Reconsidering the Meaning of Home and the Psycho-social Well-being Perception. A Case Study in a Dutch Neighborhood

Abstract

The paper examines the extent to which the meanings given to home and neighborhood are associated with the perceived psycho-social well-being of inhabitants and households, based on a review of the literature and a conceptualization of the meanings of home and neighborhood in various dimensions. The paper analyzes data from a survey conducted in the neighborhood of Barkmolenstraat (Groningen, The Netherlands). Using the factor analysis, two factors indicating meanings of home are distinguished: the home as a “Predictable Environment”, and the home as a “Status”. Four factors indicate neighborhood attachment: sense of belonging, safety, sociability and the feeling of being controlled. The findings from OLS regression analyses show the importance of the home as a “predictable environment” in perceived psycho-social well-being. The sense of belonging to the neighborhood and safety are positively associated with psycho-social well-being, whereas the feeling of being controlled is negatively associated with it.