Social Networks, the Internet, and risks: Portuguese parents' perception of online grooming

Purpose: Social support measures have generated empirical evidence of helping relationships and their role in family functioning and well-being. Social support networks affect parental practices and the ways in which families overcome stressful life events. Thus, it is important to gather knowledge about the different forms of support that families can benefit from. The aim of this study was to translate, adapt, and validate the Portuguese version of the Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ), a three dimension measure (confidant support, affective support, and instrumental support), Method: 1058 Portuguese parents participated in the study. They were mostly married/cohabiting and employed mothers. The Portuguese version of the FSSQ contained 13 items distributed into 3 subdimensions. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and the study of Pearson correlations. Results: The FSSQ original three-factor structure was supported by confirmatory factor analysis and the instrument showed good internal consistency. Confidant support and Instrumental support were negatively associated with Permissive parenting and Affective support was negatively associated with Authoritative parenting and Permissive parenting. All three dimensions showed low and positive correlations with Authoritarian parenting. Discussion: The Portuguese version of the FSSQ met adequate psychometric criteria and can be confidently used in family assessments of social support, whenever a brief, self-administered questionnaire would be useful for community services providers

Background: Social isolation is associated with increased vascular events post stroke, but the role of living arrangements versus social networks on stroke outcomes has not been well explored. We aim to characterize these associations overall and by race-ethnicity. Methods: The Stroke Warning Information and Faster Treatment (SWIFT) study tested a stroke preparedness intervention on arrival times for stroke/TIA recurrence to the ED. Stroke/TIA patients able to consent were prospectively recruited and randomized. Baseline data collection included demographics, medical history, socioeconomic status (SES), and social support networks. Living arrangements were categorized as living alone, living with one or 2 people, or living with three or more people (dense household). Weak social support networks defined as 4 or less family or friend visits in past week. Participants were followed for a mean of 2.9 years. An outcome of vascular event was defined as stroke, TIA, MI, or death post enrollment. Multivariate logistic regression models examined the relationship between vascular outcomes, living arrangements and social support networks adjusting for demographics, health and SES. Results: Between 2005 and 2009 1193 participants were enrolled: mean age 63 years; 51% Hispanics, 26% whites, and 17% Blacks; 50% female; and 42% < high school education. Over 24% lived alone, 23% lived with spouse/partner only, and 21% lived in dense households. In adjusted logistic models, post stroke vascular events were associated with dense households [RR 1.5 (95% CI: 1.1 - 1.9)], and weak family networks [RR 1.9 (95% CI: 1.4 - 2.8)]. Stratifying by race-ethnicity, the results remained significant for Hispanics where dense households [RR 1.9 (95% CI: 1.3 - 2.6)], weak family networks [RR 2.8 (95% CI: 1.5 - 5.1)], and weak friend networks [RR 1.5 (95% CI: 1.0 - 2.5)] increased vascular events post stroke. Conclusion: Living in dense households can increase risk of vascular events post stroke, while stronger social support networks can decrease this risk especially among Hispanic stroke survivors. Future research is needed to explore the mechanism of these associations and to identify possible racial/ethnic tailored interventions based on living arrangements and social networks.

The article focuses on the impact of the social and technical networks on tourism development in the Baikal region. The authors distinguish between the following accommodation booking systems: local, regional, national, international, and meta web search engines. The authors found differences in the extension of social and technical networks between the areas of intensive tourism development, resort tourism and developing tourism. The article studies social, economic and ecological risks caused by social and technical networks. These risks are difficult to predict due to a great number of intermediaries, but they should be taken into account. The research is based on materials of field studies (interviews, observation) in Khuzhir, Listvyanka, Kurumkan, Bolshoe Goloustnoe, Severobaikalsk, Goryachinsk, Arshan in 2016, 2017, and tourist websites. The following effects of social and technical networks development in a tourist region have been found: growing popularity of tourist attractions, unequal distribution of tourist flows in large, middle-size or small accommodation places, local differences when choosing booking systems depending on spatial distribution of information resources. Among the economic risks there are problems with refunds in case of dissatisfaction with the accommodation facilities on a side of tourists, and the cancellations of the booking on a side of the hostel owners. Social risks include exacerbation of any comments in the social networks that lead to development of xenophobic attitudes. Ecological risks include degradation of the most popular in social networks tourist destinations.)

