IN-PERSON Barcelona Livable Cities. Section A

Abstract

The rapid urbanisation of many countries globally has called attention to understanding how neighbourhood characteristics affect wellbeing, especially in adolescence, a period of vulnerability to mental health conditions. This study investigated how population density, neighbourhood deprivation, green space availability, and residential greenness are related to perceived social support and psychological wellbeing in adolescence. We also explored age-related and family affluence differences in these relationships. We used a set of linear mixed effects models on data from the Childhood and Environment (Infancia y Medio Ambiente, INMA) cohort project (N=1492; ages 9–17 years) collected in Spain between 2016 and 2021. The results showed an association between higher residential greenness and better psychological wellbeing in older adolescents (15–17 years). This association was in part mediated by greater peer support, family support, and feelings of autonomy. In addition, there was weak evidence of an association between higher population density and worse psychological wellbeing in older adolescents. No relationships were found between neighbourhood deprivation, greenspace availability, and psychological wellbeing. Finally, the relationships reported in this study were not modified by family affluence. These findings suggest that neighbourhood residential greenness could contribute to feelings of social support and autonomy, which are important aspects of psychosocial adaptation throughout adolescence.