Gentrification and Urban Children’s Well-Being: Tipping the Scales from Problems to Promise

• Published in: American journal of community psychology Vol. 46; no. 3-4; pp. 395 - 412
• Main Authors: Formoso, Diana, N. Weber, Rachel, S. Atkins, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-12-2010; Blackwell Science Ltd
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child; Children; Children & youth; Children and families; Clinical Psychology; Collective socialization; Community and Environmental Psychology; Family; Family Relations; Gentrification; Health Psychology; Humans; Institutional resources; Low income groups; Neighborhoods; Original Paper; Personal Satisfaction; Personality and Social Psychology; Poverty; Psychology; Public Health; Public Policy; Residence Characteristics; Social Environment; Social impact; Urban Population; Urban Renewal; Well Being; Youth; Children and families; Institutional resources; Urban renewal; Neighborhoods; Collective socialization; Public policy
• ISSN: 0091-0562; 1573-2770
• DOI: 10.1007/s10464-010-9348-3

Gentrification changes the neighborhood and family contexts in which children are socialized—for better and worse—yet little is known about its consequences for youth. This review, drawn from research in urban planning, sociology, and psychology, maps out mechanisms by which gentrification may impact children. We discuss indicators of gentrification and link neighborhood factors, including institutional resources and collective socialization, to family processes more proximally related to child development. Finally, we discuss implications for intervention and public policy recommendations that are intended to tip the scales toward better outcomes for low-income youth in gentrifying areas.