Neighborhood Effects

Neighborhood effects on young children's vocabulary and early academic skills have been repeatedly found. Neighborhood factors, such as positive social networks, are also associated with parents and young children reading together. Among older children, neighborhood influences on behavior have been established. For instance, if an adolescent is exposed to other teenagers in the neighborhood who seem to get away with being violent, he/she is more likely to develop behavior problems in the community and at school. Although most educators do little to promote positive neighborhoods for children, neighborhoods are an important context for supporting parental and child development.