Factors Related to Perceived Helpfulness in Supporting Highly Distressed Individuals through an Online Support Chat

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the contribution made by dimensions of session-impact factors (depth and smoothness), end-of-session factors of client's mood (positivity and emotional arousal), and several textual variables (use of positive and negative emotional words; helper's and client's writing lengths) to perceived helpfulness of emotional support conversations carried on by trained, paraprofessional helpers through an Internet chat with highly distressed individuals. Two studies were conducted at an Israeli, exclusively online emotional support service for suicidal and highly distressed people who have undergone various negative experiences (SAHAR). Study 1 compared 40 chat conversations deliberately indicated by clients as having been helpful at the termination stage of session with 40 other conversations, using expert judgments of session-impact factors, as well as objective word counts for textual variables. Study 2 examined correlations between helpers' evaluation of the sessions' helpfulness to clients in 60 (other) chat support conversations and session-impact factors and textual variables. The findings of Study 1 showed that all four impact factors significantly differentiated between helpful and other conversations, while textual variables did not. In Study 2, the results showed that all four session-impact factors positively correlated with session helpfulness, yielding multiple R = 0.54, as well as the length of helper's and client's writing. The implications of these studies are similar to offline counseling sessions: deep, smooth conversations that yield positive responses and arouse clients' emotions in online support are more helpful than shallow, bumping conversations that leave clients emotionally indifferent. Longer writing, by both helpers and clients, seems to be an important factor, as well.

Defining Internet-Supported Therapeutic Interventions

“…In terms of process and contrary to common myths [42], most studies showed that close, empathic, warm, and allied therapeutic relationships can be created and maintained online through various types of technologies. Barak and Bloch [60] and Reynolds, Stiles, and Grohol [61] showed, for instance, that online counseling sessions have a substantial impact on clients. Lewis, Coursol, and Wahl [62] found that both clients and counselors engaging in online therapy go through many experiences that are similar to face-to-face counseling (besides some unique experiences, too).…”

Developments in Technology-Delivered Psychological Interventions

“…: Barak & Bloch, 2006;Barak, Hen, Boniel-Nissim & Shapira, 2008;Cook & Doyle, 2002;Day & Schneider, 2002;Efstathiou, 2009;Hanley, 2009;Knaevelsrud & Maercker, 2006;Leibert, Archer, Munson & York, 2006;Richards, 2009). …”

iDisclose: Applications of Privacy Management Theory to Children, Adolescents and Emerging Adults

“…Research has shown how both gender (Punyanunt-Carter 2006 ) and culture (Chen 1992 ;Durand 2010 ) can regulate online self-disclosure. Compared to self-disclosure in offl ine environments, online self-disclosure occurs quicker and at a deeper level (Barak and Bloch 2006 ;McCoyd and Kerson 2006 ). Currently, a unifi ed theory explaining online self-disclosure is absent (Nguyen et al 2012 ) and a framework for understanding online privacy management strategies is lacking as well (Child and Petronio 2011 ).…”