scholarly journals 1399Associations of family wellbeing with face-to-face and instant messaging family communication amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weijie Gong ◽  
Shirley Man Man Sit ◽  
Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai ◽  
Socrates Yongda Wu ◽  
Bonny Yee Man Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Family Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Communication Quality ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Prevalence Estimates ◽  
Communication Methods ◽  
Family Wellbeing

Abstract Background Face-to-face communication has reduced amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the associations between family communication and family wellbeing. Methods In an online survey of the Hong Kong Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project in May 2021, 4981 Hong Kong Chinese adults (mean age 43.5 years, response rate 24.3%) reported family communication methods of face-to-face and instant messaging (IM) when the COVID-19 pandemic was severe (yes/no), communication contents that were neutral, positive, supportive, and negative (yes/no), and communication quality (0-10). The associations of family wellbeing (health, happiness, and harmony, 0-10) with communication methods and contents were examined using linear regression (β), adjusting for each other, sex, age, socioeconomic status, and number of cohabitants. The mediating effects of communication quality on these associations were examined. Prevalence estimates were weighted by sex, age and education of general population. Results 7.1% respondents reported no communication, 12.7% face-to-face only, 26.7% IM only, and 53.4% both. More communication contents were neutral (range 83.1-99.3%) than positive (42.1-62.2%), supportive (37.5-54.8%), and negative (10.9-34.5%). Communication quality was highest in using both methods (6.7 vs 4.5-6.6, all P≤0.02). Better family wellbeing was associated with using IM only (adjusted β: 0.37) and both methods (0.37) than face-to-face only and with positive (0.62) and supportive (0.45) contents (all P≤0.001). Communication quality mediated 35.2-93.5% of these associations. Conclusions Better family wellbeing was associated with IM and face-to-face communication and their contents, partly through communication quality. Key messages Family IM communication with positive and supportive contents may enhance family wellbeing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Family E-Chat Group Use Was Associated with Family Wellbeing and Personal Happiness in Hong Kong Adults Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 9139
Author(s):  
Wei-Jie Gong ◽  
Bonny Yee-Man Wong ◽  
Sai-Yin Ho ◽  
Agnes Yuen-Kwan Lai ◽  
Sheng-Zhi Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Older People ◽  
Family Communication ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Communication Quality ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Voice Calls ◽  
Family Wellbeing

Instant messaging (IM) is increasingly used for family communication amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. However, evidence remains scarce on how family e-chat groups were used and their associations with family and individual wellbeing amidst the pandemic. The numbers of family e-chat groups, functions used, and messages sent and received daily in groups were reported by 4890 adults in May 2020, and their associations with family wellbeing and personal happiness and the mediation effect of family communication quality were examined. Results showed that sending/receiving text messages was most commonly used, followed by receiving/sending photos/pictures, making voice calls, receiving/sending short videos and voice messages, and making video calls. Women and older people used more non-text functions. Higher levels of family wellbeing and personal happiness were associated with having more groups, receiving/sending photos/pictures, video calls, more IM functions used, and more IM messages received/sent daily. Forty-six point two to seventy-five point five percent of their associations with more groups and more functions used were mediated by family communication quality. People having more family e-chat groups and using more IM functions may be more resilient amidst the pandemic, while those without or with low use of family e-chat groups amidst the pandemic would need more attention and assistance in the presence of social distancing.

Family e-chat group use was associated with family well-being and personal happiness in Hong Kong adults amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cross-sectional study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Jie Gong ◽  
Bonny Yee Man Wong ◽  
Sai Yin Ho ◽  
Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai ◽  
Shengzhi Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Family Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Communication Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Voice Calls

