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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Mar;74(3):556-562.
doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.10.023. Epub 2023 Dec 11.

The Role of Social Networks on Depression and Anxiety Among a Sample of Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Emerging Adults

Daniel L Dickerson  1 , Elizabeth J D'Amico  2 , David P Kennedy  2 , Ryan A Brown  2 , David J Klein  2 , Kathy Etz  3 , Carrie L Johnson  4 , George Funmaker  4 , Virginia Arvizu-Sanchez  4 , Nipher Malika  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The Role of Social Networks on Depression and Anxiety Among a Sample of Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Emerging Adults

Daniel L Dickerson et al. J Adolesc Health. 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Purpose: Mental health inequalities continue to persist among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. However, few studies have examined the association of social networks and depression and anxiety among urban emerging AI/AN adults.

Methods: This study analyzes the association of social network characteristics with depression and anxiety among a sample of urban AI/AN emerging adults. A second set of regression models tested the same associations but controlling for respondent sexual and gender minority (SGM) status. Data were from a sample of 150 AI/AN emerging adults residing in urban areas from 20 different states (86% female; mean age 21.8; 48.0% SGM) who participated in a randomized controlled trial analyzing the effects of culturally grounded interventions on alcohol and other drug use and cultural connectedness.

Results: Participants with a higher proportion of network members who were around the same age reported significantly less anxiety. Those who had a higher proportion of network members who they sometimes/often argue/fight with were more likely to report greater depression and anxiety. Participants with higher proportions of social network members who have ever lived on a reservation/Rancheria/tribal land/tribal village reported significantly less depression. However, participants with higher proportions of social network members who lived 50 miles away or more reported significantly more depression. Controlling for SGM status, results were largely similar.

Discussion: Results highlight the role of social connections on the mental well-being of urban AI/AN emerging adults.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Mental health; Native American; social networks.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interests: The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, its NIH HEAL Initiative, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any of its affiliated institutions or agencies. Dr. Etz provided scientific expertise under award number UH3DA050235, consistent with the role of Scientific Officer. The authors have no competing or potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Bivariate associations of selected social network composition measures with index anxiety
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Bivariate associations of selected social network composition measures with index depression
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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