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Full-Text Articles in Social Work
Frequency Of Social Contact In-Person Vs. On Facebook: An Examination Of Associations With Psychiatric Symptoms In Military Veterans, Alan R. Teo, Benjamin K. Chan, Somnath Saha, Christina Nicolaidis
Frequency Of Social Contact In-Person Vs. On Facebook: An Examination Of Associations With Psychiatric Symptoms In Military Veterans, Alan R. Teo, Benjamin K. Chan, Somnath Saha, Christina Nicolaidis
School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations
Introduction: Social isolation is closely associated with negative mental health outcomes. Social media platforms may expand opportunities for social contact, but whether online interactions are as effective as face-to-face, or in-person, interactions at protecting against the negative effects of social isolation is unclear.
Methods: Participants consisted of U.S. military veterans who served since September 2001 and used Facebook (n = 587). Our independent variables were frequency of social contact occurring in-person and on Facebook. Dependent variables were probable psychiatric disorders and suicidality, measured using several validated screening tools. The independent effect of each form of social contact was assessed using …