Investigating The Benefits of Online Running Groups On The Well-Being of Their Female Running Members
Abstract BackgroundOnline running communities are becoming increasingly prevalent within social media, and many groups have been exclusively established for female runners. The aim of this study was to investigate the wellbeing benefits and limitations of using Facebook running groups among women. MethodologyThe research design was a quantitative online survey. This survey was completed by 349 adult members of Facebook running groups for women. The online survey consisted of a validated scale, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), to calculate individual wellbeing scores. Data were analysed using SPSS, conducting descriptives, frequencies and correlations tests. ResultsThe results showed that 14% of participants’ scores indicated a high level of wellbeing, 66% had a wellbeing score in the moderate range and 21% of participants scored in the range of low-level wellbeing. Participants specified how they perceived women’s running Facebook groups to benefit or limit areas of wellbeing. Responses indicated perceived benefits to sense of optimism, interest in other people and sense of feeling good about themselves. There were negligible perceived wellbeing limitations. Members who had been running for the longest reported to engage more frequently with the groups, which may suggest their identities as runners have strengthened over time. ConclusionOverall, this study clearly found that women’s running Facebook groups can provide wellbeing benefits for their members.