316, Boston, MA 02115 ; Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Youth Violence Prevention Center, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 310, Boston, MA 02115.
authors: Beth E
authors: BE
authors: Molnar
authors: Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Youth Violence Prevention Center, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 310, Boston, MA 02115.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Azrael
authors: Northeastern University, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, 360 Huntington Avenue, Robinson 316, Boston, MA 02115 ; University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, West Bank Office Building Suite 435, 1300 S. Second Street, Minneapolis, MN 55454.
authors: Theresa L
authors: TL
authors: Osypuk
keywords: Neighborhood; collective efficacy; multilevel models; neighborhood change; neighborhood effects