BACKGROUND Family e-chat groups are commonly used, but little is known about its associations with family and individual well-being amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE Under the Hong Kong Jockey Club SMART Family-Link project, we examined the associations of family e-chat group use amidst the COVID-19 pandemic with family well-being and personal happiness, and the mediating effects of family communication quality on these associations. METHODS A territory-wide self-administered online survey was conducted in May 2020 on Chinese adults in Hong Kong. Respondents reported the number of family e-chat groups (0, 1, 2, ≥3), the instant messaging (IM) functions used (receiving/sending text messages, photos/pictures, short videos, voice messages, making voice calls and video calls), and the average numbers of IM messages sent and received daily (<1, 1-2, 3-10, 11-20, >20) in family e-chat groups. Prevalence was weighted by sex, age, and education of the general population. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for IM function use by demographics were calculated. Adjusted β for family well-being (health, harmony, and happiness), and personal happiness (all scale 0-10, higher scores indicate better outcomes) by number of family e-chat groups and IM function use were calculated, and the mediation effect of family communication quality on these associations examined. RESULTS Of 4890 respondents, 4046 (82.7%) had ≥1 family e-chat group. Sending/receiving text messages was most commonly used (weighted prevalence: 78.4%), followed by receiving/sending photos/pictures (76.5%), making voice calls (46.2%), receiving/sending short videos (37.2%) and voice messages (13.8%), and making video calls (8.2%). Women and older age were associated with having more groups (aPRs: 1.04-1.22, all P≤.03) and non-text function use (aPRs: 1.10-3.10, P≤.02). Better family well-being was associated with having more groups (β: 0.23-0.77), receiving/sending photos/pictures (β: 0.33), voice calls (β: 0.18), video calls (β: 0.45), more IM functions used (β: 0.43-0.51), and more IM messages received/sent daily (β: 0.38-0.54) (all P≤.01). Higher personal happiness was associated with having more groups (β: 0.30-0.72), receiving/sending photos/pictures (β: 0.30), video calls (β: 0.32), more IM functions use (β: 0.36-0.42) and more IM messages received/sent daily (β: 0.42-0.67) (all P≤.01). Family communication quality mediated the associations of more groups and more IM functions used with family well-being (mediated proportions: 75.5% and 69.5%, respectively) and personal happiness (mediated proportions: 66.4% and 46.2%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study showing that, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, having more family e-chat groups and using more IM functions including sending/receiving photos/pictures and making video calls in family e-chat groups, were associated with better family well-being and personal happiness, and about half to three-quarters of these associations were mediated by family communication quality. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the associations. People without or with low use of family e-chat groups would need more attention and assistance.

scholarly journals Use of Mobile Instant Messaging Chat Group is Associated with Family Functioning and Well-Being in Chinese Adults in Hong Kong (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengzhi Zhao ◽  
Tzu Tsun Luk ◽  
Ningyuan Guo ◽  
Man Ping Wang ◽  
Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Family Functioning ◽  
Family Communication ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Scale Family ◽  
The Family

BACKGROUND Convenient and quality family communication improves family functioning and well-being. Using mobile instant messaging (IM) for family communication is increasingly popular but its association with family functioning and family well-being has not been reported. OBJECTIVE To examine the association of the use of family IM chat groups with family functioning and well-being and the mediating effect of family communication quality among Chinese adults in Hong Kong. METHODS We analyzed data from the Family and Health Information Trend Survey (FHInTS), a territory-wide, probability-based telephone survey conducted in 2017. The quality of family communication, family functioning and well-being were assessed by using the Family Communication Scale, Family APGAR (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve) and Family Well-being Scale (family heath, harmony, and happiness), respectively. Respondents also reported the number of family IM chat groups (0, 1, 2, ≥3), the number of IM messages received (<1, 1-2, 3-10, 11-20, >20) and sent (<1, 1-2, 3-10, 11-20, >20) daily. Frequency of family IM chat interaction (ranged from 0 to 10) was calculated by combining the variable of the number of messages received and the number of messages sent in the family IM chat groups daily. Data were weighted by sex, age, and education of the general population. Adjusted beta-coefficient (β) of family functioning and well-being in relation to having family IM chat group, and messages received and sent. The mediation effect of family communication on these associations were assessed controlling for demographics. RESULTS A random sample of 1638 Chinese adult (mean ± SD age: 56.4±19.2, male: 45.6%) were interviewed (response rate: 74.4%). Female, younger age, being married or cohabiting, higher education, higher income, better family functioning and well-being were associated with having at least one family IM chat group (all P <.01). Higher scores of family communication, family APGAR and family well-being were associated with having more family IM chat groups and more messages received from and sent to family IM chat groups daily (β ranged 0.25 to 6.77, all P for trend ≤ 0.001). More frequent family IM chat interaction was associated with higher score of family communication, family APGAR and family well-being (all P for trend < 0.001). Effect of family IM chat interaction on family functioning and well-being were moderately (53.1-67.5%) mediated by family communication. CONCLUSIONS The use of family IM chat group was associated with higher family functioning and well-being, and the association was partially mediated by family communication.

scholarly journals Sharing humour digitally in family communication

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Anastasiya Fiadotava
Keyword(s):  
Family Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Context Analysis ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Patterns Of Communication

