Abstract
This study examined the stability and coherence of African-American children's social support networks. Participants included a total of 106 3- to 4-year-old children attending Head Start centers located in the southeast. Children completed a social network interview in two consecutive years at the Head Start centers. These interviews tapped multiple dimensions of the support network including social embeddedness, proportion of the network providing support, and perceived support. Analyses focused on both the rank-order stability of children with respect to network characteristics as well as stability of network relationships (the same individuals included in the network at both time periods). Results indicated age-related increases in network size for adult and child categories, network size across three support domains, proportion of support scores, and perceived support from adults. In addition to age-related changes, analyses revealed considerable rank-order stability with respect to structural network dimensions, but very little rank-order stability in proportion of support and perceived support scores. In contrast, both structural and supportive components of the children's networks were shown to be coherent over a one-year period when specific network member relationships were examined. Discussion highlights both continuities and discontinuities in young children's social networks, and how data obtained in this study contribute to theory building and the systematic examination of African-American children's emerging social networks.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 393-412 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Social Development |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 19 2004 |
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Keywords
- Longitudinal analysis
- Preschool children
- Social support networks
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Social support networks of African-American children attending head start : A longitudinal investigation of structural and supportive network characteristics. / Freeman Bost, Kelly K; Vaughn, Brian E.; Boston, Ada L.; Kazura, Kerry L.; O'Neal, Colleen.
In: Social Development, Vol. 13, No. 3, 19.08.2004, p. 393-412.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Social support networks of African-American children attending head start
T2 - A longitudinal investigation of structural and supportive network characteristics
AU - Freeman Bost, Kelly K
AU - Vaughn, Brian E.
AU - Boston, Ada L.
AU - Kazura, Kerry L.
AU - O'Neal, Colleen
PY - 2004/8/19
Y1 - 2004/8/19
N2 - This study examined the stability and coherence of African-American children's social support networks. Participants included a total of 106 3- to 4-year-old children attending Head Start centers located in the southeast. Children completed a social network interview in two consecutive years at the Head Start centers. These interviews tapped multiple dimensions of the support network including social embeddedness, proportion of the network providing support, and perceived support. Analyses focused on both the rank-order stability of children with respect to network characteristics as well as stability of network relationships (the same individuals included in the network at both time periods). Results indicated age-related increases in network size for adult and child categories, network size across three support domains, proportion of support scores, and perceived support from adults. In addition to age-related changes, analyses revealed considerable rank-order stability with respect to structural network dimensions, but very little rank-order stability in proportion of support and perceived support scores. In contrast, both structural and supportive components of the children's networks were shown to be coherent over a one-year period when specific network member relationships were examined. Discussion highlights both continuities and discontinuities in young children's social networks, and how data obtained in this study contribute to theory building and the systematic examination of African-American children's emerging social networks.
AB - This study examined the stability and coherence of African-American children's social support networks. Participants included a total of 106 3- to 4-year-old children attending Head Start centers located in the southeast. Children completed a social network interview in two consecutive years at the Head Start centers. These interviews tapped multiple dimensions of the support network including social embeddedness, proportion of the network providing support, and perceived support. Analyses focused on both the rank-order stability of children with respect to network characteristics as well as stability of network relationships (the same individuals included in the network at both time periods). Results indicated age-related increases in network size for adult and child categories, network size across three support domains, proportion of support scores, and perceived support from adults. In addition to age-related changes, analyses revealed considerable rank-order stability with respect to structural network dimensions, but very little rank-order stability in proportion of support and perceived support scores. In contrast, both structural and supportive components of the children's networks were shown to be coherent over a one-year period when specific network member relationships were examined. Discussion highlights both continuities and discontinuities in young children's social networks, and how data obtained in this study contribute to theory building and the systematic examination of African-American children's emerging social networks.
KW - Longitudinal analysis
KW - Preschool children
KW - Social support networks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=3843132756&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=3843132756&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2004.00274.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2004.00274.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:3843132756
VL - 13
SP - 393
EP - 412
JO - Social Development
JF - Social Development
SN - 0961-205X
IS - 3
ER -