In childhood and adolescence, the primary social
contexts for development are the family, school, peer group, and
neighborhood. This study examines, both cross-sectionally and
longitudinally, the relationship between studentsØ perceptions
of the supportive features of these four social contexts and the
grade they are in between grades 5 and 8. We also explore the
variation in levels and rates of change in perceptions that can
be attributed to gender, race, family demographics, psychological
adjustment and academic achievement. The sample consists of 9,899
low-income African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American students
attending 19 K- through-8 schools in Chicago. Of these, 2,472
constitute a longitudinal sample with measurement in at least
three consecutive grades. As children grow older, linear declines
are obtained in judgments of the supportive features of all four
social contexts < homes, schools, peer groups, and neighborhoods.
Several individual differences in levels of support and rates
of decline were also found. Possible explanations of these findings
are offered.
Thomas D. Cook, Department
of Sociology, Northwestern University
Robert F. Murphy, Graduate fellow, School of
Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University
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