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The Origins of Hopelessness Among Inner‐City African‐American Adolescents
Author(s) -
Bolland John M.,
Lian Brad E.,
Formichella Cecelia M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/s10464-005-8627-x
Subject(s) - social connectedness , religiosity , psychology , worry , feeling , inner city , health psychology , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , public health , social psychology , psychiatry , medicine , anxiety , sociology , nursing , regional science
Much has been written in recent years about hopelessness among residents of impoverished inner‐city neighborhoods, but little research has been conducted on the origins of hopelessness. The literature on social disorganization and the literature on child development independently suggest two possible causes of hopelessness among adolescents: disruptive events and lack of connectedness to people and institutions. We explore these two factors as predictors of hopelessness for 5895 youths living in impoverished inner‐city neighborhoods in Mobile, Alabama. The longitudinal data for this study allow us to explore the development of hopelessness over time, predicted by prior levels of disruption and connectedness. The results show that over time several variables associated with disruption (Change in Mother Figure, Exposure to Violence, Traumatic Stress, Worry) and connectedness (Sense of Community, Warmth Toward Mother, Religiosity) are positively or negatively associated with increased feelings of hopelessness among inner‐city adolescents.