Social and Religious Networks with Respect to the Health Behaviors of African American Women: A Systematic Review.

The aim of this systematic mixed studies review was to examine how social networks influence physical activity and dietary patterns among African American women. We searched PUBMED, CINAHL, JSTOR, SocioIndex, Medline, Cochrane Library, sportDISCUS, and PsycINFO to review articles published between Jan 1, 2007, and July 1, 2021. Only 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies were conducted in the US. Social support received from family members, friends, and churches was found to positively influence physical activity and/or dietary patterns among African American women. An inconsistent relationship was found between social network size, health behavior characteristics of social networks, and physical activity and/or dietary patterns among African American women. Future research should incorporate structural and functional social network strategies to promote physical activity and healthy eating behaviors effectively and sustainably among African American women.

The relationship between self-control and internet gaming disorder and problematic social networking site use: the mediation effects of internet use motives.

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the relationships between problematic social networking site use (PSNSU), Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), internet use motives, and self-control among university students in China and Japan. Specifically, it investigated the indirect effects of self-control on IGD and PSNSU through various internet use motives, considering gender differences. Methods: A sample of 697 university students (465 females; 397 Chinese) was surveyed. Path analysis was conducted separately for male and female users to examine the relationships between self-control, internet use motives, IGD, and PSNSU. Results: The results indicated that self-control had significant indirect effects on IGD through enhancement (ß = 0.096**, p = 0.005), social (ß = -0.090**, p = 0.007), and conformity (ß = -0.117**, p = 0.001) motives, but these effects were observed only in the male group. Self-control also exhibited indirect effects on PSNSU through enhancement, social, coping, and conformity motives, with a greater impact observed on PSNSU than on IGD. Gender differences in mediating effects were identified, with males and females showing distinct patterns. Discussion: The findings highlight the importance of understanding gender differences and motivational factors in problematic internet use. These insights contribute to a better understanding of how internet use motives influence IGD and PSNSU in different contexts.

Parenting-Related Social Networking Site Use and Psychological Distress in Parents of Infants: Cross-sectional Study Exploring the Moderating Effects of Loneliness and Parenting Anxiety.

Background: In the digital age, social networking sites (SNSs) have revolutionized the approach to parenting. These platforms, widely used to access parenting information and support, affect parents both positively and negatively, with negative effects potentially increasing for those experiencing loneliness or anxiety. Objective: This study examined the relationship between SNS use and psychological distress among parents of young children, controlling for the moderating effects of loneliness and parenting anxiety. We hypothesized that higher SNS use correlates to greater psychological distress, particularly among parents with elevated levels of loneliness or parenting anxiety. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design using a closed web-based questionnaire was employed. Participants included 429 parents (205 mothers and 224 fathers) of children aged 0-3 years recruited through a web-based survey company in Japan. The majority of the participants were couples, with some living with extended family members. The sample also encompassed individuals in cohabiting partnerships and single parents. The survey included measures of psychological distress, loneliness, parenting anxiety, frequency of SNS use for parenting, and covariates. Analytical models to explain psychological distress included interactions between loneliness or parenting anxiety and SNS use, individually for both fathers and mothers. Results: For mothers, a significant interaction effect was determined only between parenting anxiety and SNS use (b=0.247, SE 0.091; P=.008). Meanwhile, for fathers, significant interaction effects were observed for both loneliness (b=0.324, SE 0.127; P=.012) and parenting anxiety (b=0.144, SE 0.069; P=.038) with SNS use. A simple slope analysis for mothers indicated that SNS use was related to psychological distress only at higher levels of parenting anxiety (b=0.304, SE 0.090, ß=.317; P<.001). Among fathers, SNS use was associated with psychological distress at higher levels of either parenting anxiety (b=0.330, SE 0.069, ß=.346; P<.001) or loneliness (b=0.390, SE 0.098, ß=.409; P<.001). Conclusions: The study concluded that the relationship between SNS use and psychological distress among parents of young children is moderated by loneliness and parenting anxiety. The findings highlight the need for tailored approaches to help parents manage SNS use, particularly focusing on those with higher levels of loneliness and parenting anxiety. It is imperative that health professionals provide nuanced guidance to parents on SNS use, considering individual psychological factors and potential gender differences in the impact of SNSs on mental well-being.

