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Dynamics of adolescent friendship networks and smoking behavior: Social network analyses in six European countries

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  • Mercken, Liesbeth
  • Snijders, Tom A.B.
  • Steglich, Christian
  • de Vries, Hein

Abstract

The co-evolution of adolescents' friendship networks and their smoking behavior is examined in a large sample across six European countries. Selection and influence processes are disentangled using new methods of social network analysis that enable alternative selection mechanisms to be controlled for. The sample consisted of 7704 adolescents participating in the control group of the ESFA (European Smoking prevention Framework Approach) study. The design was longitudinal with four observations. The main measurements were friendship ties, adolescents smoking behavior, parental smoking behavior, and sibling smoking behavior. Results indicated that in each country adolescents preferred selecting friends based on similar smoking behavior. Support for the influence of friends was found in only two countries. A similarity in smoking behavior between friends was explained more strongly by smoking-based selection processes than by the influence of friends in each of the six countries. Prevention programs need to address aspects that drive peer selection, and reinforce non-smoking attitudes in adolescents.

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  • Mercken, Liesbeth & Snijders, Tom A.B. & Steglich, Christian & de Vries, Hein, 2009. "Dynamics of adolescent friendship networks and smoking behavior: Social network analyses in six European countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(10), pages 1506-1514, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:69:y:2009:i:10:p:1506-1514
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    1. Nicoletta Balbo & Nicola Barban & Melinda Mills, 2013. "Friend and peer effects on entry into marriage and parenthood: A multiprocess approach," Working Papers 056, "Carlo F. Dondena" Centre for Research on Social Dynamics (DONDENA), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi.
    2. Papachristos, Andrew V. & Wildeman, Christopher & Roberto, Elizabeth, 2015. "Tragic, but not random: The social contagion of nonfatal gunshot injuries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 139-150.
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    4. Oleg Poldin & Diliara Valeeva & Maria Yudkevich, 2014. "Friendship And Study Assistance Ties Of University Students," HSE Working papers WP BRP 37/SOC/2014, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    5. Becker, Kai & Ebbers, Joris J. & Engel, Yuval, 2023. "Network to passion or passion to network? Disentangling entrepreneurial passion selection and contagion effects among peers and teams in a startup accelerator," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 38(4).
    6. Jennifer M. Murray & Sharon C. Sánchez-Franco & Olga L. Sarmiento & Erik O. Kimbrough & Christopher Tate & Shannon C. Montgomery & Rajnish Kumar & Laura Dunne & Abhijit Ramalingam & Erin L. Krupka & F, 2023. "Selection homophily and peer influence for adolescents’ smoking and vaping norms and outcomes in high and middle-income settings," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-35, December.
    7. Centola, Damon & van de Rijt, Arnout, 2015. "Choosing your network: Social preferences in an online health community," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 19-31.
    8. Paweł Grygiel & Sławomir Rębisz & Anna Gaweł & Barbara Ostafińska-Molik & Małgorzata Michel & Julia Łosiak-Pilch & Roman Dolata, 2022. "The Inclusion of Other-Sex Peers in Peer Networks and Sense of Peer Integration in Early Adolescence: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-24, November.
    9. G. Guindon, 2014. "The impact of tobacco prices on smoking onset in Vietnam: duration analyses of retrospective data," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(1), pages 19-39, January.
    10. Takagi, Daisuke & Yokouchi, Nobutada & Hashimoto, Hideki, 2020. "Smoking behavior prevalence in one's personal social network and peer's popularity: A population-based study of middle-aged adults in Japan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    11. Wei Luo & Peifeng Yin & Qian Di & Frank Hardisty & Alan M MacEachren, 2014. "A Geovisual Analytic Approach to Understanding Geo-Social Relationships in the International Trade Network," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(2), pages 1-12, February.
    12. Nicoletta Balbo & Nicola Barban, 2012. "Does fertility behavior spread among friends?," Working Papers 050, "Carlo F. Dondena" Centre for Research on Social Dynamics (DONDENA), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi.
    13. Vincent Lorant & Victoria Soto Rojas & Pierre-Olivier Robert & Jaana M. Kinnunen & Mirte A. G. Kuipers & Irene Moor & Gaetano Roscillo & Joana Alves & Arja Rimpelä & Bruno Federico & Matthias Richter , 2017. "Social network and inequalities in smoking amongst school-aged adolescents in six European countries," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 62(1), pages 53-62, January.
    14. Enedina Quiroga & Arrate Pinto-Carral & Isaías García & Antonio J. Molina & Tania Fernández-Villa & Vicente Martín, 2018. "The Influence of Adolescents’ Social Networks on Alcohol Consumption: A Descriptive Study of Spanish Adolescents Using Social Network Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-12, August.

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