This paper offers a folkloristic perspective on the features and dynamics of sharing humorous content digitally within a family in the context of daily communication. The data, collected from 60 Belarusian families via oral interviews and an online survey (175 respondents), were subjected to quantitative and qualitative content and context analysis. The results suggest that sharing humour digitally within a family can take various forms, some of which parallel oral face-to-face interactions, while others complement them. The most preferable ways of sharing are those that ensure the privacy of conversation, thus providing family members with an opportunity to follow the customary patterns of communication while adapting them to the new spatiotemporal circumstances. Even though the process of selecting humorous content to share with one’s family does not necessarily involve conscious reflection on the sharer’s part, some tendencies clearly transpire from the data. For example, visual and generic forms of humour are more popular than textual and personal ones. Sharing such humour presupposes certain considerations about its recipients, thus making the fact that one’s audience is their family an important consideration in the practice of digital sharing.

scholarly journals Beyond the Classroom Walls: The Case of Israeli Youths’ Sense of Group Climate in Online and Offline Educational Environments

KOME ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol Online first ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Noam Lapidot-Lefler ◽  
Michal Dolev-Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Classroom Climate ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Group Climate ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
School Counsellors ◽  
Educational Environments ◽  
Homeroom Teachers ◽  
Shed Light

The study examined Israeli youths’ sense of group climate in online and offline educational settings, i.e., in Instant Messaging (IM) groups organized by homeroom teachers for their respective students and in the physical classroom environment. Participants included 550 students (152 boys, 398 girls), of ages 10-18, who completed an online survey. The findings reveal that the students perceived the classroom climate to be more positive than that of the IM group in which the homeroom teacher is present. Furthermore, the more positive the perceived face-to-face (FtF) classroom climate was, the more positive the perceived IM group climate. In addition, when both class and IM group climates were perceived to be highly positive, a sense of non-violence among the participants was found to be the highest. These findings shed light on the unique phenomena of homeroom teachers who participate with their students in IM groups. Based on the findings, implications for educators and school counsellors are discussed.

scholarly journals Use and misuse of instant messaging in clinical data sharing: the EHRA-SMS survey

EP Europace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Guerra ◽  
Dominik Linz ◽  
Rodrigue Garcia ◽  
Varvara Kommata ◽  
Jedrzej Kosiuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Sharing ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
General Data Protection Regulation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
General Data

AbstractInstant messaging (IM) enables medical professionals to quickly share clinical data to their peers for counselling. Purpose of this survey is to assess the habits related to IM, their application in clinical practice and the perceived pros and cons. An online survey was distributed to the medical community via newsletters, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. The survey consisted of 22 questions made on an individual-basis and collected anonymously on SurveyMonkey. A total of 287 subjects from 33 countries responded to the survey (mean age 43 years, 74.8% male). Of all respondents, 88.3% routinely send and 90.3% receive clinical data through IM which was second only to face-to-face contact as the preferred method for sharing clinical data. Twelve-lead electrocardiograms (88.6%), medical history (61.4%), and echo loops (55.7%) were the data shared most often. Nearly half of the clinical data that are sent (43%) or received (44%) are not anonymized. In the same way, 29.3% of the respondents were not aware of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) at the time of the survey. IM apps are used by medical professionals worldwide to share and discuss clinical data and are preferred to many other methods of data sharing, being second only to face-to-face contact. IM are often used to share many different types of clinical data, being perceived as a fast and easy way of communication. Medical professionals should be aware of the appropriate use of IM to prevent legal and privacy issues.

scholarly journals The use of instant messaging in clinical data sharing: the EHRA SMS survey

EP Europace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
F Guerra ◽  
D Linz ◽  
R Garcia ◽  
B Kommata ◽  
J Kosiuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Sharing ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
General Data Protection Regulation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Privacy Issues

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Nowadays, instant messaging (IM) provides fast and widespread communication. These platforms and apps enable the physicians to quickly share and send clinical data to their peers, to send information to their patients regarding their illnesses and to be reached for counselling and advise. Nevertheless, the use of IM has never been assessed in the cardiology community up until now. Purpose To assess the habits of cardiologists related to modern communication tools, their primary and secondary uses in clinical practice and the potential differences and preferences between different media in terms of ease of access, usefulness and trustworthiness. Methods An online survey was promoted by the EHRA e-Communication Committee and the EHRA Scientific Initiative Committee during the ESC Digital Health Week. All cardiologists were invited to participate via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other dedicated channels. The survey consisted of 22 questions and was made anonymous. The questions were made on an individual-basis and collected on SurveyMonkey. Results 287 physicians from 33 countries responded to the survey. The mean age of the respondents was 43.4 ± 11.5 years, and 74.8% of them were male. 88.3% of all respondents routinely sends and 90.3% receives clinical data through IM. IM is used at least once a week (36.4%) or even once or more a day (40.4%) for sharing clinical data. WhatsApp is the most used IM app to share clinical data (79.4%). On a scale of 1 to 5, IM was second only to face-to-face contact (average 4.46) as the preferred method for sharing clinical data (average 3.69) and was considered better than phone calls (average 3.34) and e-mails (average 3.21). Twelve-lead ECGs (88.6%), medical history (61.4%) and echo loops (55.7%) are the data shared most often. Among potential pros of IM, the respondents listed being a fast way of communication (82.0%) and making it easy to contact colleagues (76.7%), while privacy issues regarding IM apps providers (62.7%) and other colleagues (45.6%) were commonly perceived as drawbacks. Only 57.4% of all respondents anonymize clinical data before sharing them through IM, and only 44.0% of the data received are reported to be anonymized. Of note, 29.3% of the respondents were not aware of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on data protection at the time of the survey, and 29.8% do not know if their institution has a specific policy regarding the use of IM for professional use. Conclusions IM apps are used by cardiologists worldwide to share and discuss clinical data and are preferred to many other methods of data sharing, being second only to face-to-face contact. IM are often used and to share many different types of clinical data, being perceived as a fast and easy way of communication. Cardiologists should be sensitised to appropriate use of IM in accordance to GDPR and local policies in order to prevent legal and privacy issues.

