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. 2023 Sep 4;23(1):652.
doi: 10.1186/s12888-023-05069-0.

Associations between constructs related to social relationships and mental health conditions and symptoms: an umbrella review

Eiluned Pearce #  1 , Mary Birken #  1 , Sarah Pais #  1 , Millie Tamworth  1 , Yutung Ng  1 , Jingyi Wang  2 , Beverley Chipp  3 , Ellena Crane  1 , Merle Schlief  1 , Jinyan Yang  1 , Aggelos Stamos  1 , Lui Kwan Cheng  1 , Maria Condon  1 , Brynmor Lloyd-Evans  1 , James B Kirkbride  1 , David Osborn  1   4 , Alexandra Pitman  1   4 , Sonia Johnson  5   6
Affiliations

Associations between constructs related to social relationships and mental health conditions and symptoms: an umbrella review

Eiluned Pearce et al. BMC Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognised as prevalent among people with mental health problems, and as potential targets for interventions to improve quality of life and outcomes, as well as for preventive strategies. Understanding the relationship between quality and quantity of social relationships and a range of mental health conditions is a helpful step towards development of such interventions.

Purpose: Our aim was to give an overview of associations between constructs related to social relationships (including loneliness and social isolation) and diagnosed mental conditions and mental health symptoms, as reported in systematic reviews of observational studies.

Methods: For this umbrella review (systematic review of systematic reviews) we searched five databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science) and relevant online resources (PROSPERO, Campbell Collaboration, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Synthesis Journal). We included systematic reviews of studies of associations between constructs related to social relationships and mental health diagnoses or psychiatric symptom severity, in clinical or general population samples. We also included reviews of general population studies investigating the relationship between loneliness and risk of onset of mental health problems.

Results: We identified 53 relevant systematic reviews, including them in a narrative synthesis. We found evidence regarding associations between (i) loneliness, social isolation, social support, social network size and composition, and individual-level social capital and (ii) diagnoses of mental health conditions and severity of various mental health symptoms. Depression (including post-natal) and psychosis were most often reported on, with few systematic reviews on eating disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and only four related to anxiety. Social support was the most commonly included social construct. Our findings were limited by low quality of reviews and their inclusion of mainly cross-sectional evidence.

Conclusion: Good quality evidence is needed on a wider range of social constructs, on conditions other than depression, and on longitudinal relationships between social constructs and mental health symptoms and conditions.

Keywords: Loneliness; Mental Health; Social isolation; Social network; Umbrella review.

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Conflict of interest statement

JW, AP, BLE and SJ are authors of two systematic reviews included in this umbrella review. JW, BLE and SJ are authors of a conceptual review underpinning selection of search terms [19]. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Prisma diagram identification of studies via databases and registers From: Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Boosuvt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71. Doi:1136/bmj.n71For more information, visit: http://www.prisma-statement.org/
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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