Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41860837›Full record

ArticlePLOS mental health2026

Exploring relationships between college students' social networks, social support, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michael D Broda, Tzu-Wei Wang, John Hui, Erica Ross, Hollee A McGinnis, David M Chan, Camie A Tomlinson, Claire Luce

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLOS mental health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Michael D BrodaDepartment of Foundations of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0019-5528
Tzu-Wei WangDepartment of Foundations of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.
John HuiDepartment of Foundations of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6736-4099
Erica RossDepartment of Foundations of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.
Hollee A McGinnisSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.
David M ChanDepartment of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6281-235X
Camie A TomlinsonSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7973-3295
Claire LuceSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between college students' social networks, social support, and mental health in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from a large public research university, the research explores the associations between perceived social support from friends, family, and significant others, social network characteristics, and their individual and combined association with mental distress. By applying Social Capital Theory and Relational Regulation Theory, the study highlights the critical role of social interactions and support systems in mitigating mental health challenges during the pandemic. The findings underscore the importance of family support and high-quality social networks in reducing mental distress.

Identifiers

PMID41860837
PMCPMC13004404

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.