Exploring Differences in Four Types of Online Activities Across Individuals with and without Problematic Smartphone Use.

Studies on problematic online activities commonly focus on one type of online activity, such as social media. However, individuals often use their Smartphones for more than one online activity. This study examined four types of online activities (social networking, gaming, information acquisition, and short-form video viewing). Based on a combinatory assessment of problematic smartphone use and hours spent online, two groups were created from a larger sample (N = 642): a problematic smartphone user group (PSU; N = 230; F = 72%; Age = 24.99 ± 6.60) and a non-problematic smart phone user group (NPSU; N = 87; F = 62%; Age = 30.49 ± 10.22). As compared to the NPSU group, the PSU group engaged in more social networking, gaming, information acquisition, and short-form video seeing. The PSU group also scored higher on psychological distress, sleep disturbance, fear of missing out, metacognitions about Smartphone use (MSU), desire thinking (DT), and lower on satisfaction with life and cognitive reappraisal. Regression analyses were employed to probe correlates of each online activity among the PSU and NPSU groups. The findings are discussed in light of the metacognitive model of addictive behaviors and future directions are provided concerning the challenges of distinguishing individuals for problematic Internet-related behaviors.

Should I stay (home) or should I go (party)? Examination of drinking as a mediator of the relationship between alcohol-related social media content and adherence to COVID-19 recommendations among college students.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted young people's drinking. Yet, despite social gatherings posing a known risk for increased contraction, some college students still congregated to drink. Furthermore, some students posted about these drinking events to their public and/or private social media feeds. It is crucial to understand the relationships between posting alcohol-related content (ARC), drinking and adherence to COVID-19 recommendations because they may have contributed to the spread of the virus. METHODS: The current interval contingent, 14-day diary study assessed students' (N = 129) public and private ARC; their drinking; percentage of time wearing a mask and social distancing; and number of people they socialised with during drinking events (total crowd size) each day. RESULTS: Multilevel structural equation modelling was employed to examine relationships between ARC posting, drinking and behavioural outcomes. On days in which students posted both public and private ARC, they tended to drink more and in turn, reported attending gatherings with larger crowds. Curiously, on days in which students drank more, they indicated more mask wearing and social distancing, and on days in which students posted more private ARC, they also reported larger crowds. Finally, an indirect effect of drinking on the links between public and private ARC and mask wearing, social distancing and total crowd sizes emerged. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Findings revealed students continued to post and drink socially despite the risks, which may have encouraged others within their networks to engage in similar risky behaviours. Future public health crises should balance young people's need for social connection with risk mitigation efforts.

Polymedia Literacy and Other Ethical Considerations for Online Ethnographic Research on Social Networking Sites.

Drawing on the authors' own ethnographic research, this article discusses the importance of developing polymedia literacy as a key step toward ethical online research on social networking sites (SNS). Polymedia literacy entails the ability to critically analyze the vast landscape of SNS, their affordances, and users' social motivations for choosing specific SNS for their interactions. Internet researchers face several ethical challenges, including issues of informed consent, "public" and "private" online spaces, and data protection. Even when research ethics committees waive the need for a formal ethics approval process, researchers of online spaces need to ensure that their studies are conducted and presented in an ethical and responsible manner. This is particularly important in research contexts that pertain to vulnerable populations in online communities.

Comprehensive dataset of user-submitted articles with ideological and extreme bias from Reddit.

