Online Help-seeking Research Articles

The Relationship Between Family Dynamics and Help-Seeking and Disclosure of Adolescent Self-Harm and Suicidality: A Population-Representative Study: Relation entre dynamique familiale et recherche d'aide, et dévoilement des actes d'automutilation et de la suicidalité chez les adolescents : étude représentative de la population.

Few studies have explored the potential for family dynamics to hinder or promote help-seeking and disclosure behaviours among adolescents who self-harm or experience suicidality. We sought to examine whether family dynamics may influence self-harm-related disclosure to parents or other family members and online help-seeking. We identified youths, 14-17 years, in the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study (OCHS) who self-reported past-year suicidal ideation (with or without a suicide plan or past suicide attempt[s]) and/or non-suicidal self-harm. The OCHS is a provincially representative, cross-sectional survey. The person most knowledgeable about the adolescent, usually the mother, reported family dynamics: family dysfunction and positive and negative parenting practices. We used logistic regression to generate adjusted odds ratios. A total of 359 adolescents positively endorsed past-year suicidal ideation and/or non-suicidal self-harm. Disclosure and help-seeking were common (≥67.3% and ≥25.6%, respectively). Adolescents experiencing suicidal ideation and greater family dysfunction were more likely to share their suicidal thoughts with non-family compared to not telling anyone (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.18) and were less likely to tell their parents or other family members about their suicidal thoughts when compared to non-family such as teachers, partners, or friends (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71 to 0.94). Positive parenting was not associated with any form of disclosure or online help-seeking for non-suicidal self-harm or suicidal ideation. As adolescent exposure to negative parenting increased, so did the likelihood that they would seek help online for their suicidal thoughts (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.37). Sensitivity analyses replicated or were very similar to findings from the main models. We found that negative family dynamics were related to reduced sharing of suicidal thoughts with parents or other family members and greater online help-seeking. Our findings suggest that the importance of negative family dynamics to disclosure and support-seeking for adolescent suicidality may be under-recognized.

The Need to Increase Help-Seeking for Eating Disorders in General and Binge-Eating Disorder Specifically: Commentary on Ali etal.'s (2024) Meta-Analysis.

Ali etal.'s (2024) systematic review and meta-analysis updated a previous meta-analysis on the gap between the need for eating disorder treatment and rates of seeking and receiving eating disorder treatment. They found that less than one-third of individuals with eating disorders sought help for their eating disorder, which was an improvement of only 8% over more than a decade. This updated analysis makes it apparent that we need to dedicate research and resources to meeting this treatment need. Building on this work, this commentary reviews changes in help-seeking behaviors, particularly online help-seeking. The commentary also discusses binge-eating disorder (BED) help-seeking because the addition of BED as a diagnosis occurred in the time between the original and updated meta-analysis. Barriers to seeking eating disorder treatment, including identifying behaviors as indicative of an eating disorder and problematic, appear pronounced among individuals with BED. The commentary concludes by highlighting that it is essential to direct research and policy efforts along multiple pathways to close the gap between those who need and those who seek eating disorder treatment.

Examining the Impact of Online Help-Seeking Strategies on Promoting EFL learners’ Self-Regulated and Collaborative Learning Skills, Language Learning Outcomes, and Perceptions in CALL Environments

This research examines the impact of online help-seeking strategies—both adaptive and peer-based—on promoting self-regulated and collaborative learning skills, as well as language learning outcomes, among Chinese EFL learners in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environments. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study triangulates various data strands from 92 randomly selected EFL learners to explore how these strategies influence their learning outcomes. Through methodological triangulation and the execution of one-way ANOVA, the research demonstrates the superior effectiveness of combining adaptive and peer help-seeking strategies, compared to their isolated use, in enhancing self-regulated and collaborative learning skills and language learning outcomes. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between learners’ interactive engagement with help-seeking strategies and their overall CALL outcomes, indicating that such strategies support the development of both collaborative and self-regulated learning skills. This study provides theoretical and practical insights into CALL, offering evidence-based guidance for researchers and practitioners on the nuanced impact of integrating dynamic and flexible help-seeking strategies to enhance EFL learners’ skills and outcomes.

