How Iranian Students Communicate About Puberty Information: Results of a Network Analysis

 To evaluate the structure of students' social networks (So. N) generally and in a specific network (Sp. N), in which students discuss delicate puberty concerns with their classmates, the present research examined the communication networks of students in Hamadan, Iran, a mid-sized city in Iran.   

 In this cross-sectional study, the data were collected from a total of 350 students in 14 classes from 14 schools using a stratified sampling method. In each class, the communication networks of students were examined by asking direct questions about links among them. The students’ centrality indices were computed using UCINET 6 software. Since the size of the classes was different, the centrality index was reported as a percentage, which was the number of reported links over the maximum number of possible ones.  

 The centrality index in So. Ns and Sp. Ns in boys was more than those in girls (55.4% vs 47.6% in So. N, and 33.4% vs 20.1% in Sp. N). The students’ centrality indices in So. Ns and Sp. Ns were also positively correlated (r=0.58; p<0.001). In addition, the Sp. N was around 45% lower than So. N in both sexes.  

 The communication styles among students in Sp. N appeared to be very different from those in So. N and the styles were related to demographic traits. As a result, it was determined that a thorough investigation of communication networks was essential for customizing health promotion initiatives for students.