SynthesisSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2022
Assessing the effectiveness of social network interventions for adults with a diagnosis of mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of impact.
Synthesis in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Social Network Interventions for Improving Dietary Adherence Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review.Nutrition reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Social connection interventions and depression in young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2025Pooled it
- Exploring the use of social network interventions for adults with mental health difficulties: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.BMC psychiatry · 2023Pooled it
- Cerina-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Mobile App for Managing Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Among University Students: Results From a Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Trial
- How Social-Relational Context Impacts the Mental Health of Adolescent and Young Adults Living with and Without HIV in Mozambique: A Social Network Analysis Study.Journal of epidemiology and global health · 2025Article
- Article
- The Meaning of Social Support for Mental Health Service-Users: The Case Managers' Perspective.Community mental health journal · 2025Article
- Measuring the social support network in autistic clients: development and validation of the Network in Action-Interview.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Modelling social networks for children of parents with severe and enduring mental illness: an evidence based modification to the network episode model.BMC psychology · 2024Article
- Article
- The Association of a Geographically Wide Social Media Network on Depression: County-Level Ecological Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Article
- Adapting a social network intervention for use in secondary mental health services using a collaborative approach with service users, carers/supporters and health professionals in the United Kingdom.BMC health services research · 2022Article
- Does contemporary Western culture play a role in mental disorders?Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Article
- Borderline Personality Disorder and Loneliness: Broadening the Scope of Treatment for Social Rehabilitation.Harvard review of psychiatryReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundSocial connections have been linked to the genesis and amelioration of mental health problems and thus have potential therapeutic value. PURPOSE: To identify the current evidence base, assess risk of bias and synthesise findings on the effectiveness of social network interventions for people with mental health problems.
methodsElectronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus) and grey literature databases were systematically searched from inception to October 2021 using free text syntax combining synonyms for 'mental health problems' and 'social network interventions'. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they reported data from randomised controlled trials on the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve social networks for adults (18+) with mental health problems. Papers were independently reviewed for inclusion with conflicts resolved through consensus. Included papers were quality assessed and data extracted and synthesized narratively. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.
resultsNine studies randomising 2226 participants were included. Four focused on those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychosis, one on major depressive disorder and four included all types of mental health diagnoses. The current evidence base is of unclear quality. However, interventions which focused on supporting social activities appear to hold the most promise for enhancing social networks. Data on cost-effectiveness and research acceptability were limited, but suggest the potential economic feasibility of and acceptability for evaluating these interventions.
conclusionThere is emerging evidence that social network interventions can be effective in improving social connections for people with mental health problems. However, further evaluations with robust methodological approaches are required to inform evidence-based recommendations for health services.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.