Effects of a waiting list control design on alcohol consumption among online help-seekers: A randomised controlled trial

BackgroundIndirect evidence suggests that using waiting list control designs in behavioural research may have unintended consequences. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of a waiting list design on alcohol consumption among individuals who had looked online for help. MethodsA two-arm randomised controlled trial was employed. The intervention group was informed that they belonged to the intervention group and would receive immediate access to a digital alcohol intervention. The waiting list control group was informed that they belonged to the group that had to wait four weeks to be given access to the intervention and in the meantime, they would be given a summary of their drinking. However, both groups received immediate access to the same digital alcohol intervention; the experimental contrast was thus between being told to wait or not. ResultsWe randomised 3388 participants (intervention: 1692, waiting list: 1696). Data were available for 954 participants at 1-month follow-up. We found no strong evidence that alcohol consumption differed between groups, but the evidence pointed towards the intervention group reporting lowering weekly alcohol consumption compared to the waiting list control group (IRR = 0.95, 95 % CI = 0.83; 1.08, probability of effect = 78.8 %). ConclusionWe found no strong evidence that being informed that access to an intervention would be delayed produced differential self-reported alcohol consumption compared to being informed that access would be immediate. We did find a difference in engagement with the intervention materials, indicating that the experimental manipulation was successful.

Mediated effects of a randomised control trial for a text messaging smoking cessation intervention for online help-seekers and primary care visitors

Background and AimsDigital smoking cessation interventions have been shown to be effective in helping individuals achieve prolonged smoking abstinence. Nonetheless, the mechanisms that drive such effects are unclear. The current study aimed to estimate a digital smoking cessation intervention's natural direct and indirect effects.MethodsThis secondary analysis of mediated effects uses data from a randomised controlled trial which included participants who smoked at least one cigarette a week, had access to a mobile phone, and were 18 years or older. The comparator was existing smoking cessation support available to all members of the Swedish public. Primary outcomes were prolonged smoking abstinence and point prevalence of smoking abstinence, measured at 3- and 6-months post-randomisation. A counterfactual framework was used to estimate three hypothesised mediators of the intervention's effects: importance, knowledge of how to change (know-how), and confidence.ResultsBetween 18/09/20 and 16/06/22, 1012 participants were randomised. The intervention led to improved confidence and know-how, which both partially mediated the effects of the digital intervention on smoking abstinence at 3- and 6 months post-randomisation.ConclusionsA digital smoking cessation intervention was found to partially affect smoking abstinence by improving individuals’ confidence in their ability to quit smoking and developing knowledge on how to quit. Face-value single-item mediator measures, lack of blinding, and attrition limit the study. Future studies should address these limitations and assess additional mechanisms mediating intervention effects.Trial registrationISRCTN13455271.

Safety plan use and suicide-related coping in a sample of Australian online help-seekers

BackgroundSuicide safety plans can improve suicide-related coping skills and reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STBs). However, little is known about their use and impact outside of treatment settings, where most suicidal crises will occur. The current study explored the prevalence of safety plan use among an online sample of help-seekers with lifetime STBs, and whether STBs and suicide-related coping differed between those with and without safety plans. An exploratory aim was to investigate barriers to safety plan use. MethodParticipants (N = 1251) completed an online, anonymous survey at a mental health support website (Beyond Blue). The survey measured lifetime STBs, past-month suicidal ideation, suicide-related coping, help-seeking intentions and behaviour. ResultsDespite high levels of past-month suicidal ideation and past-year help-seeking, most participants (89.5 %) did not have a safety plan, and most of those were not familiar with the concept (70.5 %). Participants with safety plans reported a higher rate of past suicide attempts, but higher suicide-related coping and help-seeking behaviour. Among participants without safety plans, negative attitudes toward safety planning were positively associated with suicidal ideation and negatively associated with suicide-related coping. LimitationsParticipants were primarily female, English-speaking visitors to a mental health support website. Cross-sectional design precludes conclusions being drawn about safety planning effectiveness over time. ConclusionThis study highlights the low prevalence of safety plan use among online help-seekers with lifetime STBs and the need to better promote safety planning as an intervention with autonomous benefits, including crisis preparedness and improved suicide-related coping skills.

