Daniel Brisson

THE EFFECTS OF INFORMAL NEIGHBORHOOD BONDING SOCIAL CAPITAL AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT ON HOMEOWNERSHIP FOR FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY

ABSTRACT: The concept of social capital has been embedded ubiquitously into the strategies and goals of community-based development programs for families living in low-income neighborhoods; yet, scholars continue to debate social capital’s empirical support. The present study defines a specific type of social capital—informal neighborhood bonding social capital—and tests its relationship with homeownership while controlling for effects of neighborhood context. Findings reveal informal neighborhood bonding social capital is associated with homeownership above and beyond the effects of neighborhood context. Findings are discussed in relation to future research and the implications for community-based practitioners working with families in low-income neighborhoods.

Preventing Childhood Bullying: Findings and Lessons From the Denver Public Schools Trial

Twelve-month follow-up outcomes from a group-randomized trial (GRT) of a classroom curriculum aimed at preventing bullying and victimization among elementary students in the Denver, Colorado, public school system are presented. Twenty-eight elementary schools were randomly assigned to receive selected modules of Youth Matters (YM), a skills-training curriculum that targets bullying and victimization, or to a no-treatment control group. Linear growth models were fitted to five waves of data collected over 3 years to test the effect of the intervention on the rate of change in self-reported bullying and victimization. Participation in YM was associated with a 7% decline in bully victimization 1 year after the intervention ended. Practice and methodological challenges encountered in the investigation are discussed in the larger context of intervention research in school settings. Strategies to increase school-based intervention research by social work investigators are outlined.

Race and Ethnicity as Moderators of Neighborhood Bonding Social Capital: Effects on Employment Outcomes for Families Living in Low-Income Neighborhoods

The concept of social capital is being applied to community-based antipoverty programs across the country. Despite its increased presence in program theory research on the process and effects of social capital are lacking. This study tests the direct and moderating relationships between race and ethnicity informal neighborhood bonding social capital, and poverty on employment for households in low-income urban neighborhoods. Findings reveal a direct and inverse relationship between informal neighborhood bonding social capital and employment, suggesting that social capital is not a cure-all for families living in low-income neighborhoods. Implications for social workers include carefully considering the types of social capital used in program theory and practice, and whether the specific types of social capital are appropriate for intended program outcomes.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Bonding Social Capital in Low-Income Neighborhoods

Abstract As social capital continues to grow as a strategy for achieving improved outcomes for families in poverty, it is crucial to have more accurate definitions and measures of the concept. This study defines one aspect of social capital as bonding in low-income urban neighborhoods. In the context of this study, bonding social capital in low-income urban neighborhoods refers to the trusting relationships that exist among neighbors. This study tests the reliability and validity of a bonding social capital measure using five items of social cohesion and trust that are widely used in the field and were originally developed by the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN). Survey data collected in 2002 and 2003 from 7,437 respondents living in low-income urban neighborhoods and participating in the Annie E. Casey Foundations Making Connections initiative are used to test the measurement properties of bonding social capital in low-income urban neighborhoods. Findings suggest that two of the five items could be revised to strengthen the measure. Findings also suggest that future research should focus on the measurement and modeling of specific aspects of social capital to accurately understand effects for families living in low-income neighborhoods.

The Effect of Neighborhood on Crime and Safety: A Review of the Evidence

There is a growing, multidisciplinary body of evidence on the effects that neighborhoods have on family outcomes. This evidence is important for social workers as we work with clients and communities from a person-in-environment perspective. In this article the authors present findings from a systematic, integrative review of neighborhood effects specifically for crime and safety. Thirty-seven research studies using random samples from urban, U.S. areas between 2002 and 2008 are reviewed. Findings suggest socio-demographic characteristics of neighborhoods and neighborhood processes are both predictive of crime and safety. Further, some neighborhood conditions may affect crime and safety in unexpected ways. Implications for social work practice, neighborhood interventions, and evidence-based practice are discussed.

Development and Validation of a Positive Youth Development Measure The Bridge-Positive Youth Development

Objective: Positive Youth Development (PYD) is a resilience-based framework that accentuates positive traits in youth. PYD constructs are characteristics that are hypothesized to promote healthy development. However, measures to assess PYD constructs are lacking. Methods: An instrument was created to assess PYD. One hundred and forty youth between the age of 7 and 18 (M = 11.6) completed the measure over five time points. Data were then analyzed using psychometric analysis techniques. Results: Findings suggest that the instrument is a reliable measure of PYD. The scale shows good reliability, with an overall Cronbach’s α of 92. Conclusions: The Bridge-PYD may be a useful tool for program evaluation and the assessment of theoretical constructs in the PYD models.

Do We Really Know how Many Are Homeless?: An Analysis of the Point-In-Time Homelessness Count:

The Point-In-Time (PIT) count is currently the leading source of data on those experiencing homelessness in the United States. However, the PIT has been criticized for its lack of reliability, validity, and ability to capture an accurate numerical count of the homeless population. Additionally, many argue that annually a nontrivial amount of resources is spent on the PIT, yet the product from this count does not provide adequate information to address the issue of homelessness on a local, state, or national level. Findings from this comparative case study approach confirm that the cross-site methodology is inconsistent, and therefore the PIT yields inconsistent results. Implications and recommendations for local, state, and national service providers and policymakers are provided.

Impact of services on retaining subsidized housing

ABSTRACT The most common reason for lease violations among residents of subsidized housing in the United States is late and nonpayment of rent, which can lead to eviction. However, little is known about what services offered to residents assist in retaining housing. Mercy Housing, the third largest nonprofit provider of subsidized housing in the United States, offers a variety of social support services to address elements of social exclusion, such as poverty, unemployment, and housing instability. Using propensity score matching and multilevel logistic regression, we test the impact of using services on housing retention among households that received a lease violation for late payment of rent between 2012 and 2014. Results indicate that using services to address social capital/companionship and instrumental/tangible needs are predictors of retaining housing. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Prioritizing Choice: Perceptions of Neighborhood Social Cohesion for Residents in Subsidized Housing

ABSTRACT Many families living in poverty rely on housing subsidies. Housing subsidies restrict the housing stock and neighborhood choices for families living in poverty. Fortunately neighborhood social cohesion can protect families from many of the deleterious consequences associated with living in a low-income neighborhood. This study uses panel data from the Annie E. Casey Foundations Making Connections initiative to test the role of public housing types on perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion. The probability sample used in the study consists of 2,470 households living in low-income neighborhoods in ten cities in the United States. Results show that public housing residents, both housing choice voucher users and non-housing choice voucher users, on average, report lower neighborhood social cohesion than their non-public housing neighbors. Results also show that moving to a new neighborhood consistently predicts improved neighborhood social cohesion while moving to public housing predicts declines in perceived neighborhood social cohesion. Choice in where one lives seems to play an important and positive role in perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion. Based on these data, it is suggested that policy makers and housing providers prioritize choice in the development and delivery of public housing.

Your Family, Your Neighborhood: Results from a Feasibility and Acceptability Study of Parent Engagement in Subsidized Project-Based Housing

ABSTRACT Your Family, Your Neighborhood (YFYN) is a dual-generation, skill-building intervention designed to strengthen the parent-child bond, increase parent engagement, academic success, and health/well-being for families living in project-based subsidized housing. The curriculum focuses on strengthening the bond between parents and children, increasing parent engagement, and building neighborhood social cohesion. This study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and program effects on parent engagement, using a pretest/post-test design and focus groups. Participating families reported improvements in their parent involvement and improvements in their child’s progress in school. Results suggest that services attached to public housing can be a successful family intervention strategy.