Investigating the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics, perceived social support and psychological wellbeing in Spanish adolescents

The rapid urbanisation of many countries has raised important questions about how neighbourhood characteristics affect wellbeing, particularly during 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 psychological wellbeing in adolescence, as well as the role of perceived social support and autonomy in this relationship. Using data from 970 participants aged 9–17 years in the INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente) cohort in Spain, collected between 2016 and 2022, we applied a set of linear mixed effects models to examine these associations, and also explored potential differences by age, sex and family affluence. The results showed an association between higher residential greenness and better psychological wellbeing in older adolescents (15–17 years). This association was partially mediated by greater family support and feelings of autonomy. In addition, there was an association between higher population density and worse psychological wellbeing in older adolescents. No significant associations were found between neighbourhood deprivation, green space 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 family support and autonomy, which contribute to important aspects of psychosocial adaptation during adolescence.