Perceived Usefulness of Self-Guided Versus Collaborative Suicide Safety Plans in Online Help-Seekers.

Background: Suicide safety plans were originally devised to be paper-based and clinician-guided, but digital self-guided plans are now common. Aim: This study explored whether plan format (paper vs. digital), assistance (self-authored vs. collaboration), and suicide attempt history were associated with differences in suicidal ideation, suicide-related coping, and perceived usefulness. Method: An online sample of safety plan users (N = 131) completed a survey assessing suicidal ideation, suicide-related coping, and perceived usefulness of their plan. t tests compared outcomes by plan format, collaboration, and suicide attempt history. Pearson correlations explored associations between reasons for plan use, suicidal ideation, and suicide-related coping. Results: Suicidal ideation was significantly higher, and perceived usefulness significantly lower in participants with a past suicide attempt (vs. none) and in those who had collaborated to make their safety plan (vs. self-authored). Collaborators were largely health professionals. No significant differences were found between plan formats. Suicide-related coping was associated with higher perceived usefulness overall. Limitations: Our study design was cross-sectional, utilizing a largely young, female, English-speaking, online help-seeking sample. Conclusions: For clients with prior suicide attempts and higher levels of suicidal ideation, meaningful collaboration may be needed to find safety plan coping strategies that are perceived as useful.

Help-seeking behaviours and experiences for mental health symptoms related to the menstrual cycle: a UK-wide exploratory survey

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are menstrual cycle-related disorders characterised by psychological and physical symptoms which impact functioning. Little is known about avenues for help-seeking for these disorders. Therefore, we sought to examine help-seeking behaviours and experiences. An online survey was delivered and data from 530 participants whose mental health was affected by their menstrual cycle were analysed. All participants endorsed at least one premenstrual symptom, with 97.17% experiencing functional impairment. Help was sought by 64.91% (online: 29.81%; formal: 7.36%; online and formal: 27.74%), with 78.49% perceiving that their symptoms were not taken seriously when seeking formal help. Most sought help online to look up symptoms (85.57%) and treatment options (39.67%). The study revealed an association between premenstrual symptoms and mental wellbeing, as well as revealing a high prevalence of online help-seeking, emphasising the need for high-quality, evidence-based online resources and improvement of formal care provision.

Coping with Unknown Health Crisis via Social Media: A Content Analysis of Online Mutual Aid Group in the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The initial emergence of SARS-CoV-2 created uncertainty for humanity, driving people to seek assistance on social media. This study aims to understand the role of social media in coping with crises and to offer guidance for future uncertainties by examining the experiences of Wuhan during the early stages of the pandemic. Using quantitative content analysis, this study investigated 2207 Weibo posts tagged with "COVID-19 Mutual Aid" from individuals located in Wuhan during the early lockdown period from January 23, 2020, to March 23, 2020. At the start of pandemic, messages seeking tangible support were most common. A hurdle regression model showed that deeper self-disclosure led to more retransmission of help-seeking messages. The Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney U tests revealed that health professionals and laypeople had different self-disclosure strategies. This study provides insight into the online social support exchange during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, highlighting the importance of self-disclosure on message retransmission, and the differences in self-disclosure strategies between health professionals and laypeople in online help-seeking.

