scholarly journals INTERNET USE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN AFRICA AND INDIA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley Monroe Shrum ◽  
Jonathan Teye Yevuyibor ◽  
Shriya Thakkar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Personal Networks ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Internet And Social Media

Prior research has shown that mental health in urban slums is associated with the a share number of older individuals in personal networks. This presentation will examine the extent to which that association is mediated through Internet and social media use. We conducted face to face interviews with residents (minimum 18 years) in two high density, low income areas of Accra (West Africa) and Trivandrum (Kerala, India), where local teams have conducted repeated studies of personal networks since 1994. Our preliminary results show that mobile phones are primary way in which respondents communicate with members of their core networks. Further preliminary results show that while research in high income areas has generally shown the importance of larger networks for positive mental health, our analysis of urban slums reveals a different pattern. First, there is no general association of larger networks with reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Second, one particular group of relationships is strongly associated with depression and anxiety: ties with older individuals. The questions we explore are: (1) To what extent are indicators of mental health related to indicators of Internet and social media usage? (2) To what extent are indicators of mental health related to indicators of social network size and composition? (3) To what extent are indicators of Internet and social media usage related to indicators of indicators of social network size and composition?

scholarly journals The Moderating Role of Social Network Size on Social Media Use and Self-Esteem: An Evolutionary Mismatch Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy J. Lim ◽  
Clement Lau ◽  
Norman P. Li
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Evolutionary Mismatch ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Relationship

Existing meta-analyses have shown that the relationship between social media use and self-esteem is negative, but at very small effect sizes, suggesting the presence of moderators that change the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. Employing principles from social comparison and evolutionary mismatch theories, we propose that the social network sizes one has on social media play a key role in the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. In our study (N = 123), we showed that social media use was negatively related to self-esteem, but only when their social network size was within an evolutionarily familiar level. Social media use was not related to self-esteem when people’s social networks were at evolutionarily novel sizes. The data supported both social comparison and evolutionary mismatch theories and elucidated the small effect size found for the relationship between social media use and self-esteem in current literature. More critically, the findings of this study highlight the need to consider evolutionarily novel stimuli that are present on social media to better understand the behaviors of people in this social environment.

Mental Health among Older Adults with Caregiving Needs: The Role of Social Networks

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-167
Author(s):  
Fengyan Tang ◽  
Heejung Jang ◽  
Elizabeth A Mulvaney ◽  
Jane Seoyoon Lee ◽  
Donald Musa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Informal Social Support ◽  
Social Network Size

Abstract A major challenge facing an aging society is the increased caregiving needs among community-dwelling older adults with chronic conditions. Reliance on social relations may help address caregiving needs and maintain older adults’ mental well-being. This study examines the roles of different aspects of social relations—social network size, social support, and service use—in the association between caregiving needs and mental health status (MHS). Using a sample of adults age 55 and over in an urban setting, authors tested the direct, mediation, and moderation effects models of social relations. Structural equation modeling was applied and latent variables of caregiving needs, MHS, and social network size were identified. Results showed that caregiving needs and informal social support (that is, network size, positive support, and negative strain) were directly related to MHS and that informal social support partially mediated the negative effect of caregiving needs on MHS; by contrast, service use moderated the association, indicating that those with caregiving needs who used more services were in better MHS than their counterparts with less service use. Findings point to the importance of social work interventions aimed at improving social relations and enhancing awareness and access to social services.

Gender Differences in Social Network Size and Satisfaction in Adults in Their 70s

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 671-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deirdre McLaughlin ◽  
Dimitrios Vagenas ◽  
Nancy A. Pachana ◽  
Nelufa Begum ◽  
Annette Dobson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Sensory Impairments

Strong social support is associated with lower mortality and morbidity and better self-rated health in later life. The aim of this study was to compare social network size and satisfaction in men ( N = 2589) and women ( n = 3152), aged 72—78 years. Women reported significantly larger networks (Difference 1.36, 95% CI 0.89, 1.83) than men. However, being separated, divorced or single had a significantly greater impact on men’s social networks (Difference 0.92, 95% CI 0.17, 1.68). Poor mental health and sensory impairments were associated with smaller networks and lower satisfaction with support for both men and women.

scholarly journals The moderating role of social network size in the temporal association between formal social participation and mental health: a longitudinal analysis using two consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziggi Ivan Santini ◽  
Paul E. Jose ◽  
Ai Koyanagi ◽  
Charlotte Meilstrup ◽  
Line Nielsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Moderating Role

