Dataset Information

Parents' and adolescents' perception of traffic- and crime-related safety as correlates of independent mobility among Belgian adolescents.

ABSTRACT: The independent mobility (IM), defined as the freedom of young people to travel without adult supervision, has been related to the physical activity time, the acquisition of personal autonomy, to less intense fear of crime, and to a stronger feeling of being part of their community and other health and social benefits. The aims of this study were to compare parents' and adolescents' traffic- and crime-related safety perceptions of their neighborhood and to analyze the associations of these perceptions with adolescents' IM. A total of 291 adolescents and their parents completed the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) questionnaire. Multilevel (two-level models: individual level-neighborhood level) regression analyses were conducted to examine whether the environmental perceptions differed between parents and adolescents and the association between the parental and adolescents' perception to the IM and the active independent mobility (AIM). Parents reported a more negative perception of traffic (except for amount and speed) and crime-related safety. Adolescents' environmental perceptions were not associated with their IM but parental perceptions of traffic- and crime-related safety were associated with IM and with active IM, although not all associations were in the expected direction. Future urban policy efforts should address environments where parents perceive sufficient levels of safety to increase the levels of IM in adolescents.

SUBMITTER: Huertas-Delgado FJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6162083 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Parents' and adolescents' perception of traffic- and crime-related safety as correlates of independent mobility among Belgian adolescents.

Huertas-Delgado Francisco Javier FJ Mertens Lieze L Chillon Palma P Van Dyck Delfien D

PloS one 20180928 9

The independent mobility (IM), defined as the freedom of young people to travel without adult supervision, has been related to the physical activity time, the acquisition of personal autonomy, to less intense fear of crime, and to a stronger feeling of being part of their community and other health and social benefits. The aims of this study were to compare parents' and adolescents' traffic- and crime-related safety perceptions of their neighborhood and to analyze the associations of these perce ...[more]

PMID: 30265694

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Project description:BackgroundChildren's independent mobility differs between groups of adolescents, but knowledge is lacking on how mobility-limiting factors interact. This study explores the association between factors that can affect young adolescents' mobility, searching for typical patterns within a geographical area where mobility is both relatively high and promoted (in this case Stockholm County, Sweden). An additional question is how clusters of limiting factors and demographic attributes relate to active commuting to school.MethodsA sample of 7th grade students (ca 13-14 years old) in Stockholm County, Sweden, answered a survey (n = 1008). A cluster analysis was performed on variables descriptive of the respondents and of potential limitations to their independent mobility, such as fears, coping, traffic situation in the neighbourhood and parent/child opinions on mobility (18 variables and 50 categories). Active commuting to/from school was compared using proportion (with 95% confidence intervals) by cluster.ResultsFive consistent and distinct clusters were identified. Among the most discriminating factors were fears experienced in the neighbourhood, strategies to cope with fear, type of housing and traffic environment. Girls were over-represented in the two clusters most typical of respondents experiencing fears (either several of these or darkness in particular) and boys in two others where housing (house vs. apartment) and neighbourhood conditions played a more determinant role. The proportion of active commuting among respondents was quite similar over clusters but was nonetheless higher in the cluster (over girls) reporting more fears and other factors limiting mobility.ConclusionsWhereas fears--and coping--are more typical of adolescent girls in the formation of the clusters, household and neighbourhood characteristics are more typical of boys. Broadly speaking, there seem to be two groups of girls with fears but these differ based on types of fear, ways of coping with fear and their living conditions. The association between the limitations to mobility and active commuting is unclear, the latter being higher among those disclosing a broader range of limiting factors, including fears.

Dataset Information

Parents' and adolescents' perception of traffic- and crime-related safety as correlates of independent mobility among Belgian adolescents.

Publications

Parents' and adolescents' perception of traffic- and crime-related safety as correlates of independent mobility among Belgian adolescents.

Similar Datasets

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