The different faces of online support: A thematic analysis of responses to help-seeking related to depression and suicidal ideation in public online forums

Help-seeking related to depression and suicidal ideations is frequent in internet forums. Forum threads concerning these topics often receive much interest through active replies but are also read by numerous passive users. Previous research indicates that such interactions may be helpful for the help-seeker, even if the underlying mechanisms are less clear. Meanwhile, some studies also suggest that online forum interactions can be less helpful or have a negative impact on the help-seeker. This study examines how online help-seeking is responded to through a qualitative thematic analysis of 72 discussion threads comprising 1,475 posts. We identify six themes that characterize different types of responses: Giving Tips, Teaching, Coaching, Consoling, Sharing One’s Own Experiences, and Bullying. These response types represent different strategies in their attempts to provide help, but sometimes also appear less helpful or even malicious. The responses are heterogeneous and often contradictory, with very different tones, spanning over varied suggestions and topics, leaving the help-seeker to interpret and make sense of the messages.

Effects of a text messaging smoking cessation intervention amongst online help-seekers and primary health care visitors: findings from a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundSmoking continues to be a leading risk factor for several diseases globally. We hypothesised that an intervention delivered via text messages could help individuals who were looking to quit.MethodsA two-arm, parallel-groups, randomised controlled trial was employed. Both groups received treatment as usual, with the intervention group also receiving a 12-week text messaging intervention. Participants were adult, weekly or more frequent smokers, recruited online and in primary health care centres. Research personnel were blinded, while participants were not. Primary outcomes were prolonged abstinence and point prevalence of abstinence, 3 and 6 months post-randomisation. All randomised participants were included in analyses.ResultsBetween 18 September 2020 and 16 June 2022, we randomised 1012 participants (intervention: 505, control: 507). Outcome data was available for 67% (n = 682) of participants at 3 months and 64% (n = 643) at 6 months. At 3 months, the odds ratio (OR) of prolonged abstinence was 2.15 (95% compatibility interval [CoI] = 1.51; 3.06, probability of effect [POE] > 99.9%, p < 0.0001), and for point prevalence of abstinence, it was 1.70 (95% CoI = 1.18; 2.44, POE = 99.8%, p = 0.0034) in favour of the text messaging intervention. At 6 months, the OR of prolonged abstinence was 2.38 (95% CoI = 1.62; 3.57, POE > 99.9%, p = < 0.0001), and for point prevalence, it was 1.49 (95% CoI = 1.03; 2.14, POE = 98.3%, p = 0.0349) in favour of the text messaging intervention. Analyses with imputed data were not markedly different.ConclusionsAmongst general population help-seekers—who on average had smoked for 25 years—access to a 12-week text messaging intervention produced higher rates of self-reported smoking abstinence in comparison to treatment as usual only. The intervention could be part of the societal response to the burden which smoking causes; however, findings are limited by risk of bias due to attrition, self-reported outcomes, and lack of blinding.Trial registrationThe trial was preregistered in the ISRCTN registry on 27/07/2020 (ISRCTN13455271).

The ‘Abstainer Question’: Relationships between alcohol use and suicidal ideation in Australian online help-seekers

BackgroundWhen compared to social drinkers, high levels of suicidal ideation have been observed in both heavy alcohol consumers and abstainers. Heavy alcohol use or abstention may indicate different risk pathways to the development of suicidal ideation (SI). MethodsVisitors to a mental health website (N = 1,561) completed a survey, and latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to explore differences in risk factor patterns. Risk factors explored included psychological distress, help-seeking intent, financial wellbeing, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. ResultsMost participants (75.1%) reported SI in the past four weeks. A three-class LPA model emerged as the optimal fit: (1) low SI/lower alcohol; (2) high SI/lower alcohol; (3) high SI/high alcohol. Members of the high SI/lower alcohol profile displayed significantly higher psychological distress, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness; lower financial wellbeing and help-seeking intentions than both other profiles. Members of the high SI/high alcohol profile were more likely to be male and already receiving help for their psychological distress. Members of the high SI/lower alcohol profile were more likely to be younger and report lower help-seeking intent. LimitationsOur study design was cross-sectional, utilising a largely young, female, English-speaking, help-seeking sample that had chosen to visit a mental health website. ConclusionsWhile the links between heavy alcohol use and suicide risk are well documented, these findings suggest that practitioners should also be alert for abstention patterns, as they may be indicators of underlying psychosocial concerns that a client could be reluctant to disclose.

