Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players

Abstract Social networks have broad effects on health and quality of life. Biopsychosocial factors may also modify the effects of brain trauma on clinical and pathological outcomes. However, social network characterization is missing in studies of contact sports athletes. Here, we characterized the...

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Autores principales:	Amar Dhand, Liam McCafferty, Rachel Grashow, Ian M. Corbin, Sarah Cohan, Alicia J. Whittington, Ann Connor, Aaron Baggish, Mark Weisskopf, Ross Zafonte, Alvaro Pascual-Leone, Albert-László Barabási
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/b16c6af567ed4ccaa733fdbf6cf29d15
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:b16c6af567ed4ccaa733fdbf6cf29d152021-12-02T14:06:18ZSocial network structure and composition in former NFL football players10.1038/s41598-020-80091-w2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/b16c6af567ed4ccaa733fdbf6cf29d152021-02-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80091-whttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Social networks have broad effects on health and quality of life. Biopsychosocial factors may also modify the effects of brain trauma on clinical and pathological outcomes. However, social network characterization is missing in studies of contact sports athletes. Here, we characterized the personal social networks of former National Football League players compared to non-football US males. In 303 former football players and 269 US males, we found that network structure (e.g., network size) did not differ, but network composition (e.g., proportion of family versus friends) did differ. Football players had more men than women, and more friends than family in their networks compared to US males. Black players had more racially diverse networks than White players and US males. These results are unexpected because brain trauma and chronic illnesses typically cause diminished social relationships. We anticipate our study will inform more multi-dimensional study of, and treatment options for, contact sports athletes. For example, the strong allegiances of former athletes may be harnessed in the form of social network interventions after brain trauma. Because preserving health of contact sports athletes is a major goal, the study of social networks is critical to the design of future research and treatment trials.Amar DhandLiam McCaffertyRachel GrashowIan M. CorbinSarah CohanAlicia J. WhittingtonAnn ConnorAaron BaggishMark WeisskopfRoss ZafonteAlvaro Pascual-LeoneAlbert-László BarabásiNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-9 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Amar Dhand Liam McCafferty Rachel Grashow Ian M. Corbin Sarah Cohan Alicia J. Whittington Ann Connor Aaron Baggish Mark Weisskopf Ross Zafonte Alvaro Pascual-Leone Albert-László Barabási Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players
description	Abstract Social networks have broad effects on health and quality of life. Biopsychosocial factors may also modify the effects of brain trauma on clinical and pathological outcomes. However, social network characterization is missing in studies of contact sports athletes. Here, we characterized the personal social networks of former National Football League players compared to non-football US males. In 303 former football players and 269 US males, we found that network structure (e.g., network size) did not differ, but network composition (e.g., proportion of family versus friends) did differ. Football players had more men than women, and more friends than family in their networks compared to US males. Black players had more racially diverse networks than White players and US males. These results are unexpected because brain trauma and chronic illnesses typically cause diminished social relationships. We anticipate our study will inform more multi-dimensional study of, and treatment options for, contact sports athletes. For example, the strong allegiances of former athletes may be harnessed in the form of social network interventions after brain trauma. Because preserving health of contact sports athletes is a major goal, the study of social networks is critical to the design of future research and treatment trials.
format	article
author	Amar Dhand Liam McCafferty Rachel Grashow Ian M. Corbin Sarah Cohan Alicia J. Whittington Ann Connor Aaron Baggish Mark Weisskopf Ross Zafonte Alvaro Pascual-Leone Albert-László Barabási
author_facet	Amar Dhand Liam McCafferty Rachel Grashow Ian M. Corbin Sarah Cohan Alicia J. Whittington Ann Connor Aaron Baggish Mark Weisskopf Ross Zafonte Alvaro Pascual-Leone Albert-László Barabási
author_sort	Amar Dhand
title	Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players
title_short	Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players
title_full	Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players
title_fullStr	Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players
title_full_unstemmed	Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players
title_sort	social network structure and composition in former nfl football players
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/b16c6af567ed4ccaa733fdbf6cf29d15
work_keys_str_mv	AT amardhand socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT liammccafferty socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT rachelgrashow socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT ianmcorbin socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT sarahcohan socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT aliciajwhittington socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT annconnor socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT aaronbaggish socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT markweisskopf socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT rosszafonte socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT alvaropascualleone socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers AT albertlaszlobarabasi socialnetworkstructureandcompositioninformernflfootballplayers
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Social network structure and composition in former NFL football players

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