Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: We investigate the role of social support in mediating the effect of individual and neighborhood stressors on depressive symptoms among African American women with young children (under 6) living in low-income neighborhoods. Multiple aspects of social support are examined, including instrumental, emotional, and neighborhood dimensions. The data are from the Detroit Dental Health Project, a two-stage area probability sample representative of low-income African American children in the city of Detroit. The analysis is based on data from 736 female caregivers. Results illustrate mediating effects of social support only with regard to neighborhood level stressors and depressive symptoms, but not between individual level stressors (SES) and depressive symptoms. Those who perceive severe drug problems in their neighborhood are less likely to report availability of transportation and childcare, which is then associated with higher depressive symptoms. Other forms of social support, including neighborhood group involvement, financial support and emotional support did not mediate the established link, suggesting that social support available from low-income networks may serve primarily a coping function, and that stress emanating from structural factors such as neighborhood characteristics, must be seriously addressed.