Measuring neighborhood: A conundrum for human services researchers and practitioners

This article contributes to the knowledge base of neighborhood intervention and research by reviewing the myriad ways the construct neighborhood is operationalized. The interdisciplinary review presents a critical examination of each measurement genre from quantitative to qualitative. The discussion of neighborhood measures includes (a) census and other administrative data, (b) windshield surveys, (c) rating scales, (d) structured/unstructured interviews (including ethnographies), (e) residents' written descriptions, (f) photographs, (g) drawings, and (h) mixed method constructions. When pertinent, the role of children's voices in these measures is discussed. In addition, the conceptual nature of neighborhood is examined from the perspective of environment and place. This environment-place duality is presented as a framework for choosing the type of measure one plans to use for research or practice. Conclusions suggest that research and practice are enhanced by building bridges between measures representing environment and measures representing place. Such bridges offer opportunities to develop interventions that are viable for creating lasting change.