Social anxiety is associated with similar emotional impairments during digital and face-to-face communication in daily life

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Doorley ◽  
Kristina Volgenau ◽  
Kerry Kelso ◽  
Todd Barrett Kashdan ◽  
Alexander J. Shackman
Keyword(s):  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Digital Communication ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Medium Study ◽  
Reconstruction Method ◽  
Communication Behaviors ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Emotional Impairments ◽  
Emotional Safety

Background:Retrospective studies have found that people with elevated social anxiety (SA) show a preference for digital/online communication, which may be due to perceptions of enhanced emotional safety. Whether these preferences for/benefits of digital compared to face-to-face communication manifest in the real world has yet to be explored. Methods: We recruited samples of college students (N = 125) and community adults (N = 303) with varying levels of SA, sampled their emotions during digital and face-to-face communication using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) (Study 1) and a day reconstruction method (DRM) (Study 2), and preregistered our hypotheses (https://osf.io/e4y7x/). Results: Results from both studies showed that SA did not predict the likelihood of engaging in digital compared to face-to-face communication, and SA was associated with less positive and more negative emotions regardless of communication medium. Study 2 also showed that whether digital communication was synchronous (e.g., in real time via phone/video chat) or asynchronous (e.g., texting/instant messaging) did not impact the association between SA and emotions. Limitations: EMA and DRM methods, despite their many advantages, may be suboptimal for assessing the occurrence of digital communication behaviors relative to more objective methods (e.g., passively collecting smartphone communication data). Using event-contingent responding may have also yielded more reports of digital communication, thus strengthening our power to detect small, cross-level interaction effects. Conclusions:These results challenge beliefs that digital/online communication provides a source of emotional safety for people with elevated SA and suggests a greater need to address SA-related emotional impairments across digital communication platforms.

scholarly journals A Better Learning Community: Mixed-Methods Reveal Medical Student Preferences with Implications for Learning Community Design and Implementation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 238212052110148
Author(s):  
Jasna Vuk ◽  
Steven McKee ◽  
Sara Tariq ◽  
Priya Mendiratta
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Free Form ◽  
University Of Arkansas ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Personal Support ◽  
School Learning ◽  
The University

Background: Medical school learning communities benefit students. The College of Medicine (COM) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) provides medical students with academic, professional, and personal support through a learning community (LC) made of 7 academic houses. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the academic house model at UAMS utilizing a mixed-methods survey. The aims were to: (1) assess student experience and satisfaction with academic houses, (2) describe the realms of advising and guidance, and (3) identify areas for improvement. Method: An online survey was assigned to 723 COM students (all students enrolled, first through fourth years) at UAMS in March 2019. The survey was comprised of 25 items (10 multiple-choice, 8 on the Likert scale, and 7 open-ended questions). Data was depicted using frequency and percentages and/or thematic review of free-form responses. Results: The survey response rate was 31% (227 students). The majority of students responding (132, 58.1%) attended 2 or more face-to-face meetings with the faculty advisor within the preceding year. However, 27 (11.9%) students did not have any meetings. Approximately two-thirds of the respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the guidance and direction provided by their advisors [very satisfied (n = 83; 36.6%); satisfied (n = 77; 33.9%)]. Themes that emerged from student generated areas for improvement include time constraints, advisor/advisee interest mismatch, and perceived inadequacy of advising content/connections. Conclusions: This study confirms the effectiveness of the LC model for advising and mentoring in the COM at UAMS. Uniquely, this study identifies not only learners’ satisfaction with their LC but also highlights areas for improvement which are widely generalizable and important to consider for institutions with or planning to start an LC.

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