Mediators of effects of a digital alcohol intervention for online help-seekers: Findings from an effectiveness trial

BackgroundDigital alcohol interventions have been shown to exert effects in helping individuals reduce their drinking. However, little is known about the mechanisms which mediate such effects. The objective of this study was to estimate natural direct and indirect effects of a digital alcohol intervention. MethodsThis secondary analysis of mediated effects used data from a randomised controlled trial which included individuals with unhealthy alcohol use with access to a mobile phone aged 18 years or older in Sweden. The comparator was basic alcohol and health information. The digital intervention was centrally designed around weekly monitoring of consumption followed by feedback and tools to support behaviour change. Mediated effects were estimated using measures from 1-, 2-, and 4-months post-randomisation. Primary outcomes were total weekly consumption (TWC) and frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED). A counterfactual framework was used to estimate three hypothesised mediators: importance, knowledge of how to change (know-how), and confidence. ResultsBetween 25/04/2019 and 26/11/2020, 2129 participants were randomised. The intervention improved know-how and confidence, which in turn mediated the effects on TWC and HED at 2- and 4-months. Analyses with imputed data were not markedly different. ConclusionsA digital alcohol intervention was found to exert effects in reducing consumption by means of improving individuals’ knowledge of how to reduce their consumption and confidence in their ability to reduce. The use of face-valid single item measures is a study limitation notwithstanding observed findings, as is attrition and lack of blinding of participants.

Online Help-Seeking Among Youth Victims of Sexual Violence Before and During COVID-19 (2016-2021): Analysis of Hotline Use Trends.

Three years since the onset of COVID-19, pandemic-related trends in child sexual abuse (CSA) remain poorly understood. Common administrative surveillance metrics may have underestimated abuse during the pandemic, given youths' limited access to mandatory reporters. Research using anonymous service-use data showed increased violence-related online help-seeking but overlooked youth-specific help-seeking for CSA during COVID-19. Understanding pandemic-related trends in CSA can inform abuse detection practices and mental health service provision for youth victims. The purpose of this study was to harness anonymous help-seeking data from the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline (NSAOH) to glean insights about CSA occurrence in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used an archival sample of victims who contacted NSAOH from 2016 to 2021 (n=41,561). We examined differences in the proportion of youth and adult victims contacting NSAOH during the first COVID-19 year (March 2020 to February 2021) compared to the prior year (March 2019 to February 2020; n=11,719). Further, we compared key characteristics of hotline interactions among youth victims during the first COVID-19 year to the prior year (n=5913). Using joinpoint regression analysis, we examined linear trends in the number of monthly sampled youth and adult victims (excluding victims of unknown age) from 2016 to 2021 who discussed any victimization event (n=26,904) and who discussed recent events (ie, events occurring during the pandemic; n=9932). Most youth victims were abused by family members prior to (1013/1677, 60.4%) and after (2658/3661, 72.6%) the onset of COVID-19. The number of youth victims contacting NSAOH spiked in March 2020 and peaked in November 2020 for all youth (slope=28.2, 95% CI 18.7-37.7) and those discussing recent events (slope=17.4, 95% CI 11.1-23.6). We observed a decline in youth victims into spring 2021 for all youth (slope=-56.9, 95% CI -91.4 to -22.3) and those discussing recent events (slope=-33.7, 95% 47.3 to -20.0). The number of adult victims discussing any victimization event increased steadily from January 2018 through May 2021 (slope=3.6; 95% CI 2.9-4.2) and then declined (slope=-13.8, 95% CI -22.8 to -4.7). Trends were stable for adults discussing recent events. This study extends the use of hotline data to understand the implications of the pandemic on CSA. We observed increased youth help-seeking through the NSAOH coinciding with the onset of COVID-19. Trends persisted when limiting analyses to recent victimization events, suggesting increased help-seeking reflected increased CSA during COVID-19. These findings underscore the utility of anonymous online services for youth currently experiencing abuse. Further, the findings support calls for increased youth mental health services and efforts to incorporate online chat into youth-targeted services.

