Social network relationships as sources of maternal support and well-being.

Background: Relationships are vital to recovery however, there is uncertainty whether users have different types of social networks in different mental health settings and how these networks may impact on users’ wellbeing. Aims: To compare the social networks of people with long-term mental illness in the community with those of people in a general adult in-patient unit. Method: A sample of general adult in-patients with enduring mental health problems, aged between 18 and 65, was compared with a similar sample attending a general adult psychiatric clinic. A cross-sectional survey collected demographic data and information about participants’ social networks. Participants also completed the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale to examine well-being and the Significant Others Scale to explore their social network support. Results: The study recruited 53 participants (25 living in the community and 28 current in-patients) with 339 named as important members of their social networks. Both groups recorded low numbers in their social networks though the community sample had a significantly greater number of social contacts (7.4 vs. 5.4), more monthly contacts with members of their network and significantly higher levels of social media use. The in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Conclusions: People with serious and enduring mental health problems living in the community had a significantly greater number of people in their social network than those who were in-patients while the in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Recommendations for future work have been made.

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Majority and popularity effects on norm formation in adolescence

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-92482-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ana da Silva Pinho ◽

Lucas Molleman ◽

Barbara R. Braams ◽

Wouter van den Bos

Keyword(s):

Social Network ◽

Risk Taking ◽

Well Being ◽

Prosocial Behaviour ◽

Peer Norms ◽

Marked Influence ◽

Personal Norms ◽

Normative Evaluation ◽

Adolescent Risk ◽

Prosocial Behaviours

AbstractPersonal norms consist of individuals’ attitudes about the appropriateness of behaviour. These norms guide adolescents’ behaviour in countless domains that are fundamental for their social functioning and well-being. Peers are known to have a marked influence on adolescent risk-taking and prosocial behaviour, but little is known about how peers shape personal norms underlying those behaviours. Here we show that adolescents’ personal norms are decisively moulded by the norms of the majority and popular peers in their social network. Our experiment indicates that observing peer norms substantially impacts adolescents’ normative evaluation of risk-taking and prosocial behaviours. The majority norm had a stronger impact than the norm of a single popular peer, and norm adjustments were largest when adolescents observed strong disapproval of risk-taking or strong approval of prosocial behaviour. Our study suggests that learning about peer norms likely promotes adolescents to hold views and values supporting socially desirable behaviour.

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Digital detox: An effective solution in the smartphone era? A systematic literature review

Mobile Media & Communication ◽

10.1177/20501579211028647 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 205015792110286

Author(s):

Theda Radtke ◽

Theresa Apel ◽

Konstantin Schenkel ◽

Jan Keller ◽

Eike von Lindern

Keyword(s):

Social Network ◽

Literature Review ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Instant Messaging ◽

Social Network Sites ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Control ◽

Smartphone Use ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Digital Detox

Smartphone use, e.g., on social network sites or instant messaging, can impair well-being and is related to clinical phenomena, like depression. Digital detox interventions have been suggested as a solution to reduce negative impacts from smartphone use on outcomes like well-being or social relationships. Digital detox is defined as timeouts from using electronic devices (e.g., smartphones), either completely or for specific subsets of smartphone use. However, until now, it has been unclear whether digital detox interventions are effective at promoting a healthy way of life in the digital era. This systematic literature review aimed to answer the question of whether digital detox interventions are effective at improving outcomes like health and well-being, social relationships, self-control or performance. Systematic searches of seven databases were carried out according to PRISMA guidelines, and intervention studies were extracted that examined timeouts from smartphone use and/or smartphone-related use of social network sites and instant messaging. The review yielded k = 21 extracted studies (total N = 3,625 participants). The studies included interventions in the field, from which 12 were identified as randomized controlled trials. The results showed that the effects from digital detox interventions varied across studies on health and well-being, social relationships, self-control, or performance. For example, some studies found positive intervention effects, whereas others found no effect or even negative consequences for well-being. Reasons for these mixed findings are discussed. Research is needed to examine mechanisms of change to derive implications for the development of successful digital detox interventions.

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Cross-generational coalitions and well-being: A multivariate analysis of social network data.

