The association among neighborhood mutual support, well-being, and social work

Abstract

Summary With the increase in urbanization in China, people's neighborhood has an important influence on their well-being. This study aims to explore the impact of neighborhood mutual support on well-being from the perspective of social work. A total of 13,486 samples from the 2016 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey were utilized. The data were analyzed by the ordered logit model and propensity score matching while controlling for individual, family, and socioeconomic features. Findings (1) The more the neighborhood mutual support, the higher individuals' degree of well-being; this conclusion is robust. 2) Neighborhood mutual support has a larger improvement effect on the well-being of groups with low social status. (3) Neighborhood mutual support improves well-being through two mechanisms: it can grow an individual's support network, helping them obtain more material support, and it enhances individuals' integration into society, improving their well-being through increased feelings of community security. (4) The influence of neighborhood mutual support is weakened when a community has formal social support (full-time social workers) because individuals can resolve their problems through formal social support, reducing their reliance on neighbors. Applications Based on the perspective of community development, understanding the influence of neighborhood mutual support on well-being is important. Social workers should adopt different intervention approaches according to characteristics of different groups to improve residents' level of neighborhood mutual support. Moreover, to promote community development, the government should consider arranging social work for less-developed communities.