What the study found
The study found that participants developed both bonding social capital, meaning ties within a supportive group, and bridging social capital, meaning connections to outside resources. These processes were sequenced and interdependent: trust and safety came first, and that then supported later connections beyond the program.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that place-based programs may be more effective when they intentionally sequence bonding before bridging, provide identity-affirming supports, and align outside resources with community strengths. They also say shared staff identity can build trust and speed engagement, but structural barriers still affect whether new connections lead to tangible benefits.
What the researchers tested
The researchers studied a 12-month economic mobility intervention called the Mothers Mobility Program in Charlotte, North Carolina. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, they interviewed and analyzed a subgroup of 20 mothers, ages 19 to 44, from six cohorts out of 70 participants who completed the program between 2021 and 2024.
What worked and what didn't
Bonding ties were fostered through program offerings and identity-affirming spaces, and these helped create trust and safety. That trust then enabled bridging connections to external resources; however, the study says structural barriers limited how usable those new networks were, and shared staff-client identities influenced engagement.
What to keep in mind
The analysis is based on interviews with 20 mothers from one program in one city, so the findings are limited to that context. The abstract does not describe quantitative outcomes, and it does not provide additional limitations beyond the role of structural barriers.
Key points
- The study found both bonding and bridging social capital among participating mothers.
- Bonding ties appeared to come first and helped create trust and safety.
- Trust then supported bridging connections to external resources.
- Shared staff-client identities influenced participation and engagement.
- Structural barriers limited whether new connections became usable benefits.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Place-based program sequencing shaped social capital
- Authors:
- Mia Ersoff, Sharon Watson, Ryan P. Kilmer, Jennifer Langhinrichsen‐Rohling
- Institutions:
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Publication date:
- 2026-06-29
- DOI:
- 10.1002/jcop.70113
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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