Resilient single mothers in risky neighborhoods: Negative psychological sense of community

Qualitative interviews with 10 African American single mothers raising children in risky communities and identified as resilient were analyzed to explore psychological sense of community (PSOC). Results suggest that a lack of PSOC, rather than a null finding, can be meaningful and associated with positive outcomes. Thus, PSOC which has heretofore, been operationalized as unipolar, can actually be either positive or negative. Negative PSOC can be adaptive and lead to positive outcomes for individuals who perceive their community to be a burden rather than a resource. Transcript excerpts, which illustrate both positive and negative PSOC, are presented and the advantages of this expansion in the conceptualization of PSOC are discussed, as well as implications for community interventions. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.