Amo C, Nabil AK, Patterson MS. An egocentric network analysis of U.S. college students' recollection of mental health symptoms and social connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2024:1-8. [PMID:
38227910 DOI:
10.1080/07448481.2023.2286469]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Objective: This study analyzes pandemic-era diminished mental health and social connections among college students. Participants: Students of a large public university completed an online survey measuring self-reported mental health symptoms for themselves and that of their closest social connections. Methods: Three regression models were used to understand if pandemic-era diminished mental health was associated with mental health characteristics present among their social networks: (1) depressive symptoms, (2) loneliness, and (3) hopelessness. Results: Students experiencing depressive symptoms (R2 = 0.13, F = 3.685, p < 0.001) perceived depressive symptoms (β = 0.32, p = 0.01) among their social connections. Students experiencing loneliness (R2 = 0.13, F = 3.867, p < 0.001) perceived loneliness (β = 0.39, p = 0.02) among their social connections. Students experiencing hopelessness (R2 = 0.14, F = 4.223, p < 0.001) perceived depressive symptoms (β = 0.35, p = 0.01) among their social connections. Conclusion: Social connections may influence mental health symptoms and could be a social determinant of certain mental health outcomes.
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