Our study aims to collect data to understand ideological and extreme bias in text articles shared across various online communities, particularly focusing on the language used in subreddits associated with extremism and targeted violence. Initially, we gathered data from related online communities, specifically the r/Liberal and r/Conservative communities on Reddit, utilizing the Reddit Pushshift API to collect URLs shared within these subreddits. Our aim was to gather news, opinion, and feature articles, resulting in a corpus of 226,010 articles. We also curated a balanced subset of 45,108 articles and annotated 4000 articles to validate their relevance, facilitating understanding of language usage within ideological Reddit communities and insights into ideological bias in media content. Expanding beyond binary ideologies, we introduced a new category termed "Restricted" to encompass articles shared in private or banned subreddits. This third category encompasses articles shared in restricted, privatized, quarantined, or banned subreddits characterized by radicalized and extremist ideologies. This expansion yielded a large dataset of 377,144 articles. Additionally, we included articles from subreddits with unspecified ideologies, creating a holdout set of 922,522 articles. In total, our combined dataset of 1.3 million articles collected from 55 different subreddits will assist in examining radicalized communities and providing discourse analysis in associated subreddits, enhancing understanding of the language used in articles shared within radicalized Reddit communities and offering insights into extreme bias in media content. In summary, we collected 1.52 million articles to understand ideological and extreme bias, providing a comprehensive dataset that aids in understanding language usage within text articles posted in ideological and extreme Reddit communities.

Influence of TikTok on Body Satisfaction Among Generation Z in Indonesia: Mixed Methods Approach.

BACKGROUND: As social media platforms gain popularity, their usage is increasingly associated with cyberbullying and body shaming, causing devastating effects. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the impact of social media on Generation Z users' body image satisfaction. More specifically, it examines the impact of TikTok on body image satisfaction among TikTok users aged between 17 years and 26 years in Indonesia. METHODS: The methodology used mixed-method approaches. Quantitative data were obtained from 507 responses to a questionnaire and analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling. Qualitative data were obtained from the interviews of 32 respondents and analyzed through content analysis. RESULTS: This study reveals that upward appearance comparison is influenced by video-based activity and appearance motivation. Conversely, thin-ideal internalization is influenced by appearance motivation and social media literacy. Upward appearance comparisons and thin-ideal internalization comparisons detrimentally impact users' body image satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for social media providers, regulators, and educators in their endeavors to establish a positive and healthy social media environment for users.

Beyond the Screen: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emotional Skills and Social Networking in French Young Adults.

(1) Background: This study investigates the influence of social networks on young adults, focusing on both positive and negative impacts. It considers problematic social networking site use (PSNSU), emotional intelligence, empathy, and the phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). (2) Methods: A comprehensive online survey was conducted with 442 participants aged 18 to 30 years that used various psychometric tools to assess emotional intelligence, empathy, internet and social media use, and FoMO. (3) Results: The study revealed that young adults display low competencies in emotional intelligence and empathy, with a tendency towards problematic internet and social media use. High FoMO scores were observed, correlating with negative internet use outcomes. Gender differences in these aspects were also explored. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest a complex interaction between social network use, emotional skills, and FoMO that impacts young adults' mental health and social behaviors. This study highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of these relationships and their implications for well-being and social interaction in the digital age.

Learning Outcomes and Educational Effectiveness of Social Media as a Continuing Professional Development Intervention for Practicing Surgeons: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to assess the learning outcomes and educational effectiveness of social media as a continuing professional development intervention for surgeons in practice. Background: Social media has the potential to improve global access to educational resources and collaborative networking. However, the learning outcomes and educational effectiveness of social media as a continuing professional development (CPD) intervention are yet to be summarized. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Embase databases from 1946 to 2022. We included studies that assessed the learning outcomes and educational effectiveness of social media as a CPD intervention for practicing surgeons. We excluded studies that were not original research, involved only trainees, did not evaluate educational effectiveness, or involved an in-person component. The 18-point Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) was used for quality appraisal. Learning outcomes were categorized according to Moore's Expanded Outcomes Framework (MEOF). Results: A total of 830 unique studies revealed 14 studies for inclusion. The mean MERSQI score of the included studies was 9.0 ± 0.8. In total, 3227 surgeons from 105 countries and various surgical specialties were included. Twelve studies (86%) evaluated surgeons' satisfaction (MEOF level 2), 3 studies (21%) evaluated changes in self-reported declarative or procedural knowledge (MEOF levels 3A and 3B), 1 study (7%) evaluated changes in self-reported competence (MEOF level 4), and 5 studies (36%) evaluated changes in self-reported performance in practice (MEOF level 5). No studies evaluated changes in patient or community health (MEOF levels 6 and 7). Conclusions: The use of social media as a CPD intervention among practicing surgeons is associated with improved self-reported declarative and procedural knowledge, self-reported competence, and self-reported performance in practice. Further research is required to assess whether social media use for CPD in surgeons is associated with improvements in higher level and objectively measured learning outcomes.

