A mixed methods comparison of adolescents' and researchers' observations of neighborhood characteristics in Latinx neighborhoods

Michelle C. Pasco, Rebecca M.B. White

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

We used a convergent mixed methods research design to compare and contrast researchers' neighborhood environmental assessments collected using systematic social observations with adolescents' neighborhood environmental assessments collected by semi-structured interviews with US Mexican adolescents. Using qualitative methods, we found that adolescents sometimes observed the same neighborhood environmental features as researchers. They also sometimes observed different environmental features altogether; in both cases they sometimes layered on additional meaning making. Using mixed methods, we found that there was a high degree of overlap between researchers and adolescents in terms of agreement on the presence of neighborhood environmental features, including physical disorder, physical decay, street safety, and sociocultural symbols. Adolescents expanded upon these neighborhood environmental features with references to positive and negative affect and neighborhood environmental resources. This work highlights the shared and unique aspects of researcher versus adolescent observations and how both data sources are critical to understanding Latinx neighborhood environments.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)526-540
Number of pages15
JournalAmerican journal of community psychology
Volume73
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2024

Keywords

  • Latinx adolescents
  • mixed methods
  • neighborhoods
  • qualitative methods
  • systematic social observations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Applied Psychology
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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