Online Social Support Networks Research Articles

Lack of alternative: Chinese first-time mothers' construction of social support network of online secondary groups.

BackgroundAs a result of rapid modernization and the long-term implementation of One Child Policy, Chinese first-time mothers’ primary child-raising social support network is gradually shrinking. At the same time, the social support system for child raising is still very incomplete. Therefore, Chinese first-time mothers generally face great pressure.ObjectiveThis paper aims to understand Chinese first-time mothers’ construction of social support network of online secondary groups.MethodsThis paper employs a qualitative research method, with semi-structured interviews with 23 participants, two focus groups and observations conducted in nine online child-raising communities.ResultsBased on the principle of instrumental rationality first-time mothers use various strategies to join different types of online communities and their online social support network is always the dynamic changing. The online social support network is a supplementary channel in which first-time mothers can obtain both instrumental and emotional support. But communication risks and ethical issues remain, such as information exchange interfered by commercial capital, widespread anxiety and superficial social relationships.ConclusionsOnline social support network is an alternative for Chinese first-time mothers and they urgently need a more well-rounded social support network system with government leading and multiple subjects participating in it.

Socially-supportive norms and mutual aid of people who use opioids: An analysis of Reddit during the initial COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundBig events (i.e., unique historical disruptions) like the COVID-19 epidemic and its associated period of social distancing can transform social structures, social interactions, and social norms. Social distancing rules and the fear of infection have greatly reduced face-to-face interactions, increased loneliness, reduced ties to helping institutions, and may also have disrupted the opioid use behaviors of people who use drugs. This research used Reddit to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the social networks and social processes of people who use opioids. MethodsData were collected from the social media forum, Reddit.com. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. (March 5, 2020, to May 13, 2020), 2,000 Reddit posts were collected from the two most popular opioid subreddits (r/OpiatesRecovery, r/Opiates). Posts were reviewed for relevance to COVID-19 and opioid use resulting in a final sample of 300. Thematic analysis was guided by the Big Events framework. ResultsThe COVID-19 pandemic was found to create changes in the social networks and daily lives among persons who use opioids. Adaptions to these changes shifted social networks leading to robust social support and mutual aid on Reddit, including sharing and seeking advice on facing withdrawal, dealing with isolation, managing cravings, and accessing recovery resources. ConclusionsReddit provided an important source of social support and mutual aid for persons who use opioids. Findings indicate online social support networks are beneficial to persons who use opioids, particularly during big events where isolation from other social support resources may occur.

The Impact of Gluten-Free Diet on the Lifes of Individuals with Celiac Disease: A Turkish Perspective

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of gluten-free (GF) diet on social lives of patients.
 Subjects and Method: The design of the study was descriptive and cross-sectional. The questionnaire was designed as an online form. The online survey was announced on an online social support network called “Turkey Celiac Association” which has about 6000 members. The patients older than 18 years and diagnosed by a specialist doctor were enrolled in the study.
 Results: The study was completed with a total of 464 patients (114 males and 350 females). Difficulties often expressed by at least 50% of the respondents include: “limited purchasing power due to the high cost of gluten-free products (59.3%)”, “lack of accessibility to gluten-free products in grocery stores (51.9%)”, “lack of accessibility to gluten-free products in local stores (54.1%)”, and “inability to find shops and restaurants selling gluten-free foods during travelling (49.1%)”.
 Conclusion: Today, educating patients on a gluten-free diet is the cornerstone of treatment. In this article, the priorities of gluten-free nutrition education by the dietitians and recommendations of solution for the barriers affecting the sustainability of the diet are emphasized.

Development of Social Support Networks by Patients With Depression Through Online Health Communities: Social Network Analysis.

