Is neighborhood poverty harmful to every child? Neighborhood poverty, family poverty, and behavioral problems among young children

Abstract

This longitudinal study investigates the association between neighborhood poverty and behavioral problems among young children. This study also examines whether social environments mediate the relationship between neighborhood poverty and behavioral problems. We used data from the third and fourth waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study to assess behavioral problems separately for children who experienced no family poverty, moved out of family poverty, moved into family poverty, and experienced long-term family poverty. Regression models assessed the effect of neighborhood poverty on behavioral problem outcomes among children aged 5 years, after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and earlier behavioral problems. Results showed an association between neighborhood poverty and lower social cohesion and safety, which lead to greater externalizing problems among children with long-term family poverty living in high-poverty neighborhoods compared with those in low-poverty neighborhoods. Policies and community resources need to be allocated to improve neighborhood social environments, particularly for poor children in high-poverty neighborhoods.