Facilitators and barriers to neighborhood social integration.

Abstract

Social isolation has reached concerning rates, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social integration is critical to combatting social isolation and loneliness by promoting a sense of community and belonging. Yet, most existing research centers on fostering close personal relationships within family and friend networks. Social integration within the neighborhood context (e.g., chatting with neighbors, participating in local organizations) is another tool that can be used to combat loneliness, but less is known about the process of social integration for residents situated in different sociodemographic groups. The current study examines variability in the process of neighborhood social integration across sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., social role, racial-ethnic identity, and housing tenure). Thematic analyses were conducted on semi-structured interviews with 29 residents of Wards 4 and 5 of Washington, D.C. Results suggested that relative to caregivers and community leaders, youth reported fewer opportunities for neighborhood social integration; frequently noted barriers were lack of shared identity, the transient nature of D.C., and school location. Despite sociodemographic heterogeneity in facilitators and barriers to neighborhood social integration, many residents called for more community programming and 'third places' to facilitate neighborhood connections.