BackgroundIn recent years, people with mental health problems are increasingly using online social networks to receive social support. For example, in online depression communities, patients can share their experiences, exchange valuable information, and receive emotional support to help them cope with their disease. Therefore, it is critical to understand how patients with depression develop online social support networks to exchange informational and emotional support.ObjectiveOur aim in this study was to investigate which user attributes have significant effects on the formation of informational and emotional support networks in online depression communities and to further examine whether there is an association between the two social networks.MethodsWe used social network theory and constructed exponential random graph models to help understand the informational and emotional support networks in online depression communities. A total of 74,986 original posts were retrieved from 1077 members in an online depression community in China from April 2003 to September 2017 and the available data were extracted. An informational support network of 1077 participant nodes and 6557 arcs and an emotional support network of 1077 participant nodes and 6430 arcs were constructed to examine the endogenous (purely structural) effects and exogenous (actor-relation) effects on each support network separately, as well as the cross-network effects between the two networks.ResultsWe found significant effects of two important structural features, reciprocity and transitivity, on the formation of both the informational support network (r=3.6247, P<.001, and r=1.6232, P<.001, respectively) and the emotional support network (r=4.4111, P<.001, and r=0.0177, P<.001, respectively). The results also showed significant effects of some individual factors on the formation of the two networks. No significant effects of homophily were found for gender (r=0.0783, P=.20, and r=0.1122, P=.25, respectively) in the informational or emotional support networks. There was no tendency for users who had great influence (r=0.3253, P=.05) or wrote more posts (r=0.3896, P=.07) or newcomers (r=–0.0452, P=.66) to form informational support ties more easily. However, users who spent more time online (r=0.6680, P<.001) or provided more replies to other posts (r=0.5026, P<.001) were more likely to form informational support ties. Users who had a big influence (r=0.8325, P<.001), spent more time online (r=0.5839, P<.001), wrote more posts (r=2.4025, P<.001), or provided more replies to other posts (r=0.2259, P<.001) were more likely to form emotional support ties, and newcomers (r=–0.4224, P<.001) were less likely than old-timers to receive emotional support. In addition, we found that there was a significant entrainment effect (r=0.7834, P<.001) and a nonsignificant exchange effect (r=–0.2757, P=.32) between the two networks.ConclusionsThis study makes several important theoretical contributions to the research on online depression communities and has important practical implications for the managers of online depression communities and the users involved in these communities.

Life after Social Death: Leaving the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses, Identity Transition and Recovery

It is well documented that religiosity is linked with positive indicators of well-being, but less research has examined the psychosocial impacts of leaving “high-control” religions. Theoretically situated in recovery and desistance literature underpinned by the social identity approach, the current study examined cross-sectionally the extent to which ‘disfellowshipped’ former Jehovah’s Witnesses’ experiences of ostracism and post-exit identification with others are associated with diminished psychological well-being and identity transition success. It also examined the extent to which the type of exit (forced vs. voluntary) and prior religious commitment shaped these outcomes. The authors recruited 554 adults (62% female; M age = 37.26, SD age = 12.82) via online social support networks for former Jehovah’s Witnesses. Path analysis tested the mediating and moderating functions of exit method (forced vs. voluntary), commitment level during membership, and post-exit group identification with groups on outcomes of identity transition, recovery identity, self-esteem, and well-being. Results indicate that individuals who voluntarily left the Jehovah’s Witnesses reported more ostracism than those who were disfellowshipped (forced out) and that a higher level of prior religious commitment was associated with post-religious identity transition success and diminished self-esteem. Findings further suggest that distinct aspects of respondents’ social identity were related differentially to outcomes in partial support of the theoretical framework. Future research and theory development efforts are deemed necessary to better understand the etiology of how exiting high-control religions impacts psychosocial outcomes.

Building trust and improving communication with parents of children with Trisomy 13 and 18: A mixed-methods study

Background: Trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 are common life-limiting conditions associated with major disabilities. Many parents have described conflictual relationships with clinicians, but positive and adverse experiences of families with healthcare providers have not been well described. Aim: (1) To investigate parental experiences with clinicians and (2) to provide practical recommendations and behaviors clinicians could emulate to avoid conflict. Design: Participants were asked to describe their best and worse experiences, as well as supportive clinicians they met. The results were analyzed using mixed methods. Setting/participants: Parents of children with trisomy 13 and 18 who were part of online social support networks. A total of 503 invitations were sent, and 332 parents completed the questionnaire about 272 children. Results: The majority of parents (72%) had met a supportive clinician. When describing clinicians who changed their lives, the overarching theme, present in 88% of answers, was trust. Parents trusted clinicians when they felt he or she cared and valued their child, their family, and made them feel like good parents (69%), had appropriate knowledge (66%), and supported them and gave them realistic hope (42%). Many (42%) parents did not want to make—or be part of—life-and-death decisions. Parents gave specific examples of supportive behaviors that can be adopted by clinicians. Parents also described adverse experiences, generally leading to conflicts and lack of trust. Conclusion: Realistic and compassionate support of parents living with children with trisomy 13 and 18 is possible. Adversarial interactions that lead to distrust and conflicts can be avoided. Many supportive behaviors that inspire trust can be emulated.

