ABSTRACT
Communities are a key social setting for the development of social and psychological wellness (Cowen, 1994), and yet they can be defined by social, political, geographic, or economic boundaries. Researchers have also debated whether community can include only groups of people who share similar geographical locality, or if individuals who share common interests can create a community (Bradshaw, 2008). Additionally, the terms neighborhood and community are often used interchangeably, but these two constructs are not synonymous. Neighborhoods are often described in terms of geographic boundaries and physical proximity (Aber & Nieto, 2000), while communities are traditionally defined as settings in which people share common connections, bonds, or attachments. For example, people who participate in an online support group may share more interests and created sense of community than those living on the same neighborhood block.
