A prospective examination of online social network dynamics and smoking cessation.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Use of online social networks for smoking cessation has been associated with abstinence. Little is known about the mechanisms through which the formation of social ties in an online network may influence smoking behavior. Using dynamic social network analysis, we investigated how temporal changes of an individual's number of social network ties are prospectively related to abstinence in an online social network for cessation. In a network where quitting is normative and is the focus of communications among members, we predicted that an increasing number of ties would be positively associated with abstinence.

Method

Participants were N = 2,657 adult smokers recruited to a randomized cessation treatment trial following enrollment on BecomeAnEX.org, a longstanding

SUBMITTER: Graham AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5568327 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature