Sense of community and its relevance to adolescents of all ages

In this study, 234 white female and male 13 to 18 year olds were interviewed in informal social settings. They completed questionnaires regarding their neighborhood and school psychological sense of community (Sense of Community Index), experiences of social support (Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviours) and loneliness (Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale), and rated statements assessing subjective well-being. Multiple regression and correlation analyses indicated that social support and sense of community were distinctive aspects of the adolescent's community context. Neighborhood sense of community, followed by non-directive guidance, support, and age, predicted adolescent loneliness. Sense of community was the primary correlate with subjective evaluations of well-being. Sense of community scores for neighborhood and school settings were significantly lower for older adolescents. Findings are discussed in terms of developmental research implications and the importance of sense community in prevention programs to facilitate adolescent development. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.