Help-seeking preferences in Australian mental health website visitors: A latent profile analysis.

Psychological distress and suicide rates are climbing in Australia despite substantial mental health programme investment in recent decades. Understanding where individuals prefer to seek support in the event of a personal or emotional crisis may help target mental health resources to where they are most needed. This study aimed to explore individual differences in help-seeking preferences that may be leveraged for early intervention and mental health service design. Latent profile analysis was used to explore the help-seeking preferences of 1561 Australian online help-seekers who elected to complete a psychological distress screening on a popular mental health website, Beyond Blue. Four latent profiles of help-seeker emerged that illustrate distinct preference channels for support: help-negaters, professional help-seekers, family help-seekers and help-affirmatives. Help-negaters were the least likely to consider seeking help from any source, recorded the highest levels of psychological distress and suicidal ideation, and were more likely to be younger. Help-affirmatives were the most likely to seek help from any source, particularly from religious leaders, and were more likely to speak a language other than English at home. Many individuals experiencing mental health concerns will prefer to seek support from family or community contacts rather than professionals, and some will not seek help at all. Diversity in help-seeking preferences should be considered when designing mental health services, outreach and psychoeducation materials.

Revisiting the factor structure of the suicide-related coping scale: Results from two samples of Australian online help-seekers

The Suicide-Related Coping Scale (SRCS) measures how well a person manages suicidal thoughts through the use of internal and external coping strategies. Many studies using SRCS, including the original scale validation, used samples of treatment-engaged military veterans or personnel, which may limit the generalizability of study findings to other help-seeking and cultural contexts. The present study evaluated factor structure, internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity of SRCS in two Australian online help-seeking samples: visitors to a mental health website with experience of suicidal ideation (N = 1,266) and users of a suicide safety planning mobile app (N = 693). Factor analyses found a reduced 15-item version of the scale (SRCS-15) provided the best fit in both samples, with three factors found: Internal Coping, External Coping and Perceived Control. Internal consistency was good (α = 0.89). Strong negative associations were found between SRCS-15, recent suicidal ideation and future suicide intent. Perceived Control demonstrated the strongest associations with suicidal ideation and future suicide intent (negative) and distress tolerance (positive). External Coping demonstrated the strongest associations with help-seeking (positive). Items relating to means restriction and hospital location knowledge were dropped from SRCS-15 due to low factor loadings but may still contain clinically relevant information. SRCS-15 appears to be reliable and valid in capturing aspects of self-efficacy and belief-based barriers to coping, making it a useful additional outcome measure for suicide-related services and interventions.

The effect of question order on outcomes in the orbital core outcome set for alcohol brief interventions among online help-seekers (QOBCOS): Findings from a randomised factorial trial.

