An egocentric network analysis of U.S. college students' recollection of mental health symptoms and social connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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 (=0.32, p=0.01) among their social connections. Students experiencing loneliness (R2 = 0.13, F=3.867, p<0.001) perceived loneliness (=0.39, p=0.02) among their social connections. Students experiencing hopelessness (R2 = 0.14, F=4.223, p<0.001) perceived depressive symptoms (=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.
