Neighborhood and gender effects on family processes: Results from the moving to opportunity program

Data from the New York City Moving to Opportunity 3-year follow-up were used to examine neighborhood and gender effects on adolescents' family processes. Low-income, minority families in public housing in high-poverty neighborhoods were assigned randomly to (a) move to private housing in low-poverty neighborhoods only, (b) move to private housing in neighborhoods of their choice, or (c) stay in place. Family processes, assessed by parent reports and interviewer observations, were compared for those who relocated and those who stayed in place. Parents in the low-poverty group were observed to be harsher toward their daughters than parents in the high-poverty group. In adolescence, residential relocation may be difficult for mother-daughter relations and require additional services to ease the transition.