Social support, online communication, and physiological recovery from stress

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Necka ◽  
Greg J. Norman
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Online Communication

scholarly journals Analyzing the Communication Interchange of Individuals With Disabilities Utilizing Facebook, Discussion Forums, and Chat Rooms: Qualitative Content Analysis of Online Disabilities Support Groups (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nichole E Stetten ◽  
Kelsea LeBeau ◽  
Maria A Aguirre ◽  
Alexis B Vogt ◽  
Jazmine R Quintana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Community Support ◽  
The United States ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Chat Rooms ◽  
Persons With Disabilities

BACKGROUND Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States are currently living with a form of disability. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act has published guidelines to help make developing technology and social networking sites (SNS) more accessible and user-friendly to people with a range of disabilities, persons with disabilities, on average, have less access to the internet than the general population. The quality, content, and medium vary from site to site and have been greatly understudied. Due to this, it is still unclear how persons with disabilities utilize various platforms of online communication for support. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to qualitatively explore and compare the interactions and connections among online support groups across Facebook, discussion forums, and chat rooms to better understand how persons with disabilities were utilizing different SNS to facilitate communication interchange, disseminate information, and foster community support. METHODS Facebook groups, discussion forums, and chat rooms were chosen based on predetermined inclusion criteria. Data collected included content posted on Facebook groups, forums, and chat rooms as well as the interactions among group members. Data were analyzed qualitatively using the constant comparative method. RESULTS A total of 133 Facebook posts, 116 forum posts, and 60 hours of chat room discussions were collected and analyzed. In addition, 4 themes were identified for Facebook posts, 3 for discussion forums, and 3 for chat rooms. Persons with disabilities utilized discussion forums and chat rooms in similar ways, but their interactions on Facebook differed in comparison. They seem to interact on a platform based on the specific functions it offers. CONCLUSIONS Interactions on each of the platforms displayed elements of the 4 types of social support, indicating the ability for social support to be facilitated among SNS; however, the type of social support varied by platform. Findings demonstrate that online support platforms serve specific purposes that may not be interchangeable. Through participation on different platforms, persons with disabilities are able to provide and receive social support in various ways, without the barriers and constraints often experienced by this population.

Well-Being and the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-297
Author(s):  
Ciro Esposito ◽  
Immacolata Di Napoli ◽  
Barbara Agueli ◽  
Leda Marino ◽  
Fortuna Procentese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Community Interactions ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
Trust In Institutions

Abstract. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects through the lens of community psychology. Our study applied PRISMA methodology, and it was carried out using the PsycInfo, PubMed, Embase, and EBSCO databases utilizing the keywords “connectedness,” “resilience,” “shared action,” “social action,” “trust,” “individual well-being,” and “social well-being.” We selected 12 of 216 eligible publications based on the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that the role of trust in institutions and others is a protective factor for communities that experience crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, developing social actions promoted connections and social support and that, in the absence of in-person communication, online communication promoted connections and reduced psychological distress and isolation. Finally, the study revealed that some psychosocial factors stem from declines in people’s well-being due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the role of technology as a positive communication tool for promoting connectedness and social support, as well as the social function of trust in institutions. Our results suggested that community interactions at the local and virtual levels should be viewed as positive actions to support institutions in detecting the most effective social intervention measures to stimulate individual and community well-being during the pandemic. These findings may serve as a guide for health policymakers in their efforts to face the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic supporting beneficial strategies for social planning and effective public policies. Finally, both the strengths and limitations of the research will be discussed in depth.

Staying Online, Staying Connected: Exploring the Effect of Online Chatting on Adolescents’ Psychological Well-being during COVID-19 Quarantine

2022 ◽  
pp. 0044118X2110675
Author(s):  
Yulei Feng ◽  
Qingyan Tong
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Closure ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Communication Effects ◽  
Two Factors

Rooted in scholarship of social connectedness and social support, this research raises the question: Can online chatting help mitigate the negative psychological influence of physical distancing during COVID-19? By a correlational and cross-sectional research design, the current study testified the mediating role of two factors—social connectedness and perceived social support in the relationship between online chatting and three indicators of psychological well-being (happiness, self-esteem, and loneliness) for adolescents. This research demonstrated the potential of online chatting in mitigating the severity of quarantine from the supplementary perspective of online communication effects on adolescents, which provided a further insight into understanding the ways in which adolescents use media during school closure. Possible contingent factors that should be paid special attention to in future researches are discussed.

