“Subjective” and “Objective” Views of Neighborhood Danger & Well-Being: The Importance of Multiple Perspectives and Mixed Methods

Abstract

Well-being can be conceptualized and measured in a number of ways and at multiple ecological and ecocultural levels. At the neighborhood or community level, indices of well-being can be constructed using administrative data such as census measures as well as by considering the views of neighborhood residents, both children and adults. In this paper we investigate the congruence, or lack thereof, across aggregated administrative data, children’s views, and parents’ views of neighborhood well-being specifically related to violence and disorder. We argue for obtaining multiple viewpoints to best discern the processes and pathways that link neighborhood conditions with measures of well-being.