Abstract Introduction Previous studies have shown that engaging in formal social participation may protect against declining mental health, but social network size (the number of close social ties a person has) may moderate the relationship. We assessed the potential moderating role of social network size using longitudinal data. Methods Nationally representative data from two consecutive waves (2011, 2013) of the SHARE survey were analyzed. The data consisted of 38,300 adults from 13 European countries aged 50 years and older in 2011. Measures pertaining to formal social participation, social network size, quality of life, and depression symptoms were used. Multivariable linear regression models were conducted. Results The majority of participants (over 70% of the sample) had a social network size of four or less close social ties. We identified significant moderations in both models. Individuals with relatively few close social ties may have benefitted from formal social participation both in terms of reductions in depression symptoms and increases in quality of life, while formal social participation among those with many social ties did not appear to be beneficial, and may even to some extent have been detrimental. Conclusions Declines in mental health specifically among those with relatively few close social ties could potentially be prevented through the promotion of formal social participation. It is possible that such strategies could have a greater impact by specifically targeting individuals that are otherwise socially isolated. High levels of formal participation among those with relatively many close social ties may not be pragmatically beneficial.

From Relationship to Information

2015 ◽  
pp. 241-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Yang ◽  
Louisa Ha ◽  
Gi Woong Yun ◽  
Lanming Chen
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Social Network ◽  
Relationship Management ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Online Activities

By measuring social media users' online activities in terms of information broadcasting, information seeking and relational maintenance, this chapter aimed at investigating how college students' SNS usage patterns may affect their online social network sizes. Statistics in this chapter suggested that more information seeking leads to more Twitter followings while more information broadcasting results in a larger size of Twitter followers. The frequency of relationship management, however, did not predict students' social network size on either Twitter or Facebook. Implications of the study were discussed.

Extraverts Have Larger Social Network Layers

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas V. Pollet ◽  
Sam G. B. Roberts ◽  
Robin I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Outer Layer ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Emotional Intensity ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Network Layer ◽  
Network Layers ◽  
Social Network Size

Previous studies showed that extraversion influences social network size. However, it is unclear how extraversion affects the size of different layers of the network, and how extraversion relates to the emotional intensity of social relationships. We examined the relationships between extraversion, network size, and emotional closeness for 117 individuals. The results demonstrated that extraverts had larger networks at every layer (support clique, sympathy group, outer layer). The results were robust and were not attributable to potential confounds such as sex, though they were modest in size (raw correlations between extraversion and size of network layer, .20 < r < .23). However, extraverts were not emotionally closer to individuals in their network, even after controlling for network size. These results highlight the importance of considering not just social network size in relation to personality, but also the quality of relationships with network members.

Measuring Relevant Information in Health Social Network Conversations and Clinical Diagnosis Cases (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Moreira ◽  
Raul Alonso-Calvo ◽  
Alberto Muñoz ◽  
Jose Crespo
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Biomedical Knowledge ◽  
Expert Opinions ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Social Network ◽  
Discussion System ◽  
Clinical Cases

BACKGROUND Internet and Social media is an enormous source of information. Health Social Networks and online collaborative environments enable users to create shared content that afterwards can be discussed. While social media discussions for health related matters constitute a potential source of knowledge, characterizing the relevance of participations from different users is a challenging task. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to present a methodology designed for quantifying relevant information provided by different participants in clinical online discussions. METHODS A set of key indicators for different aspects of clinical conversations and specific clinical contributions within a discussion have been defined. These indicators make use of biomedical knowledge extraction based on standard terminologies and ontologies. These indicators allow measuring the relevance of information of each participant of the clinical conversation. RESULTS Proposed indicators have been applied to two discussions extracted from PatientsLikeMe, as well as to two real clinical cases from the Sanar collaborative discussion system. Results obtained from indicators in the tested cases have been compared with clinical expert opinions to check indicators validity. CONCLUSIONS The methodology has been successfully used for describing participant interactions in real clinical cases belonging to a collaborative clinical case discussion tool and from a conversation from a Health Social Network.

scholarly journals Social Networks and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 237802312098525
Author(s):  
Balazs Kovacs ◽  
Nicholas Caplan ◽  
Samuel Grob ◽  
Marissa King
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Network Data ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Network Data ◽  
Social Network Size

We utilize longitudinal social network data collected pre–COVID-19 in June 2019 and compare them with data collected in the midst of COVID in June 2020. We find significant decreases in network density and global network size following a period of profound social isolation. While there is an overall increase in loneliness during this era, certain social network characteristics of individuals are associated with smaller increases in loneliness. Specifically, we find that people with fewer than five “very close” relationships report increases in loneliness. We further find that face-to-face interactions, as well as the duration and frequency of interactions with very close ties, are associated with smaller increases in loneliness during the pandemic. We also report on factors that do not moderate the effect of social isolation on perceived loneliness, such as gender, age, or overall social network size.

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