Online Support Group Participation and Social Support: Incorporating Identification and Interpersonal Bonds

Zhu, Yaguang; Stephens, Keri K.

doi:10.1177/1046496419861743

Cited by 19 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Social networks and virtual communities increase social support by connecting together people who share a common condition, such as fighting a similar disease [13], allowing such people to find both emotional and informative support by sharing their experience and receiving feedback from people similar to them [14]. Within these frameworks, different forms of communication emerge [15]: on one side sharing past experiences allows users to identify with other members of the community and to be part of a group [16]. On the other side, this form of communication allows the creation of interpersonal bonds with other members [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Community-Based Activity Center to Promote Social Engagement and Counteract Decline of Elders Living Independently

Luperto

Basilico

Vuono

et al. 2021

AIxIA 2020 – Advances in Artificial Intelligence

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Global ageing of the population is deeply affecting the everyday lives of the frailest, by exposing them to increasing isolation and loneliness that, in turn, can cause or accelerate cognitive decline. The use of digital technologies and, in particular, social networks can be an effective tool to mitigate this phenomenon, by helping older age people to stay connected and be stimulated in the cognitive and physical sphere. In this work, we present a platform called Community-Based Activity Center (CBAC) a central tool developed within the scope of the European project Movecare, an effort to leverage intelligent Ambient-Assisted Living technologies to promote active well-being for the elderly. CBAC conveys cross-domain stimulation in the cognitive, physical, and social scopes by providing a virtual community where different types of activities can be carried out alone or together with caregivers, members of the family, friends, and peers. We followed a modular approach, developing a flexible platform that be integrated with AI-based recommendations and that allows for transparent monitoring. The effectiveness of our platform has been extensively tested in a preliminary usability test and in a pilot experimental campaign that involved 25 selected seniors on a time span of 10 weeks.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Community-Based Activity Center to Promote Social Engagement and Counteract Decline of Elders Living Independently

Luperto

Basilico

Vuono

et al. 2021

AIxIA 2020 – Advances in Artificial Intelligence

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“…Online group members can gain social capital from just reading the content (Merry & Simon, 2012), but it seems that in order to receive meaningful social support from the online group, one has to participate actively . In fact, participation in online support groups is positively related to perceived social support through identification and interpersonal bonds (Zhu & Stephens, 2019). Individuals who discovered their true selves online were thinking of the evolving relationships in the online community as important to their identity (Bargh et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Underlying Engagement in Facebook Support Groups of Female Infertility Patients

Gazit

Amichai‐Hamburger

2020

Psychol Rep

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Women dealing with infertility issues may well undergo a long process of treatments and they are also likely to feel empty, defective, inadequate and worthless. Some of these women join online support groups in order to share their experiences, get information and ease their pain. One important positive phenomenon of the Internet is the advent of online support groups. These are designed to foster well-being and increased social interaction, and to offer 24/7 availability with no geographical restrictions. This study, comprising 191 female participants who answered an online survey, focused on closed Facebook support groups, the members of which were women undergoing treatments for infertility. The study examined to what extent the degree of engagement by these women in online support groups could be predicted by external factors (family status, social and family support, the importance of the group and the duration of membership) and internal factors (extroversion, openness to experience, subjective happiness and loneliness). Findings show that higher levels of engagement in such Facebook support groups are predicted by the external factors, including having a child, longer duration of membership in the group, family support and the strongest predictor, perception of the group as important. Findings also show that higher levels of engagement in these groups are predicted by internal factors extroversion and openness to experience, as was found in previous studies of other populations. Results and future research are discussed.

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“…In analysis of a cancer-related forum, there were clear self-appointed authorities who see their role as giving advice and have ways to communicate their authority, competence and trustworthiness (Elizabeth Sillence, 2010). Participation in the forums also depends on both the interpersonal bonds with members as well as identification with the community, with one qualitative study showing the latter to have a stronger effect on participation in the online health support network and perceptions of social support (Zhu & Stephens, 2019). For more on factors that increase trust in online websites and forums, see foundational work by Sillence (E. Sillence et al, 2006Sillence et al, , 2007.…”

Section: Source: Peer Vs Authority Vs Algorithmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effective ways to combat online medical and scientific misinformation: A hermeneutic narrative review and analysis

Scales¹,

Gorman²,

Leff³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Scientific and medical misinformation is proliferating and undermining public health efforts. To promote changes in behavior more in line with scientific consensus it is urgent that we understand the most effective ways to combat online misinformation. In this review, we undertook a hermeneutic narrative framework to iteratively examine the evidence for different ways to combat medical and scientific misinformation online. After reviewing common descriptions and definitions along the spectrum of misinformation, we examine the mostly regulatory and technological efforts to constrain the supply/distribution of misinformation. Next, we describe research focused on the information consumer, including inoculation, warnings and efforts to promote critical thinking and media literacy. Next, in examining the vast literature on debunking, refutations and rebuttals, we note the myriad factors that affect the persistence or displacement of information after a corrective message, including the topic, framing, source, audience and overall context in which the message is received. We note that each of these methods to combat misinformation online has had success in particular contexts and support efforts suggesting multipronged solutions. Finally, we discuss how the complex nature of the misinformation problem poses challenges to reductionist empirical studies. We suggest some alternative frameworks drawing from complex problems in medicine and public health research.

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Online Support Group Participation and Social Support: Incorporating Identification and Interpersonal Bonds

Cited by 19 publications

References 79 publications

A Community-Based Activity Center to Promote Social Engagement and Counteract Decline of Elders Living Independently

A Community-Based Activity Center to Promote Social Engagement and Counteract Decline of Elders Living Independently

Factors Underlying Engagement in Facebook Support Groups of Female Infertility Patients

Effective ways to combat online medical and scientific misinformation: A hermeneutic narrative review and analysis

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