A core outcome set (COS) has been developed in alcohol brief intervention (ABI) research through international consensus. This study aimed to estimate order effects among questions in the COS. Individuals aged 18 or older who searched online for alcohol-related help were invited to complete the COS. The order of questions was randomised following a factorial design. Primary outcomes were order effects among the COS items and patterns of attrition. Between 21/10/2020 and 26/11/2020, we randomised 7334 participants, of which 5256 responded to at least one question and were available for analyses. Current non-drinkers were excluded. We found evidence of higher self-reported average consumption and odds of harmful and hazardous drinking was found among those who first answered questions on recent consumption and impact of alcohol use. Lower self-reported recent consumption was found among those first asked about average consumption. Quality of life (QoL) was reported lower among those who first responded to when questions on impact of alcohol use were asked first, which in turn was lower among those who first answered question on when average consumption and QoL were asked first. Attrition was lowest when average consumption was asked first, and highest when QoL or impact of alcohol use was asked first. Median completion time for the COS was 4.3 min. Question order affects outcomes and attrition. If the aim is to minimize attrition, consumption measures should be asked before QoL and impact of alcohol use; however, this order impacts self-reported alcohol consumption and so researchers should be guided by study priorities. At a minimum, all participants should be asked the same questions in the same order. The trial was prospectively registered (ISRCTN17954645).

What We Ask about When We Ask about Quarantine? Content and Sentiment Analysis on Online Help-Seeking Posts during COVID-19 on a Q&A Platform in China.

The COVID-19 outbreak, a recent major public health emergency, was the first national health crisis since China entered the era of mobile social media. In this context, the public posted many quarantine-related posts for help on social media. Most previous studies of social media during the pandemic focused only on people's emotional needs, with less analysis of quarantine help-seeking content. Based on this situation, this study analyzed the relationship between the number of quarantine help-seeking posts and the number of new diagnoses at different time points in the pandemic using Zhihu, the most comprehensive topic discussion platform in China. It showed a positive correlation between the number of help-seeking posts and the pandemic's severity. Given the diversity of people's help-seeking content, this study used topic model analysis and sentiment analysis to explore the key content of people's quarantine help-seeking posts during the pandemic. In light of the framework of uses and gratifications, we found that people posted the most questions in relation to help with information related to pandemic information and quarantine information. Interestingly, the study also found that the content of people's quarantine posts during the pandemic was primarily negative in sentiment. This study can thus help the community understand the changes in people's perceptions, attitudes, and concerns through their reactions to emergencies and then formulate relevant countermeasures to address pandemic control and information regulation, which will have implications for future responses to public health emergencies. Moreover, in terms of psychological aspects, it will help implement future mental health intervention strategies and better address the public's psychological problems.

Trust me, trust my words

Abstract As modern Internet technology advances, some online medicare donation services in China have become available as a new way for the public to respond with financial assistance. This paper aims at identifying, describing, and analyzing the linguistic features of Chinese online medical crowd-funding and investigates how the online help-seekers negotiate their trustworthiness discursively. For this purpose, 500 pieces of help-seekers’ personal statements were collected from crowd-funding website (https://www.qschou.com), described and analyzed in accordance of discourse analysis. Results show that the help-seekers adopted three macro-discursive strategies to construct their trustworthiness: Embodiment-oriented strategy, evidence-motivated strategy, and emotion-oriented strategy. Detailed linguistic and para-linguistic means to realize these strategies are examined in great detail. Further research in this area is needed in order to raise awareness of trustworthiness construction and its difficulties for help-seekers in online crowd-funding scenarios

Supporting personal preferences and different levels of need in online help-seeking: a comparative study of help-seeking technologies for mental health

ABSTRACT The Internet offers help-seekers an abundance of resources that can potentially support their mental health. However, people often have trouble in finding personally relevant resources. Very few specialized mental health help-seeking technologies currently address this need. Instead, help-seeking typically begins with a known website or web-search. To understand how help-seeking technologies could be better designed, we conducted a study comparing existing technologies with two novel help-seeking prototypes. These prototypes were informed by empirically grounded design recommendations, which emphasize the need for connectedness, accessible and creditable information, personalization, and immediacy. Findings show that the resources recommended by current technologies are often experienced as ‘overwhelming’ or ‘overly-medicalized’. The prototypes successfully improved connectedness, immediacy, and personalization, but were less successful in their ability to support symptom-based help-seeking. Based on our findings we contribute recommendations for integrated help-seeking technologies, which can guide people to mental health resources appropriate to both their personal preferences and current level of need.