Journal of Family Psychology ◽

10.1037/0893-3200.6.2.195 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 195-198 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Douglas G. Flemons ◽

Yung-mei Tsai

Keyword(s):

Multivariate Analysis ◽

Social Network ◽

Well Being ◽

Network Data ◽

Social Network Data

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A randomized wait-list controlled trial of a social support intervention for caregivers of patients with primary malignant brain tumor

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-021-06372-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Maija Reblin ◽

Dana Ketcher ◽

Rachael McCormick ◽

Veronica Barrios-Monroy ◽

Steven K. Sutton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Social Network ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Wait List ◽

Web Based ◽

Caregiver Support ◽

Support Intervention ◽

Link Type ◽

Prospective Longitudinal

Abstract Background Informal family caregivers constitute an important and increasingly demanding role in the cancer healthcare system. This is especially true for caregivers of patients with primary malignant brain tumors based on the rapid progression of disease, including physical and cognitive debilitation. Informal social network resources such as friends and family can provide social support to caregivers, which lowers caregiver burden and improves overall quality of life. However, barriers to obtaining needed social support exist for caregivers. To address this need, our team developed and is assessing a multi-component caregiver support intervention that uses a blend of technology and personal contact to improve caregiver social support. Methods We are currently conducting a prospective, longitudinal 2-group randomized controlled trial which compares caregivers who receive the intervention to a wait-list control group. Only caregivers directly receive the intervention, but the patient-caregiver dyads are enrolled so we can assess outcomes in both. The 8-week intervention consists of two components: (1) The electronic Social Network Assessment Program, a web-based tool to visualize existing social support resources and provide a tailored list of additional resources; and (2) Caregiver Navigation, including weekly phone sessions with a Caregiver Navigator to address caregiver social support needs. Outcomes are assessed by questionnaires completed by the caregiver (baseline, 4-week, 8-week) and the cancer patient (baseline, and 8-week). At 8 weeks, caregivers in the wait-list condition may opt into the intervention. Our primary outcome is caregiver well-being; we also explore patient well-being and caregiver and patient health care utilization. Discussion This protocol describes a study testing a novel social support intervention that pairs a web-based social network visualization tool and resource list (eSNAP) with personalized caregiver navigation. This intervention is responsive to a family-centered model of care and calls for clinical and research priorities focused on informal caregiving research. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov, Registration number: NCT04268979; Date of registration: February 10, 2020, retrospectively registered.

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IMPACT OF OFFLINE AND ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKS ON LONELINESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG ITALIAN OLDER PEOPLE

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1945 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S529-S529

Author(s):

Daniele Zaccaria ◽

Georgia Casanova ◽

Antonio Guaita

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Networks ◽

Social Network ◽

Older People ◽

Online Social Networks ◽

Social Network Sites ◽

Well Being ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Face To Face ◽

Causal Impact

Abstract In the last decades the study of older people and social networks has been at the core of gerontology research. The literature underlines the positive health effects of traditional and online social connections and also the social networks’s positive impact on cognitive performance, mental health and quality of life. Aging in a Networked Society is a randomized controlled study aimed at investigating causal impact of traditional face-to-face social networks and online social networks (e.g. Social Network Sites) on older people’ health, cognitive functions and well-being. A social experiment, based on a pre-existing longitudinal study (InveCe - Brain Aging in Abbiategrasso) has involved 180 older people born from 1935 to 1939 living in Abbiategrasso, a municipality near Milan. We analyse effects on health and well-being of smartphones and Facebook use (compared to engagement in a more traditional face-to-face activity), exploiting the research potential of past waves of InveCe study, which collected information concerning physical, cognitive and mental health using international validate scale, blood samples, genetic markers and information on social networks and socio-demographic characteristics of all participants. Results of statistical analysis show that poor social relations and high level of perceived loneliness (measured by Lubben Scale and UCLA Loneliness scale) affect negatively physical and mental outcomes. We also found that gender and marital status mediate the relationship between loneliness and mental wellbeing, while education has not significant effect. Moreover, trial results underline the causal impact of ICT use (smartphones, internet, social network sites) on self-perceived loneliness and cognitive and physical health.

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