scholarly journals Analyzing the Communication Interchange of Individuals With Disabilities Utilizing Facebook, Discussion Forums, and Chat Rooms: Qualitative Content Analysis of Online Disabilities Support Groups

10.2196/12667 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. e12667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nichole E Stetten ◽  
Kelsea LeBeau ◽  
Maria A Aguirre ◽  
Alexis B Vogt ◽  
Jazmine R Quintana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Community Support ◽  
The United States ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Chat Rooms ◽  
Persons With Disabilities

Background Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States are currently living with a form of disability. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act has published guidelines to help make developing technology and social networking sites (SNS) more accessible and user-friendly to people with a range of disabilities, persons with disabilities, on average, have less access to the internet than the general population. The quality, content, and medium vary from site to site and have been greatly understudied. Due to this, it is still unclear how persons with disabilities utilize various platforms of online communication for support. Objective The objective of this study was to qualitatively explore and compare the interactions and connections among online support groups across Facebook, discussion forums, and chat rooms to better understand how persons with disabilities were utilizing different SNS to facilitate communication interchange, disseminate information, and foster community support. Methods Facebook groups, discussion forums, and chat rooms were chosen based on predetermined inclusion criteria. Data collected included content posted on Facebook groups, forums, and chat rooms as well as the interactions among group members. Data were analyzed qualitatively using the constant comparative method. Results A total of 133 Facebook posts, 116 forum posts, and 60 hours of chat room discussions were collected and analyzed. In addition, 4 themes were identified for Facebook posts, 3 for discussion forums, and 3 for chat rooms. Persons with disabilities utilized discussion forums and chat rooms in similar ways, but their interactions on Facebook differed in comparison. They seem to interact on a platform based on the specific functions it offers. Conclusions Interactions on each of the platforms displayed elements of the 4 types of social support, indicating the ability for social support to be facilitated among SNS; however, the type of social support varied by platform. Findings demonstrate that online support platforms serve specific purposes that may not be interchangeable. Through participation on different platforms, persons with disabilities are able to provide and receive social support in various ways, without the barriers and constraints often experienced by this population.

scholarly journals Are there also negative effects of social support? A qualitative study of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e022642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Palant ◽  
Wolfgang Himmel
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel

ObjectiveSocial support is considered an important resource in coping with chronic conditions. By conducting a series of interviews with people who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we received the impression that social support in face-to-face or online communication could also be a source of stress and strain. The aim of our study was to better understand and describe possible negative effects of social support.DesignThis is a secondary analysis of narrative interviews. The interviewees were selected using a maximum-variation sampling approach. Grounded theory and the ‘OSOP’ (one sheet of paper) method were applied to categorise those parts of the interviews that touched on the negative effects of social support.SettingThe open-end interview collection took place throughout Germany from September 2011 to June 2012. Most of the participants were interviewed in their homes, some in the Department of General Practice in Göttingen.Participants42 patients with IBD.ResultsTwo interrelated categories emerged: (1) unwanted confrontation and (2) undesirable reactions. The interviewees perceived social support as negative, especially if they felt overwhelmed and/or if they had not asked for it. Consequently, some of our interview partners developed strategies to prevent coming into social contact with others or stopped talking entirely about their disease.ConclusionWhile social support is usually conceptualised and perceived as a positive resource in chronic disease, it sometimes turns into a negative experience and may end in social isolation and deteriorate health. This process also happens in online support groups and increases anxiety when exchanging with other people on the internet. Before motivating ill people to seek contact with others, they should know about the negative effects of social support.

scholarly journals When Social Support Fits into your Luggage: Online Support Seeking and its Effects on the Traditional Study Abroad Experience

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jude Mikal
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Study Abroad ◽  
Acculturative Stress ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Geographic Distance ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Communication Barriers ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Support Seeking

In a study abroad context, the maintenance of dual on and offline personas provides students with the opportunity to demolish communication barriers with the home culture created by geographic distance. Conversely, online communication may help bring down communication barriers created by linguistic and cultural differences, providing students with exciting opportunities for face-to-face social interaction with host nationals. Yet, very little is known about how students are using the Internet in the development or maintenance of social support networks during study abroad. The goal of the present research project is to understand how Internet-mediated support complements, supplements or supplants traditional support seeking and how online support seeking leads to changes in the traditional study abroad experience. In this article,  I will present relevant literature on the subjects of acculturative stress, social coping, and Internet-mediated social support in order to ground the research question and study findings.

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