Living in a neighborhood perceived as dangerous may cause anxiety, anger and depression among its residents, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.
The emotional impact may lie as much or more in the perceived threat of the neighborhood than having experienced personally victimization such as being robbed, burglarized or attacked. Residents who have not experienced personal victimization may find their neighborhood just as troubling. While personal victimization accounts for 10 percent of the negative associations, mistrust and a sense of powerlessness account for most.
Catherine Ross and John Mirowsky, professors of sociology and the Population Research Center, have published their findings in the March issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior article “Neighborhood Disorder, Subjective Alienation and Distress.”
“A neighborhood perceived as unsafe creates emotional distress in large part because it evokes mistrust of others,” said Ross. “It can create a sense of powerlessness to control one’s own life, which in turn leads to high levels of anxiety, anger and depression.”
One unexpected finding was that this environment could also tighten social networks. People are less trusting in general, but nevertheless feel more strongly that they have others they can rely on when in need. However, even a stronger support network gives little relief from the neighborhood’s distressing implications.