A rede de suporte social online na vivência da pessoa com doença oncológica

Chronic diseases have been increasing between the population. Receiving the diagnosis of oncological disease is almost always unexpected, the patient can experience emotional, psychological and physical reactions. Interactions are established on people’s behavior that are affected by the disease through online social support networks. The nurse plays a big role in people’s daily life that are diagnosed. Establishing a relationship built on respect, trust and empathy which is very important for people facing this disease. The main objective of the study is to describe the importance of using an online support network in the patient’s health-disease transition. Specifically, it is intended to determine which online support networks these people are using; Identify the reason why (or which) these people turn to an online support network; Specify the benefits of using the online social support network in their life; Describe the changes felt due to the use of the online social support network; Determine the daily time spent on the use of online social support networks. A phenomenological qualitative study was made and the (semi-structured) interview was the instrument of data collection in an accidental non-probabilistic sampling. The processing of data was performed using content analysis and it was composed of three phases: pre-analysis, exploration of material and treatment of results, inferences and interpretation. The use of online social support it’s not a primary source for the participants that are affected with an oncological disease. In order to face the experiences of an oncological disease, the person gives preference to the physical social support network, which includes family and friends. Besides that, an online social support network also has advantages for the individual and family, such as researching information and becoming a temporary escape from the problems they face.

Social Networks, Interpersonal Social Support, and Health Outcomes: A Health Communication Perspective

This manuscript discusses the development, impact, and several major research findings of studies in the area of social network support and health outcomes. The review focuses largely on the development of online social support networks and the ways in which they may interact with face-to-face support networks to influence physical and psychological health outcomes. The manuscript discusses this area and it presents a research agenda for future work in this area from an Associate Editor's perspective.

Blogging about Family Building (Infertility, Pregnancy Loss, Adoption, Pregnancy, Trying to Conceive): Content and Blogging Motivations

To better understand the content and process of family building blogging, two interrelated studies took place. First, blogs with posts during a designated week were analyzed for content. Then, hosts of active blogs were invited to complete a survey on their blog content and reasons for blogging. Results of both content analysis and survey indicated a variety of content appearing in such blogs, with children, pregnancy, attempts to conceive, and negative emotional experiences related to those emerging as popular topics. To identify motivations for blogging about such content, a principal components analysis (PCA) suggested seven different blogging motivations: gaining attention, benefitting others, becoming a career blogger, entertaining others, documenting life events, self-expression, and forming an online social support network. To further explore blogging motivations, subgroups of bloggers (those having experienced infertility, those having experienced pregnancy loss, and those already parenting) were compared on their ratings of the seven blogging motivations with multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). While results mostly supported consistency across subgroups in motivations, there was a significant effect for infertility experience on ratings for educating others and self-expression. This investigation represents the first known attempt to capture what information is included in the growing subgenre of family building blogs and what reasons inspire bloggers to create and maintain them.

Coeliac disease: the association between quality of life and social support network participation.

There is little information available on the use of social support systems for patients with coeliac disease (CD). We performed a cross-sectional study aiming to examine the association between participation in different types of social support networks and quality of life (QOL) in adults with CD. A survey including a validated CD specific QOL instrument was administered online and in-person to adults with CD who were following a gluten-free diet. Participation in social support networks (type, frequency and duration) were assessed. Among the 2138 participants, overall QOL scores were high, averaging 68.9 out of 100. Significant differences in QOL scores were found for age, length of time since diagnosis and level of education. Most (58%) reported using no social support networks. Of the 42% reporting use of social support networks (online 17.9%, face-to-face 10.8% or both 12.8%), QOL scores were higher for those individuals who used only face-to-face social support compared to only online support (72.6 versus 66.7; P < 0.0001). A longer duration of face-to-face social support use was associated with higher QOL scores (P < 0.0005). By contrast, a longer duration and increased frequency of online social support use was associated with lower QOL scores (P < 0.03). Participation in face-to-face social support networks is associated with greater QOL scores compared to online social support networks. These findings have potential implications for the management of individuals with CD. Emphasis on face-to-face support may improve long-term QOL and patient outcomes.

Perceptions of the teaching practicum among Human Movement and Health Education pre-service teachers in Australia: The role of university coursework, university-school partnerships and e-learning

The field of professional experience presents opportunities as well as challenges in relation to the practicum and learning how to teach for pre-service teachers. This study sought to investigate University of Sydney third and fourth year Human Movement and Health Education pre-service teachers’ practicum experiences and learning. Ninety-six (n=96) women and men in the Human Movement and Health Education pre-service course completed an anonymous questionnaire after their most recent practicum experience. Pre-service teachers agreed that their practicum was enjoyable (97.4%); requirements for practicum were clearly communicated (93%) and that they were prepared by administrative staff (93%) and coursework (85%) for their practicum. Further, the findings revealed a statistically significant difference between third and fourth year pre-service teachers (P<0.01) in regard to coursework preparation. Third year pre-service teachers believed they required additional professional development activities before their next practicum. The most enjoyable aspects were receiving a positive response to lessons from students (70.4%); receiving constructive support/having a positive relationship with their supervising teacher (22.0%); and having a sense of belonging to the teaching faculty, rather than feeling like a pre-service teacher (3.7%). There was 88.6% agreement for the initiation of new e-learning links during the practicum, including an online social support network site on which students could communicate and share lesson ideas. Pre-service teachers’ qualitative responses in the questionnaire suggest a redesign of the structure and sequence of the course, as well as professional experience units of study, and the need to place more emphasis on building strong professional relationships between pre-service teachers, supervising teachers and mentors. As such, a range of improvements have been suggested to enhance pre-service teachers’ enjoyment of learning in future practicum experiences, including some new e-learning practicum initiatives.

Social support through using ICT for family caregivers regarding people suffering chronic disease

The study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of social support using information and communication technology (ICT) for family caregivers regarding people suffering chronic disease. This descriptive exploratory study involving 144 family caregivers for people suffering from chronic disease was carried out in Bogota during 2008 and 2009. It was carried out in three phases: planning and designing ICT strategies (including a pilot trial and selecting the target population), implementing the ICTs in support of the target population and data analysis regarding implementing the ICTs, with a description of the indicators of structure and process for ICT use and results of ICT use in providing social support. G. Hilbert's Social support in chronic disease inventory (SSCI) was used for measurements, including the following categories: personal interaction, guide, feedback, tangible help and social interaction. ICT-based intervention was effective and proved positive for social support for most family caregivers. While analysing the different categories, the guide, information and instruction and personal interaction received high scores while feedback and social interaction received lower ones. Identifying and designing appropriate ICTs for family caregivers should be continued and supported in different contexts and tools such as internet and on-line social support networks should continue being explored.

Online Social and Professional Support for Smokers Trying to Quit: An Exploration of First Time Posts From 2562 Members

BackgroundBoth intratreatment and extratreatment social support are associated with increased rates of smoking cessation. Internet-based social support groups have the capability of connecting widely dispersed groups of people trying to quit smoking, making social support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at minimal cost. However, to date there has been little research to guide development of this particular feature of Web-assisted tobacco interventions (WATIs).ObjectiveOur objectives were to compare the characteristics of smokers who post in an online smoking cessation support group with smokers who do not post, conduct a qualitative analysis of discussion board content, and determine the time it takes for new users to receive feedback from existing members or moderators.MethodsData were collected from StopSmokingCenter.net version 5.0, a WATI equipped with an online social support network moderated by trained program health educators that was operational from November 6, 2004, to May 15, 2007. Demographic and smoking characteristics for both users and nonusers of the online social support network were analyzed, and qualitative analyses were conducted to explore themes in message content. Posting patterns and their frequency were also analyzed.ResultsDuring the study period, 16,764 individuals registered; of these, 70% (11,723) reported being American. The mean age of registrants was 38.9 years and 65% (10,965) were female. The mean number of cigarettes smoked was 20.6 per day. The mean score for the 41% (6849) of users who completed the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence was 5.6. Of all registered members, 15% (2562) made at least one post in the online social support network; 25% of first posts received a response from another member within 12 minutes, 50% within 29 minutes. The most frequent first posts were from recent quitters who were struggling with their quit attempts, and most responses were from members who had quit for a month or more. Differences in demographic and smoking characteristics between members who posted on the support group board at least once and those who did not post were statistically but not clinically significant.ConclusionsPeer responses to new users were rapid, indicating that online social support networks may be particularly beneficial to smokers requiring more immediate assistance with their cessation attempt. This function may be especially advantageous for relapse prevention. Accessing this kind of rapid in-person support from a professional would take an inordinate amount of time and money. Further research regarding the effectiveness of WATIs with online social support networks is required to better understand the contribution of this feature to cessation, for both active users (posters) and passive users (“lurkers”) alike.

Evaluation of an Online Peer Support Network for Adolescents with Chronic Kidney Disease

This study reports on the development and evaluation of an online social support network for adolescents with chronic kidney disease. Twenty-four adolescents were enrolled in a six-month online intervention in which asynchronous and synchronous online peer support was facilitated. Online dialogue transcripts were analyzed, as were postintervention qualitative interviews with network participants. Findings identify both benefits and challenges of online social support for adolescents and provide guidelines for future support initiatives. The study indicates online support as a valuable resource for adolescents with chronic kidney disease.