Antecedents of entrepreneurial networking behavior and its impact on business performance - a systematic literature review.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the existing research on the antecedents of entrepreneurial networking behavior namely motivational factors and personality factors and its impact on business performance. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a systematic review methodology, adhering to PRISMA guidelines.. Using the SCOPUS database, the search involved Boolean operators to narrow down relevant articles published in English between 2000 and 2024. Following a meticulous screening process, 32 articles were selected for review after removing duplicates and excluding non-English articles. Methodological quality assessment ensuring focused research questions, precise subject selection methods, representative samples, and reliable measurement instruments was carried out. Findings: The results demonstrate that entrepreneurs who are self-reliant and extroverted have fewer partners, however, these traits positively impact networking activities. The Big Five personality traits predict business creation and success of ventures. Desire for financial gain, risk-taking propensity, self-confidence, and the need for achievement influences networking behavior. Implications: The insights given in this paper can be used for establishing valuable connections, investing in resources, and preparing effective strategies for businesses. Policymakers who aim to promote entrepreneurial behavior among experienced individuals must emphasize the motivations for starting a business and the role of personalities in harnessing and leveraging individual entrepreneurial expertise. Originality: The existing literature on antecedents of entrepreneurial networking Behavior and the relationship of these antecedents together with business performance is limited. Further, this review article also offers avenues for future researchers.

Cross-lagged panel analysis of the relationship between social networking sites use (SNSU) and sleep problems among university students.

BACKGROUND: Sleep remains a cornerstone for sociopsychological well-being, but it is in decline, especially among today's youth. Simultaneously, engagement with social media is escalating. Research has identified a link between social networking sites use and sleep problems; however, the nature and direction of the relations remain obscure. Therefore, it is imperative to pursue longitudinal research to elucidate this correlation and guide suitable intervention practices. The present study aimed to examine the reciprocal relationship between social networking sites use and sleep problems. METHODS: By adopting a three-stage cross-lagged design across four time points, assessment results from 194 university students were gathered at four-week intervals. RESULTS: The findings indicate that (1) Social networking sites use was significantly greater in females than in males at all four time points, while sleep problems were significantly greater in females than in males at Time 3 and Time 4. (2) Sleep problems at the second time point serve as a positive predictor of subsequent social networking sites use at the third time point. (3) Social networking sites use at the initial time point could marginally significantly predict sleep problems at the fourth time point. CONCLUSIONS: This study elucidates the dynamic relationship between social networking sites use and sleep problems across an academic term, suggesting the need for temporally tailored interventions.

Evaluating the combination of in-person and electronic social networking services for family caregivers of stroke survivors: A quasi-experimental analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The effectiveness of health interventions delivered via a combination of in-person and electronic social networking services for caregivers of stroke survivors remains uncertain. This study evaluates the feasibility of implementing educational and peer support programs for these caregivers through such platforms. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental design. METHODS: This study included 105 caregiver-survivor dyads, with 54 dyads allocated to the intervention group and the remaining 51 to the control group. The LINE intervention comprised a combination of in-person and electronic social networking services including stroke and rehabilitation education, problem-solving skills training, long-term care information support, and 24-h peer and professional support for caregivers. The outcomes were assessed at baseline, after 1 month, and after 3 months, and encompassed caregivers' care burden, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and quality of life, as well as the rehabilitation adherence and depressive symptoms of stroke survivors. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine group differences. The data were collected between August 2021 and October 2022. RESULTS: The average age of the caregivers was 48.3 years. Caregivers in the intervention group reported reduced care burdens and enhanced perceptions of social support and quality of life as compared to those in the control group. Additionally, stroke survivors in the intervention group were less likely to exhibit high-risk depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Delivering a stroke caregiver support intervention via in-person and electronic social networking services, such as LINE, effectively reduced the care burden for caregivers of stroke survivors. Additionally, it enhanced caregivers' perceived social support and quality of life. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study demonstrated that caregiver education and peer support programs administered through a combination of in-person and electronic social networking services can serve as an effective support system for the psychosocial health of stroke caregivers. These findings support the integration of such interventions into standard clinical practice by healthcare providers or governmental bodies.

The association of social media with dietary behaviors among adults in the United Arab Emirates.

Background: Social media is an online community that offers a digital setting where people create, share, and access a wide range of information, knowledge, and viewpoints. This study assessed the association between social media use and eating behaviors and whether sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits are correlated with this association. In addition, it assessed whether this effect is different according to changes in lifestyle habits due to the COVID-19 pandemic among adults in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methodology: A cross-sectional web-based study was conducted among 1056 adults living in the UAE. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, social media use, and dietary habits were collected. The Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behavior (SESMEB) was used and a total score ranging from 18 to 90 was generated with higher scores corresponding to a greater effect. The general linear model analysis assessed associations of certain characteristics with the score. Independent T-test and one-way ANOVA test were used to investigate differences based on changes in lifestyle habits due to COVID-19. Results: Most participants (80.3 %) reported using social media >2 h/day. The mean score was 44.15 ± 12.68 (range 18-90). Increasing age, being a male, spending less time on social media, and not following influencers were associated with lower SESMEB scores. Not consuming breakfast and spending more time on screens for leisure were associated with higher scores (p < 0.05). Significantly higher scores were recorded for those previously infected with COVID-19 and who reported an increase in screen time, food intake, body weight, and meals/day (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Social media appears to have an association with adults' dietary habits in the UAE. Spending more time on social media, being a female, and having more screen time were associated with a higher impact. Targeted programs are needed to increase awareness and advocate for a positive lifestyle with social media use.

Survey data to unveil the power of political crowdsourcing on social media.

This paper describes a dataset collected from a survey carried out in the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Pakistan, to understand the variables that impact political trust. The data was collected from September to November 2021 via an online survey on Google Forms, and 472 valid responses were obtained. Drawing on relevant literature, the survey instrument was designed to cover the respondents' opinions concerning partisanship, social media utilization, online social capital, voluntary online and offline political participation, and political trust. The dataset offers useful insights for institutional practitioners and policymakers working in the domains of democracy and political communication, facilitating policy formulation to bolster political trust through collaborative crowdsourcing.

Effects of Intervention Timing on Health-Related Fake News: Simulation Study.

BACKGROUND: Fake health-related news has spread rapidly through the internet, causing harm to individuals and society. Despite interventions, a fenbendazole scandal recently spread among patients with lung cancer in South Korea. It is crucial to intervene appropriately to prevent the spread of fake news. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the appropriate timing of interventions to minimize the side effects of fake news. METHODS: A simulation was conducted using the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model, which is a representative model of the virus spread mechanism. We applied this model to the fake news spread mechanism. The parameters were set similarly to those in the digital environment, where the fenbendazole scandal occurred. NetLogo, an agent-based model, was used as the analytical tool. RESULTS: Fake news lasted 278 days in the absence of interventions. As a result of adjusting and analyzing the timing of the intervention in response to the fenbendazole scandal, we found that faster intervention leads to a shorter duration of fake news (intervention at 54 days = fake news that lasted for 210 days; intervention at 16 days = fake news that lasted for 187 days; and intervention at 10 days = fake news that lasted for 157 days). However, no significant differences were observed when the intervention was performed within 10 days. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions implemented within 10 days were effective in reducing the duration of the spread of fake news. Our findings suggest that timely intervention is critical for preventing the spread of fake news in the digital environment. Additionally, a monitoring system that can detect fake news should be developed for a rapid response.

