Social network influences on depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents

The goal of this dissertation was to investigate the impact of social network influences on depression in adolescents. Three studies assessed this goal by examining the social determinants of depressive symptoms among adolescents at different levels of analysis: the intrapersonal or individual level, the friendship group level, and the social network level. Study One tested a main effects model of depression at the individual level, hypothesizing that social integration would be associated with depressive symptoms. It investigated whether network status was related to depression and depressive symptoms. Study Two moved to the next level of analysis and looked at depressive contagion. This was assessed by testing whether the level of friends' depressive symptoms and friend social status was related to an adolescent's own depressive symptoms. Finally, Study Three explored the network level by looking at the classroom social network structure and characteristics and examined how these factors work to influence depression outcomes. Results from the statistical models in the three studies indicated that social network influences are associated with depression-related outcomes. However, this basic pattern varied in relation to gender, school type, and social integration at the classroom, peer group, and individual levels. General results indicate that individuals who are better integrated into their social networks, who have fewer depressed friends, and whose classroom social networks contain fewer peripheral members are less likely to report depressive symptoms and depression. The findings from this dissertation suggest boys and girls and those in different school types may be oriented to different contexts and types of social networks (e.g. friend versus most liked networks); therefore, specific conceptualizations of social network influences should be carefully formulated and assessed in relation to the particular contexts that are relevant and meaningful to an adolescent. This work represents early steps in the investigation of the complex social environment in which adolescents must navigate and which are so meaningful for healthy development. The ultimate goal of such work is to glean useful constructs upon which prevention interventions can operate.