Spreading of healthy mood in adolescent social networks.

ABSTRACT: Depression is a major public health concern worldwide. There is evidence that social support and befriending influence mental health, and an improved understanding of the social processes that drive depression has the potential to bring significant public health benefits. We investigate transmission of mood on a social network of adolescents, allowing flexibility in our model by making no prior assumption as to whether it is low mood or healthy mood that spreads. Here, we show that while depression does not spread, healthy mood among friends is associated with significantly reduced risk of developing and increased chance of recovering from depression. We found that this spreading of healthy mood can be captured using a non-linear complex contagion model. Having sufficient friends with heal

SUBMITTER: Hill EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4632626 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature