Online Support Research Articles

Exploring mothers' metaphorical sensemaking of dyslexia.

Through a reflexive thematic analysis of a large online support group for dyslexia and a sensemaking lens, this study investigated how mothers made sense of their child's dyslexia through metaphors. Mothers used metaphors to characterise their feelings surrounding dyslexia, their school-based interactions and their identity as advocates. The language mothers use offers a generative, textured way to understand the lived experiences of supporting a child with learning differences. Whilst mothers articulated much frustration and anger, they also voiced encouragement, advice-giving, empathy and hope, illustrating how their sense of agency was both threatened and empowered by the experience of having a child with dyslexia. There is much mothers must process, understand and navigate surrounding their child's dyslexia and the findings underscore the need for early school-based screening, support and intervention.

Social media affordances of LGBTQIA+ expression and community formation

Faced with offline discrimination, LGBTQIA+ users frequently turn to social media to find role models, build social networks and test out new forms of self-expression. Each platform has its own affordances and governance processes which can, in turn, facilitate or impede self-expression and community growth. Through a survey of 120 LGBTQIA+ participants, this paper considers which social media affordances facilitate the creation and development of LGBTQIA+ identities, support online and offline community formation and peer-to-peer learning, whilst limiting opportunities for online abuse. While previous research has so far largely focused on younger LGBTQIA+ users' experiences on SM, we found that broadening our sample to include older participants can lead to novel reflections on platforms' potential and/or challenges towards expressing one’s queerness online. For example, while users young and old found the visibility of other LGBTQIA+ accounts inspiring, entertaining and reassuring, particularly within previously stigmatised expressions of bisexuality, we found that older participants preferred to be selective about their outness, or sometimes to not be out at all, not simply for fear of harassment or context collapse, but also because of historical factors around family and friend relationships or because their identity experimentation had already happened offline. We also identified contrasting views about outness and the use and visibility of pronouns, reminding us that the online LGBTQIA+ community is not a monolith in its beliefs and practices, particularly when different life stages are considered.

Acceptability testing of the Carers-ID intervention to support the mental health of family carers of people with profound and multiple intellectual disabilities.

Providing care and support for a person with intellectual disabilities can be challenging and may negatively impact on family carers' health and wellbeing. A online support programme was co-designed with charitable organisations and family carers, to help meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of family carers. To test the acceptability of a newly developed online support programme for carers of people with profound and multiple intellectual disabilities. A sequential mixed-methods explanatory design was utilised. An adapted version of the Acceptability of Health Apps among Adolescents Scale was distributed to family carers across the United Kingdom and Ireland who had viewed the Carers-ID.com intervention. Participants were then invited to take part in an online interview. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed separately and then brought together through the triangulation protocol. Seventy family carers (47 female, 23 male) responded to the acceptability survey, with 10 (7 female, 3 male) taking part in interviews. Carers expressed high levels of programme acceptability (mean = 75.43 out of 88). Six themes were generated from interviews with family carers; i) time is precious, ii) the breadth and depth of module content, iii) it was somebody's experience; it was meaningful, iv) won't work for everyone, v) representation: people I could identify with, and vi) module specific suggestions for future changes. Based on our triangulation, four areas of convergence were identified: programme usability and ease, attitudes towards the programme, perceptions of effectiveness, and programme relatability. To be acceptable, online interventions for carers of people with intellectual disability need to be accessible, understandable and easy to use, as carers' free time can be limited. It would be important to investigate the effectiveness of online interventions for family carers, specifically considering which carers the intervention works for, and for whom it may not.

How to create your own space: Montgomery College's Shinta Hernandez is Embracing New Challenges

In even a very short conversation with the new Dean of MC Online and Academic Support at Montgomery College MD, it is immediately clear that Shinta Hernandez isn't the type to consider what she can't do.

How to create your own space: Montgomery College's Shinta Hernandez is embracing new challenges

In even a very short conversation with the new Dean of MC Online and Academic Support at Montgomery College, MD, it is immediately clear that Shinta Hernandez isn’t the type to consider what she can’t do.

Entertainment-oriented Use of ‘Depression’ on Chinese Social Media and Its Impact on Stigmatization of Depression Groups: A Survey Study

This study investigates the impact of entertainment-oriented uses of the term ‘depression’ on public attitudes and stigmatization. Utilizing a quantitative method collecting data from an online survey of 110 Chinese internet users, the research explores how exposure to casual or humorous references to depression correlates with attitudes towards individuals who actually suffer from depression. Key findings reveal that engagement with entertainment-related content is prevalent, particularly among younger demographics. The study shows that frequent exposure to such content increases the likelihood of using similar statements in casual contexts and decreases people’s trust in others’ depression claim. It is strongly correlated with more negative attitudes toward individuals with depression. Moreover, people who worry more about the misleading effects of entertainment-related term use show stronger willingness to offer support to depression patients.The results are guide for public education and policy. It highlights the need to take steps to address the harmful effects portrayed by recreational use of depression on social media. Recommendations include improving the education system, setting online support groups, and restricting time spent on social media.

Losses and support in the grieving process –– pastoral and media context

The loss of a close person is accompanied by various emotional, cognitive, behavioural, physical, spiritual and social reactions. The process of grieving therefore has an impact not only on the course of grief, bereavement itself, and the perception of losses, but also on the human being generally. In accordance with experts, grieving after a loved one who died of the virus that causes COVID-19 is specific. In most cases, it is characterized by a lack of personal contact with a seriously ill person due to infection and quarantine measures during hospitalization, and later a characteristic ban on personal farewells or touching due to the potential threat of infection. In addition, this specifics is accompanied by reflections on how the infection occurred in the first place, or anger at the lost person for not being careful enough, or anger at the health system that provided help to the sick loved one. The paper takes into account the aforementioned as a starting point for the presentation of grief and bereavement, which also takes place in the space of social media during the pandemic. The article seeks to contribute to the overall concept of pastoral bereavement support and contemporary digital support for grief and bereavement. It can be achieved by presenting the possibilities of online support for mourners in the context of the French philosopher Vladimir Jankélévitch's (1977) relational model of death. Rabatel and eventually Floréa referred to this issue and started the research on the announcement of death in the media. The goal of such studies was to show that the conventional media focuses on the death of distant people that "doesn’t concern us" (i.e., "third person death"), whereas new technologies give the opportunity and space to talk about the death of close people (i.e., "second person death") as well as one's own death (i.e., "first person death"). The text presents the online space as a place where pastoral care and accompanying the mourners or grieving men is not only possible but also beneficial.

Web-Based Nursing Care Documentation for Students to Support Online Learning

Nursing care is the most critical element in nursing services, which aims to improve the patient’s health status. Ineffective and inefficient care documentation can impact the quality of nursing services. However, the increasingly advanced development of technology provides freedom for the health world to improve the quality of patient-centered services. Educational institutions have also used information technology in learning process activities. As prospective health professionals, students must be equipped with competencies to support their performance. In this study, a web-based nursing care information system was developed to assist students in documenting care activities. The website application was designed to increase student competency in nursing documentation activities to provide high-quality nursing services even though learning is online. The waterfall model approach was used in application design. The design stage started with analyzing application requirements, followed by system design and coding. Next, using a Likert-scale questionnaire, a usability test was performed on 15 beta users to assess the functionality of the application. The results showed that the nursing care website application was easy to use and that students felt satisfied. It is hoped that the website application can be made more attractive by including a decisional support system to make it easier for students to enforce nursing diagnoses on patients.

Real-world predictors of severe psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: Insights from a large-scale internet-based cohort study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative physical and psychological impacts worldwide. However, there has been a lack of real-world evidence concerning the predictors of severe psychological distress (SPD) among the general population in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to examine predictors of SPD during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the predictors of new-onset SPD in the general Japanese population using data from a large-scale internet-based cohort study. We included 16 489 study participants (age range = 16-81, mean age = 52.7, percentage of male = 50%) in the analysis. Over the course of 1 year from baseline, the estimated proportion of participants who experienced SPD was 5.2% with inverse probability weighting. The predictors of SPD included younger age, being never married, being unemployed, having a higher education background, scoring higher on the Fear of Coronavirus-19 Scale, experiencing more adverse childhood experiences, reporting poorer subjective health status, and COVID-19 with oxygen therapy. Our internet-based survey of the Japanese population may have selection bias, limiting the generalizability to other countries and cultures. This study revealed that being afflicted with COVID-19 requiring oxygen therapy is the most significant predictor of SPD. In addition, we found that vulnerability to social isolation, such as never being unmarried, anxiety toward COVID-19, and susceptibility to stress, are predictors of the emergence of SPD. Therefore, the implementation of online support systems and ensuring access to accurate information may protect against SPD during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Protesting at the intersection of individual characteristics and obstacles to participation: an analysis of the in-person, online and pivoting styles

ABSTRACT Engaging with long-standing debates on the crisis of democracy, manifested as a downturn in civic involvement, this paper scrutinises the evolving landscape of protest participation. First delineating three distinct protest participation styles – in-person, online and what we conceive of as a pivoting style – we identify individual characteristics among protesters that are associated with each style and consider how different obstacles to participation are linked to these individual styles. Using novel survey data from six European countries, we show that online support can be a viable alternative for individuals unable to join protests due to obstacles they face. The online participation style is more common among people who lack connections with social contacts that can facilitate their participation. The in-person style is prevalent among older participants who are less frequent social media users while the pivoting style is more often realised among young, more biographically available people who are media omnivores. Participants who do not embrace the in-person style lack consensus mobilisation whereas those exhibiting a preference for the online or the pivoting styles face obstacles relating to action mobilisation. We conclude the article with a call for a more nuanced understanding of protest participation, as symptomatic of a transformation of democracy.

"Running on goodwill and fairydust" - Midwives' experiences of facilitating and delivering local breastfeeding support via Facebook groups: A qualitative descriptive study.

Facebook groups providing breastfeeding support are widespread. Some are created and/or facilitated by midwives, but little is known about their motivations or experiences. The present study aimed to examine how midwives involved in providing breastfeeding support via local Breastfeeding support Facebook (BSF) groups perceive the value of this provision and their experiences of creating these services and engaging with mothers online. Participants were recruited through Facebook advertising and snowballing techniques. UK registered midwives with experience of providing breastfeeding support via Facebook groups were eligible. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using Microsoft Teams/Zoom with nine midwives between July and September 2021. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Three themes, each with three subthemes, were identified: (1) Imperatives and Value; (2) Goodwill & Lack of Resources; and (3) Community of Practice. Theme 1 described groups as necessary for meeting current mothers' needs and improving low breastfeeding rates. Theme 2 highlighted that BSF groups rely on voluntary work by midwives and peer supporters, with sustainability and recognition of their efforts being major concerns. Theme 3 showed that BSF groups function as communities of practice, offering social learning opportunities and benefits for midwives. Midwives became involved in delivering online support motivated by a belief in the value of this provision, but acted as volunteers and felt unsupported by wider services. This has impacts for the sustainability of this provision regardless of its value. However, midwives reported significant benefits from involvement. Thus, there is a need for services to provide additional guidance and investment.

“Girl Power”‐ing over obstacles: Montgomery College's Shinta Hernandez is embracing new challenges as online Dean

In even a very short conversation with the new Dean of MC Online and Academic Support at Montgomery College MD, it is immediately clear that Shinta Hernandez isn’t the type to consider what she can’t do.

“Girl Power”‐ing over obstacles: Montgomery College's Shinta Hernandez is embracing new challenges as online dean

In even a very short conversation with the new Dean of MC Online and Academic Support at Montgomery College Maryland, it is immediately clear that Shinta Hernandez isn›t the type to consider what she can’t do.

Does Online Social Support Affect the Eating Behaviors of Polish Women with Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance, a key factor in developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, is linked to various health conditions. The basis of its treatment is lifestyle modification. However, adherence to nutritional and other medical recommendations can be challenging for chronic disease patients due to many factors, including demographics, social context, gender, age, and the patient's baseline health condition. This study aims to evaluate the impact of online support group members on the diet quality of women with insulin resistance. This study was conducted as an online survey consisting of KomPAN (validated food frequency questionnaire) augmented with questions regarding using professional counseling and membership in support groups. The study covered 1565 women with insulin resistance, 1011 of whom were associated with the online support group. The mean pHDI (pro-health diet index) was 5.18 ± 2.69 in the support groups and 4.86 ± 2.69 in the control group (p = 0.0319. There were no significant differences in the nHDI (non-health diet index). We found that the pHDI is associated with financial situations, the household's situation, occupation education level, and medical or dietitian care, whereas occupation, medical, and dietitian care affect the nHDI. Membership in support groups is related to a higher pHDI and state of self-assessment of nutritional knowledge. Our study indicates a relationship between participation in online support groups and dietary behaviors and the subjective assessment of nutrition knowledge. Future research should focus on elucidating the mechanisms behind these influences and exploring how these communities can be optimized for broader public health initiatives.

Do political elite endorsements influence online mobilization? A study of Twitter behavior in Narendra Modi’s 2019 election campaigns

ABSTRACT Modern campaigns increasingly rely on social media to influence voters, with Twitter offering affordances that enable direct communication between politicians and the public. However, scholars remain divided over the effectiveness of engaging ordinary Twitter users for mobilizing support online. This article seeks to address this issue by examining whether endorsements from political elites influence the tweeting behavior of ordinary users. Using a quasi-experimental design, we analyze an original dataset of tweets made by users who were mentioned (N = 27,634; 36.62 million tweets) and not mentioned (N = 27,672; 16.30 million tweets) by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16th March 2019, during his national election campaign. Our analysis reveals that, on average, users mentioned by Modi exhibited a greater increase in tweet activity compared to those not mentioned. However, this surge in activity proved to be only temporary, suggesting that mentions by political elites facilitate immediate mobilization but are not necessarily self-sustaining. Furthermore, no evidence was found of a differential effect based on users’ pre-existing engagement levels. Our findings offer important insights into political leaders’ strategic use of Twitter in campaigns and contribute to the theoretical understanding of Twitter's role in mobilization and interactivity by bringing in diverse perspectives from the Global South.

Study protocol for a single-arm pilot trial investigating the feasibility of a multimodal digital technology for managing metabolic syndrome in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Individuals diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are exposed to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which negatively affects their health outcomes and quality of life. Lifestyle interventions have shown promise in managing MetS. This study outlines the protocol for a web-based multimodal self-care program, Digital Metabolic Rehabilitation, for managing MetS in patients with COPD. The Digital Metabolic Rehabilitation is a single-arm pilot trial that integrates the Canadian Health Advanced by Nutrition and Graded Exercise (CHANGE) Program and a web-based wellness platform. The web-based wellness platform employed in this study is My Viva Plan (MVP)®, which integrates a holistic, multicomponent approach to promote wellness. The intervention will primarily focus on lifestyle changes for patients with COPD. Over 6 months, participants will use the web-based wellness platform and engage in weekly online support group sessions. Fifty patients diagnosed with stage I-II COPD and MetS will participate. Blood tests, anthropometrics, body composition, physical function, muscle strength, physical activity, energy metabolism, quality of life and mental health will be assessed at baseline, 3, and 6 months. The Digital Metabolic Rehabilitation program aims to explore whether a multimodal integrative intervention delivered through a web-based wellness platform can be implemented by patients with COPD with MetS. By combining the expertise of the CHANGE Program with the digital delivery format, the intervention seeks to enhance self-monitoring and foster better self-management practices. The protocol outlines a novel and potentially impactful intervention for managing MetS in patients with COPD.

Adolescents' offline and online social support: A study on latent groups and their relationship with mental health.

The internet has become a common space for adolescents to connect with others and find information. However, it remains unclear whether online encounters can serve as new sources of social support for Chinese adolescents. The present study aimed to identify distinct patterns in Chinese adolescents' social support from both offline and online sources and to examine how these patterns relate to individual and family factors and adolescents' mental health conditions. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 1031 Chinese adolescents (47.1% female, mean age = 13.67) in Foshan, Guangdong province. Latent profile analysis was performed with Mplus. Associations between the identified classes and auxiliary variables were examined with the "R3STEP" procedure and the DCON command in Mplus. We identified four groups. Three groups showed consistent patterns in terms of receiving social support from offline and online sources, namely, the high support group (24.8%), moderate support group (43.8%), and low support group (15.3%), respectively. The fourth group received a moderate level of offline but low level of online support (16%), named the moderate offline-low online support group. The groups differed in individual and family characteristics. Higher support was associated with higher life satisfaction, lower depression, and social anxiety, but also higher problematic internet use. Overall, the moderate offline-low online support group showed better mental health than the other groups. Our study extends social support research by revealing heterogeneity in adolescents' social support patterns. The findings encourage a balanced use of offline and online support.

Motivation for volunteering to provide online suicide prevention services in Israel

The widespread use of the internet has expanded volunteering opportunities, yet motivations driving online volunteers, particularly on suicide prevention hotlines, are not fully understood. This research note based on the multidimensional model of volunteer motivation, analyses data from an online survey of volunteers in Sahar, an Israeli non-profit organisation providing anonymous online support for individuals experiencing emotional distress and suicidal ideation. The research note reveals that the most important motivations of volunteers in online helpline organisations are values, understanding, and enhancement, while career and social motivations are less important and are similar among former and current volunteers. These findings have significant practical and policy implications, aiding organisations in designing effective recruitment and retention strategies for online suicide prevention hotlines.

In Their Own Words: Patient Narratives of Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction.

Breast cancer's global burden prompts a comprehensive understanding of patient experiences surrounding surgical interventions. Social media platforms serve as a new potential avenue for analysis, reflecting patients' coping mechanisms and support-seeking behaviors. This study's objective is to further understand patient experiences regarding breast cancer interventions via social media to improve physician-patient dialogue. A cross-sectional study was conducted of Instagram and TikTok posts surrounding breast cancer surgeries using procedure-related hashtags. Content was categorized to prevalent themes related to Breast-Q foci and was subsequently analyzed. Data from 1,028 individuals were analyzed. Posts encompassed double mastectomy (39%), single mastectomy (22%), and combineddeep inferior epigastric perforator flap, latissimus dorsi flap, and transverse rectus abdominis muscle flapreconstruction (39%). Frequently identified themes included 'Raising Awareness' (86.87%), 'Spreading Positivity' (53.11%), 'Resiliency' (31.03%), 'Online Support' (24.61%), 'Update of Appearance' (20.82%), 'Recovery/Rehab' (19.94%), and 'Scientific Explanation' (19.75%). Instagram posts more likely encompassed positivity (p < 0.001), resiliency (p = 0.001), and mental health (p = 0.011). TikTok posts more likely (p = 0.001) discussed scientific explanations, decision-making, and symptoms (p < 0.001). Preoperative posts more likely (p < 0.001) surrounded scientific explanations, decision-making, and fear. Postoperative posts more likely (p < 0.001) highlighted appearance updates, recovery/rehab, and positivity (p = 0.012). Experiences with mastectomy and reconstruction differed: recovery/rehab (p < 0.001), scientific explanations (p = 0.015), treatment process (p = 0.003), range of motion (p < 0.001), self-esteem (p = 0.017), and wound management (p = 0.008). Concerns of patients online reflect Breast-Q measures. Understanding these nuanced patient discussions can provide novel insights for providers. Tailoring interactions through these insights may facilitate enhanced support, discussions, and experiences throughout the treatment journey. Main Points Social media offers a unique insight into personal patient experiences Online breast surgery patient perspectives reflect Breast-Q measures Outlooks from shared online posts may facilitate physician-patient dialogue LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

DIGITAL LEARNING SUPPORT ELEMENTS IN THE ONLINE TEACHING OF GERMAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

In recent years, pedagogical design and practice have undergone a forced transformation that has brought many innovative methods and tools to the implementation process. The transition to online education has demanded new infrastructural solutions that have temporarily replaced traditional classroom practices. Most teachers seem to have adapted well to these new challenges. Learning support platforms and online teaching elements had to be harnessed by teachers who, in many cases, acquired this knowledge on their own, in awareness of their importance. Our study examines the need for digital learning support elements in primary schools of the German national minority in Hungary. Our research tools comprised an online questionnaire survey conducted in 2022. The goal of our study was to identify the problems that teachers faced in the transition to online teaching during the period of distance learning introduced due to the COVID pandemic in 2020 and since; the forms of support teachers received nationwide; and the measure of success in their work as language teachers. We also looked at the factors that influenced the digital elements being used. Finally, we examined whether teachers are still willing to use online learning support tools when returning to face-to-face teaching.