A systematic review of social connections as determinants of obesity: Longitudinal evidence limited to marital transitions.

BACKGROUND: Social relationships impact health and may affect proximal determinants such as obesity. Our review examined empirical evidence of the impact of changes in social relationships on risk of obesity in aging adults, with attention to gender. METHODS: We systematically searched Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and reference lists of relevant reviews and papers published up to November 2022. Longitudinal studies examining changes in marital status, living arrangement, social participation, and social networks and anthropometric changes or incident obesity were deemed eligible. Relevant data were extracted and synthesized narratively. RESULTS: We identified 41,910 eligible titles, resulting in 252 full texts and 7 included studies. All studies were conducted in the United States and assessed marital transitions only; 3 studies included both women and men. Overall, compared with people who remain non-married, entering marriage leads to a significant increase in body mass index (BMI) for both genders. Conversely, transitioning out of marriage through widowhood or divorce leads to a decrease in weight (kg/lbs), waist circumference, and BMI for both genders. All seven studies were deemed to be of medium quality. CONCLUSIONS: Our review revealed a paucity of prospective evidence on social connections as determinants of obesity among aging adults. There is limited evidence that marital transitions are associated with changes in anthropometric measurements in aging individuals, but no evidence on the effects of changes in living arrangements, social participation, and social networks on anthropometric measurements. More research attention to the social determinants of obesity is warranted.

Relationships between social networking sites use and subjective well-being--- a meta-analysis and meta-analytic structural equation model.

During the last decade, the amount of research on the relationship between social networking sites (SNS) use and users' subjective well-being (SWB) has increased, leading to discrepancies regarding the results. Our review of the literature generated 73 independent samples and indicated that considerable inconsistent results may be attributed to different measurements of SNS use, moderation effects, or media response states and their effects. In this study, meta-analytic procedures were used to assess the strength of the relationships between SNS use indicators, perceived social support (PSS), self-esteem and SWB. The results showed that PSS and self-esteem had stronger effects on SWB than SNS use indicators. Furthermore, a meta-analytic structural equation model was conducted to assess the strength of the relationships between SNS use indicators, PSS, self-esteem, and SWB. The results did not support the proposition SNS use is associated with SWB. Compared with SNS use indicators, media response states such as self-esteem and PSS, had more effects on SWB.

Factors influencing self-management behaviors in persons with lupus nephritis: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Patients with lupus nephritis experience disease symptoms and side effects from treatment. Although self-management behaviors are important in patients with this disease, there is limited research on the factors influencing these behaviors. Objective: This study aimed to examine the factors influencing self-management behaviors in patients with lupus nephritis. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 240 patients with lupus nephritis at a university hospital in Thailand between August 2019 and December 2020 using a random sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic and clinical characteristic questionnaire, Self-Management Behavior Questionnaire, Self-efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease: A 6-item Scale, Knowledge about Lupus Nephritis Questionnaire, Family Support Scale, Social Networks in Adult Life Questionnaire, and Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale for Lupus Nephritis. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were employed. Results: The participants reported a moderate level of self-management behaviors. Multiple regression analyses revealed that disease duration, income, symptoms, self-efficacy, knowledge, family support, social networks, and classes of lupus nephritis significantly explained 21% of the variance in self-management behaviors (R2 = 0.21; F(8,231) = 7.73; p <0.001). Family support (ß = 0.32, p <0.001) and symptoms (ß = -0.23, p <0.001) were significant determinants of self-management behaviors in patients with lupus nephritis. Conclusion: The findings provide valuable insight for nurses to better understand the factors influencing self-management behaviors in patients with lupus nephritis. Patients with low family support and high symptom severity may face difficulty in performing self-management behaviors. Nurses should pay more attention to these patients and provide family-based interventions to optimize self-management behaviors in this population.