Agent-Based Simulation Model for Investigating the Evolution of Social Risk in Infrastructure Projects in China: A Social Network Perspective

The development of China’s new urbanization has driven the rapid increase in large complex engineering projects, which have the characteristics of large‐scale investment, long‐term construction, and wide social influence, easily causing benefit conflicts among relevant stakeholders, and breaking out social stability risks. In the previous research, the risks of large complex engineering projects mainly concentrated on the assessment of economic risk, schedule risk, etc. However, there were few studies on social risks, and they did not consider how the risks spread on the complex networks based on the social connections such as interpersonal relationship. From the subject of social stability risk diffusion of large complex engineering projects, this paper constructs a related risk diffusion model based on the SIR model to analyze risk diffusion mechanism. Through NetLogo simulation platform, the model is placed under a small‐world network environment that is closest to the topology structure of real social interpersonal relationship network for simulation research, aiming to find out key factors of social stability risk intervention for large complex engineering projects, which greatly contributes to the social stability risk management of large complex engineering projects.

Social network analysis for social risks of construction projects in high-density urban areas in China

PurposeManagers of megaprojects face social risk management challenges throughout the various design, construction, and operation stages, owing to the various conflicts of interest among stakeholders, public skepticism, and opposition. However, most existing studies have not focused on the dynamic analysis of integrating social risks in these stages. This study developed a dynamic analysis approach to explore the dynamics of critical social risk factors and related stakeholders of megaprojects and built the managerial maps for various stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachBased on the social analysis network (SNA), a dynamic network analysis approach for understanding the dynamics of social risk and related stakeholders has been developed by literature and case analysis. The approach comprises the following steps: (1) generating social risk–stakeholder networks in different stages; (2) analysis of the critical stakeholders and social risk factors; (3) dynamic analysis of social risk factors; and (4) developing social risk management maps for various stakeholders. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the approach, 40 megaprojects from China were analyzed.FindingsAccording to the results, the local government is a critical stakeholder during all stages, inadequate information promotion (IIP) and imperfect communication and coordination mechanism (ICCM) are key social risk sources throughout the megaproject life cycle. Furthermore, the management maps for government organizations, project implementation groups, and external stakeholders were constructed.Originality/valueThis research has three contributions. First, a dynamic analysis approach of stakeholder-associated social risks in megaprojects is developed, which enriches the social risk management theory of megaprojects and provides inspiration for future research focus. Second, the social risk–stakeholder networks and critical social risks in different stages are confirmed to provide a more valid and accurate picture of social risk management in megaprojects. Third, the social risk managerial maps for different stakeholders built in this research will be beneficial for governments, project implementation groups, and external stakeholders to optimize management strategies.

Social isolation is associated with numerous negative health outcomes in older adults. Despite growing concerns about social disconnection, there remains a need for psychometrically sound instruments that comprehensively assess both social isolation and social networks, particularly in culturally diverse contexts. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed Social Isolation and Social Network (SISN) Scale among community-dwelling older adults in South Korea. A total of 350 community-dwelling older adults aged >65 years completed the SISN and Korean version of the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-K). Psychometric properties were assessed using reliability analysis (internal consistency and test-retest), construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis), and diagnostic accuracy (receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve analysis). The SISN demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.94) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.929, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.902-0.948). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-dimensional structure of social isolation (χ² (14) = 38.151, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.070, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.983, Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] = 0.974) and social network (χ² (44) = 106.295, RMSEA = 0.064, CFI = 0.976, TLI = 0.964). The SISN showed a strong correlation with the LSNS-K (r = 0.785, p < .001). ROC curve analysis revealed gooddiscriminative ability (area under the curve = 0.900, 95% CI: 0.866-0.933), with an optimal cutoff score of 3.24 (sensitivity 81.8%, specificity 88.2%) for identifying social isolation risk. The SISN provided strong preliminary evidence of reliability and validity as a measure of social isolation and networks among older Korean adults. While these findings support its potential for research and clinical applications, the limited representativeness of the sample warrants cautious interpretation. Future studies with more diverse populations are recommended to strengthen generalizability.

