Research Determines Teens Living in Areas with Involved Adults Can Develop Critical Social Skills

Neighbor Involvement Journal of Social and Personal Relationships university of michigan Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study Sunghyun Hong Positive Neighborhood

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Nov 06, 10:46 am

The researchers from the University of Michigan published a study which was issued in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships and had seen prior studies that displayed the importance of an early mother-child bond to a teen's social development including relationship-building, academic performance, and the ability to manage emotions. The study has found out that young ones specifically teenagers who are living in areas with trusted and involved adults help develop critical social skills that a mother-child bond early in life did not nurture.

Because every kid does not have a positive bond with their mothers, researchers wanted to determine how communities can help children succeed. Researchers gathered data from children aged 1, 3, and 15 from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study conducted on kids born in 20 U.S. cities between 1998-2000.

(The study used a 39-questionnaire to assess attachment. For instance, one question seeks to know whether the child could be easily comforted by interaction with the mother when crying and determined that the greater the score, the prominent the likelihood that the child felt secure and attached to their moms; They also asked 15-year-old participants questions to evaluate social skills and found that high attachment scores were linked with more social skills in teens.)

"Neighbors' effect on children's social skills was essential"

The researcher also questions what indicates a close bond between a 3-year-old and a mother. The response appeared to be positive which are hugging or cuddling and also willingness to obey the mother when instructed.

On the other hand, the researchers discovered that high marks in social cohesion with neighbors also play part in social skill development. Such findings were significant as not every preschooler had a strong bond with their mother and researchers have discovered in these cases that the neighbor's effect on a kid's social skills was essential.

A doctoral student of social work and psychology, Sunghyun Hong, noted that the study underscores the value of kids having access to supportive and affectionate relationships not only with their mother but as well as with the positive community that surrounds them even from early childhood.

Parents emphasized that the data collected was from the late '90s and early '00s and during such period as it was more common for mom to be considered the primary caregiver as the adoption set-up for same-sex were not legal in almost all 50 states until 2017. However, Hong believes the results would be somehow similar if the study had involved fathers as the sole caregivers and hopes the findings help improve the support for families and children.

The doctoral student of psychology added that the study only aims to make people rethink policies and programs to empower the kids in the community and consider supporting family relations as well as investing in their surrounding community relations.

A positive environment affects the child's development

There are fewer economic and emotional resources, particularly in those families where only one parent is present, thus, an enriching home environment fosters healthy growth and brain development by giving kids love, emotional support, and other opportunities for learning and exploration. On average, living and growing up in an impoverished area means poorer health, lower social achievement, and worse adult outcomes. Kids who live in high-poverty neighborhoods are less likely than their peers to finish high school.

Fox 4 News reported that where a child grows up matters and can also affect where you end up in life as the researchers determined that if a child moves out of the neighborhood that only brings negativity to them and into a more thriving one, they can earn more money when they get older and become successful.