2026-02-13 ワシントン大学セントルイス校
<関連情報>
- https://source.washu.edu/2026/02/how-feelings-of-neighborhood-safety-may-shape-young-minds/
- https://artsci.washu.edu/ampersand/how-feelings-neighborhood-safety-may-shape-young-minds
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929325001562
青少年の脳の認知発達研究における、近隣の暴力犯罪と近隣の安全性の認識が認知と精神的健康に与える影響 Contributions of neighborhood violent crime and perceived neighborhood safety to cognition and mental health in the adolescent brain cognitive development study
Patrick M. Lindsley, Nourhan M. Elsayed, Deanna M. Barch
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Available online: 18 December 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101660
Highlights
- Perceived neighborhood safety was linked to better mental health and cognition.
- Objective neighborhood violence was not associated with these outcomes.
- Greater perceived safety was related to larger right amygdala volume.
- Findings suggest mental health symptoms may influence how youth perceive their neighborhoods.
Abstract
Introduction
This study investigates how objective neighborhood violence and perceived neighborhood safety (PNS) relate to adolescent mental health, cognitive performance, and brain structure. We examined whether PNS moderated the effects of neighborhood violence, explored neural correlates of PNS, tested longitudinal relationships, and assessed sociodemographic and psychological predictors of PNS.
Methods
Data from the ABCD Study (n = 11,865) were used to examine associations between PNS, violent crime, and youth outcomes. Measures included youth and caregiver surveys, FBI crime data, NIH Toolbox cognitive tasks, and MRI-based brain volume metrics in stress-related regions.
Results
PNS, but not objective violence, was associated with fewer mental health symptoms and better cognitive performance. PNS was also related to sociodemographic variables and greater right amygdala volume. Longitudinally, baseline PNS predicted later cognitive performance, while baseline mental health and working memory predicted future PNS, indicating bidirectional effects.
Discussion
Perceived safety, rather than objective crime, was linked to adolescent mental health, cognition, and brain structure. PNS was influenced by sociodemographic and psychological factors, and mental health predicted declines in safety perception. These findings emphasize the developmental importance of subjective environmental experiences.