Objective: This study used a Social network analysis (SNA) approach to describe HIV transmission and venue affiliations among social and sexual networks of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Houston, TX. Methods: A total of 34 YMSM indices aged 18–23 years and 23 of their network members were interviewed about their social and sexual networks and venues at which they met and spent time. Results: Participants reported information on 220 friends (mean age = 25.3 years) and 112 sexual partners (mean age = 26.3 years). Participants spent time with friends and sexual partners at similar venues but relied more heavily on social media and dating applications to meet sexual partners. Participants lived in zip codes consistent with high concentrations of HIV positivity. Popularly frequented clubs/gay bars were often 10–20 miles away, also in zip codes with high densities of seropositivity. Conclusion: Both friendship and sexual networks are large, diffuse, and not limited by geography. Participants came from areas with high rates of HIV/AIDS. The venues at which participants recruited sexual partners may present increased opportunities for HIV transmission. HIV prevention interventions should focus on the heightened risk of unknown HIV serostatus.

VALIDATION OF A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE GIJON’S SOCIAL-FAMILIAL EVALUATION SCALE (SFES): THE “BARCELONA SFES VERSION”, FOR PATIENTS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

The study examined the relationships between social contact types and psychological distress among mid-older adults. Self-completed data from 236,490 Australian adults aged 45+ years. There was a consistent relationship between increased frequency in phone contacts, social visits, and social group contacts and reduced risk of psychological distress adjusted for demographic and health factors. However, stratified analyses by age showed, with one exception, that no significant associations were found between social group contact frequency and risk of psychological distress for those aged 85 years and older. Furthermore, significant interaction terms revealed that women experience a steeper reduction in risk than men at age 65 to 74 years and 75 to 84 years compared with those aged 45 to 64 years. Social contacts have age and gender differential effects on psychological distress of mid-older Australian adults. Interventions addressing social interaction need to be sensitive to gender and age differences.

Teens are one of the biggest users of online social networks today. Social networks such as Facebook allow teens to carry out some of the developmental work of adolescence virtually. Teens can “hang out” with friends, experiment with identity, and take social risks. But as social networks grow in popularity, a teen’s “friends” on a social network can be a diverse group that includes even their parents. This paper looks at teens’ nuanced views on privacy and how many teens have developed strategies to maintain their privacy on social networks, including posting fake information and using aliases instead of real names.

Background. Poor social support and small social networks have been associated with increased risks for conditions such as coronary heart disease as well as with overall mortality. We investigated the association between social ties and risk for cancer. Material and methods. The study sample consisted of 8 548 Danes who had been examined in 1991–1994 within the Copenhagen City Heart Study. The median length of follow-up was 9.3 years (range, 0–11.2 years). Social ties were measured from answers to a questionnaire on social networks. Regression analyses for cancers at the most frequent sites (breast, lung, prostate and colon and rectum) were conducted with the Cox proportional hazards model, with adjustment for a number of well-known risk factors for cancer. Results. While we found no significant association between social ties and risk for cancer in men, women with high social network scores had an increased risk for lung cancer of borderline significance (HR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.02–4.60). The risks for breast cancer and colorectal cancers were not significantly increased in the same group of women. Discussion. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that social network size is associated with a decreased risk for cancer

Social network support and risk factors for obesity and overweight in adolescents.

Social network support and risk factors for obesity and overweight in adolescents