Abstract
Research indicates that social support predicts better health and mental health. With increases in use of the Internet and social media, the question of online social support has emerged. There is evidence to suggest negative correlations between some outcomes (e.g., higher social media use and poorer self-image; higher distress in social networks and poorer health/mental health). Nevertheless, there appear to be benefits of social support online, like greater access to peer support, health/mental health information, and telehealth/teletherapy. In this study, a bifurcated method was utilized to evaluate the content of posts online about various health and mental health conditions. In addition to inductive, thematic analysis of users’ narratives, a webcrawling program counted specific words as a cross-check. Overall, posts pertained to specific conditions, and those who posted sought or provided information, socio-emotional support, resources/care, personal stories, and more. Some differences emerged in condition-by-condition comparisons, such as whether providers, caregivers, or persons with the disorder were the primary posters and whether desperation or despair emerged as a theme in user narratives. This paper describes the bifurcated method, its limitations and strengths, and some of the data it has yielded.
Presenters
Lauren SeifertProfessor of Psychology and Chair/Coordinator IRB, Counseling and Psychology, Malone University, Ohio, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
The Physiology, Kinesiology and Psychology of Wellness in its Social Context
KEYWORDS
MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY, HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY, INTERNET
