Author Of 1 Presentation
P1081 - Social networks in pediatric multiple sclerosis are associated with academic performance (ID 1056)
Abstract
Background
Social connectivity is known to impact health and cognition. In adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), close-knit social networks have been associated with worsened physical function (Levin et al, ECTRIMS 2019). To date, no studies have explored social networks in pediatric MS, a disease that occurs during a period of formative learning, social exploration, and personal identity.
Objectives
To analyze social networks in a small cohort of adolescents with MS and examine how these networks relate to academic performance.
Methods
We deployed a structured social network questionnaire to 14 adolescents with MS. We assessed academic performance using either the Woodcock Johnson Test of Academic Achievement (WJ) or performance on a statewide standardized achievement test. We defined academic impairment as a z score ≤1.5 standard deviations on the WJ or a score <65 on any statewide exam. Using graph theoretical statistics, we calculated three structural metrics for each individual’s social network: size, constraint, and effective size. Size is the number of network members, excluding the patient. Constraint is the extent to which network members have connections to each other. Effective size, conceptually the inverse of constraint, is the number of members who occupy structurally unique positions. We explored the association between network size, constraint, and effective size and academic impairment using a student t test.
Results
13 out of 14 subjects (93%) were female with a mean age of 16.4 (±3.25) years. Median EDSS was 1 (range 0-3). Median grade level was 12 (range 7-14). 8 of 14 (57%) subjects were academically impaired. Subjects who were academically impaired had a lower mean network size than those without academic impairment (9.75 vs 17.2, p = 0.028). The group with academic impairment had a trend towards higher network constraint (mean 54.9 vs. 30.4, p = 0.0507). Academic impairment was associated with lower average network effective size (3.94 vs 7.16, p = 0.004).
Conclusions
In this small cohort of adolescents with MS, we found that academic performance was inversely related to social network size and effective size. Taken together, these findings suggest that small, closely-knit social networks are associated with lower scholastic performance. These social network trends in children with MS are in line with physical disability data in adults with MS. Future plans include analyzing a dataset of 60 pediatric MS subjects and comparing to healthy controls. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to determine the full impact of social networks on academic achievement in youth with MS.