scholarly journals “So Much of This Story Could Be Me”: Men’s Use of Support in Online Infertility Discussion Boards

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 663-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremie Richard ◽  
Icoquih Badillo-Amberg ◽  
Phyllis Zelkowitz
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Discussion Boards ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Appraisal Support ◽  
The World ◽  
Fertility Problems ◽  
Similar Experience

Past research has suggested that social support can reduce the negative psychological consequences associated with infertility. Online discussion boards (ODBs) appear to be a novel and valuable venue for men with fertility problems to acquire support from similar others. Research has not employed a social support framework to classify the types of support men are offered and receive. Using template, content, and thematic analysis, this study sought to identify what types of social support men seek and receive on online infertility discussion boards while exploring how men having fertility problems use appraisal support to assist other men. One hundred and ninety-nine unique users were identified on two online infertility discussion boards. Four types of social support (appraisal, emotional, informational, and instrumental) were evident on ODBs, with appraisal support (36%) being used most often to support other men. Within appraisal support, five themes were identified that showed how men communicate this type of support to assist other men: “At the end of the day, we’re all emotionally exhausted”; “So much of this could be me, infertility happens more than you think”; “I’ve also felt like the worst husband in the world”; “It’s just something that nobody ever talks about so it’s really shocking to hear”; “I say this as a man, you’re typing my thoughts exactly.” These findings confirm how ODBs can be used as a potential medium to expand one’s social network and acquire support from people who have had a similar experience.

A Thematic Analysis of Online Discussion Boards for Brachial Plexus Injury

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 813-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie T. Morris ◽  
Aaron Daluiski ◽  
Christopher J. Dy
Keyword(s):  
Brachial Plexus ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Brachial Plexus Injury ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Discussion Boards

scholarly journals User Experiences of Social Support From Companion Chatbots in Everyday Contexts: Thematic Analysis

10.2196/16235 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. e16235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian Ta ◽  
Caroline Griffith ◽  
Carolynn Boatfield ◽  
Xinyu Wang ◽  
Maria Civitello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Artificial Agents ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Appraisal Support ◽  
Tangible Support ◽  
Promising Source ◽  
Insight Into

Background Previous research suggests that artificial agents may be a promising source of social support for humans. However, the bulk of this research has been conducted in the context of social support interventions that specifically address stressful situations or health improvements. Little research has examined social support received from artificial agents in everyday contexts. Objective Considering that social support manifests in not only crises but also everyday situations and that everyday social support forms the basis of support received during more stressful events, we aimed to investigate the types of everyday social support that can be received from artificial agents. Methods In Study 1, we examined publicly available user reviews (N=1854) of Replika, a popular companion chatbot. In Study 2, a sample (n=66) of Replika users provided detailed open-ended responses regarding their experiences of using Replika. We conducted thematic analysis on both datasets to gain insight into the kind of everyday social support that users receive through interactions with Replika. Results Replika provides some level of companionship that can help curtail loneliness, provide a “safe space” in which users can discuss any topic without the fear of judgment or retaliation, increase positive affect through uplifting and nurturing messages, and provide helpful information/advice when normal sources of informational support are not available. Conclusions Artificial agents may be a promising source of everyday social support, particularly companionship, emotional, informational, and appraisal support, but not as tangible support. Future studies are needed to determine who might benefit from these types of everyday social support the most and why. These results could potentially be used to help address global health issues or other crises early on in everyday situations before they potentially manifest into larger issues.

scholarly journals Blogging about sexual assault: a thematic analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Fawcett ◽  
Lalita Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Helping Others ◽  
Need For Support ◽  
Similar Experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of blogging (writing online weblogs) in facilitating healing following sexual assault. Design/methodology/approach – To explore how blog writing may facilitate healing and recovery, 30 blog posts written by survivors of sexual assault were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings – The analysis revealed three themes: the aftermath of abuse, the need for support and helping others. In accordance with past research, bloggers frequently did not receive the supportive reaction to a face-to-face disclosure that they desired. Instead, blogging provided a safe environment in which victims could deal with the ongoing challenge of coping with, and recovering from the abuse. Moreover, blogging enabled victims to use their negative experience to educate and support others going through a similar experience, therefore allowing the bloggers to achieve some positive growth. Practical implications – The results suggest that blogging and reading blogs may be beneficial to victims of sexual assault. Therefore, the findings support the recommendation of blogging by professionals working with victims of sexual assault. Originality/value – The study presents the first analysis of blogs written by victims of sexual assault to facilitate their healing.

CASE STUDY OF ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARD USE IN AN ENGINEERING EDUCATION GRADUATE COURSE

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Davidson ◽  
Lisa Romkey ◽  
Allison Van Beek
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Discussion Board ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
Discussion Boards ◽  
Graduate Course ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Online Discussion Board

Due to the increasing prevalence of asynchronous learning platforms, the development and implementation of online discussion boards have become important considerations in the design of post-secondary learning environments. This research is conducted as a case study of the online discussion board use in a small engineering education graduate course, consisting of in-class and online discussion components. By varying the structure of the online discussion board to allow different types of student interaction, the study identifies trends in discussion board use, specifically pertaining to student participation, student collaboration, and the integration between in-class and online discussions. As a result, the study provides insight into the utility and limitations of online discussion boards in post-secondary courses.  

“Doing Hope”: Ecofeminist Spirituality Provides Emotional Sustenance to Confront the Climate Crisis

Affilia ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 088610992098724
Author(s):  
Finn McLafferty Bell ◽  
Mary Kate Dennis ◽  
Glory Brar
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Environmental Stewardship ◽  
Catholic Sisters ◽  
The World ◽  
Right Relationship ◽  
Environmental Work ◽  
Climate Crisis

Environmental crises caused by our changing global environment evoke intense and difficult emotions, particularly the paralysis that often results from despair. Understanding how people who are deeply engaged in environmental activism deal with their emotions can help in emotionally equipping people to address the climate crisis. Ecofeminist spirituality directly addresses these issues through an environmental stewardship that offers hope and healing for the world. This study includes 14 interviews with workers at an ecojustice center founded by an order of Catholic sisters in the United States. We used thematic analysis to identify three main themes that collectively describe the participants’ perspectives on (a) experiences of difficult feelings, (b) strategies for coping with those feelings, and (c) perspectives on cultivating hope. Participants shared how they were able to cope with difficult emotions and cultivate hope that the work they are doing matters, which was essential to sustaining their ecojustice work. As social workers respond to the changing environment, understanding how to sustain environmental work at the macro-level is essential to addressing largescale problems while also attending to difficult emotions at the microlevel. Further implications for social work practice include the importance of intergenerational organizing, living in “right relationship,” incorporating spirituality, and reinhabiting the profession.

scholarly journals Measuring supports from learning assistants that promote engagement in active learning: evaluating a novel social support instrument

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dania Hernandez ◽  
Gema Jacomino ◽  
Uma Swamy ◽  
Krista Donis ◽  
Sarah L. Eddy
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Supports ◽  
Informational Support ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Appraisal Support ◽  
Instrument Measuring ◽  
Support Students

Abstract Background Active learning supports student performance, but can be challenging to implement in large courses. The Learning Assistant (LA) Program is a growing intervention to support students in large active learning classrooms. This program places advanced undergraduates who have training in pedagogical methods in active learning classrooms to interact with and support students during in-class activities. LAs increase student performance, but the mechanism behind this is still unclear. Social support is a promising framework to help elucidate the types and extent of assistance LAs provide to students and begin exploring the “how” behind LAs effectiveness. The aim of this study was to develop an instrument measuring undergraduate students’ perceptions of the social supports for active learning available to them in the classroom. This instrument was based on both the broader social support literature and the literature on what factors encourage students to engage deeply in active learning. To provide initial evidence of validity, the instrument was completed in six sections of General Chemistry I at one R1 university. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to determine the internal structure of the instrument. Then the instrument’s relationship to engagement in active learning was evaluated as another form of validity evidence. Results These analyses best supported a three-factor instrument that included five items representing supportive feedback provided during active learning (appraisal support), eight items representing emotional support during active learning, and six items representing the communications of norms and values related to active learning (informational support). All three factors were individually correlated with three measures of engagement. In regression analyses with all three factors measured together, only informational support predicted changes in two of the three measures of engagement. Conclusions This study supports the use of the Perception of Social Supports for Active Learning (PSSALI) instrument to understand students’ perceptions of the supports they are receiving to engage in active learning in chemistry courses. One implication of this work is that in order to increase engagement, learning assistants should clearly communicate the value of active learning and the classroom norm of active participation.

scholarly journals ‘I was really, really shocked’: A sociological exploration of the transition experiences of English Youth Academy male footballers from school to work

2021 ◽  
pp. 101269022110054
Author(s):  
Nicola Hague ◽  
Graeme Law
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
School To Work ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Professional Career ◽  
Professional Experiences ◽  
Transitional Experiences ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Types

The world of football arguably brings together and unites people in support of their teams and countries, while inspiring young children and adolescents to dream of a professional career. Existing research in the field has sought to begin to understand what professional footballers experience on their journey through the game. However, much of this UK-based research has focused on first team players and their professional experiences, including transitions from youth team to first team and to retirement. This study, therefore, aimed to examine players during their youth academy scholarship at one English Championship club. This study focused on the transitional experiences of youth players from school to the academy and their resulting embodying of a footballer’s identity. Twelve semi-structured interviews with players aged 17–19, were conducted and then analysed by thematic analysis using figurational sociology concepts. Three different types of transition were identified. Among other reasons, early specialisation in football was a prevalent factor that partly influenced the way the players experienced their transition. The transition into the academy coincided with the transition from youth to adulthood that was arguably anything but linear as players managed the dominant sub-cultures present in the club.

scholarly journals Education and social support: do migrants benefit as much as natives?

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Brandt ◽  
Kyra Selina Hagge
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Support Providers ◽  
Appraisal Support ◽  
Migration Experiences ◽  
To Receive

Abstract Education and having access to social support play a vital role in the human life. Integrated and better-educated people demonstrate an increased personal health and well-being. Social isolation, on the contrary, can affect not only the personal development, but also pertains to society. These topics are especially relevant in the current migration debate. Our paper examines the link between schooling and the individuals’ probability to receive different types of social support, in particular emotional, instrumental, informational, and appraisal support. Using logit and ordinal logit regressions on cross-sectional micro-data provided by the SOEP, we distinguish between two subgroups, the native population and people who migrated to Germany. Our findings confirm that higher levels of education increase the probability to access social support as well as the number of support providers in the network. Migrants are disadvantaged when it comes to the access of social support. However, our results suggest no significant negative returns to education for people with migration experiences.

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