scholarly journals Exploring the Therapeutic Affordances of Self-Harm Online Support Communities: An Online Survey of Members

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. e44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil S Coulson ◽  
Emma Bullock ◽  
Karen Rodham
Keyword(s):  
Online Community ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Psychosocial Burden ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Coping ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Individual

Background A growing number of online communities have been established to support those who self-harm. However, little is known about the therapeutic affordances arising from engagement with these communities and resulting outcomes. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the presence of therapeutic affordances as reported by members of self-harm online support communities. Methods In total, 94 respondents (aged 13-63 years, mean=23.5 years; 94% female) completed an online survey exploring their experiences of engaging with a self-harm online support community. Respondents varied in terms of how long they had been accessing an online community, with 22% (21/94) accessing less than 1 year, 39% (37/94) 1 to 2 years, 14% (13/94) 2 to 3 years, and 24.5% (23/94) more than 3 years. Responses were analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Results The results of our analysis describe each of the five therapeutic affordances that were present in the data, namely (1) connection, the ability to make contact with others who self-harm for the purposes of mutual support and in so doing reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation; (2) adaptation, that is, how use of online support varies in relation to the personal circumstances of the individual user; (3) exploration, that is, the ability to learn about self-harm and learn about strategies to reduce or stop self-harming behavior; (4) narration, that is, the ability to share experiences, as well as read about the experiences of others; and (5) self-presentation, that is, how and what users present about themselves to others in the online community. Conclusions Our findings suggest that engagement with self-harm online support communities may confer a range of therapeutic benefits for some users, which may serve to minimize the psychosocial burden of self-harm and promote positive coping strategies. In addition, the online nature of the support available may be helpful to those who are unable to access face-to-face support.

scholarly journals Using Online Support Communities for Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders: Online Survey of Users’ Experiences

10.2196/18099 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. e18099
Author(s):  
Victoria Perkins ◽  
Neil S Coulson ◽  
E Bethan Davies
Keyword(s):  
Tourette Syndrome ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Online Communities ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Tic Disorders ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Face Support

Background People living with a tic disorder (TD)—such as Tourette syndrome (TS)—experience many negative psychological and social challenges arising from chronic tics, such as stigmatization from peers and poorer quality of life, and these can impact upon their families too. It can be difficult for this population to access face-to-face support for tics, and so online support communities offer one avenue for support from peers facing similar experiences. However, little is known about how online support communities may be used by people with TS and other TDs, and by others (eg, parents, caregivers) supporting a person with TS/TD. Objective This study aimed to explore users’ experiences of participation in online support communities for TS and TDs. Methods In total, 90 respondents (aged 13-62 years; 62% [56/90] female) from 13 countries completed an online survey exploring their experiences of using online support communities for TS and TDs. Respondents were people living with TS/TD themselves (n=68) or supportive others of someone with TS/TD (eg, parent, sibling, spouse; n=14), or both (n=8). The online survey contained open-ended questions eliciting their self-reported motivations for using online communities, their benefits and drawbacks of participation, and whether online support communities affected offline management of tics. Responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Seven overarching themes captured experiences of using online support communities for TS/TDs. The overwhelming reason for their use was to find accessible support due to a lack of offline face-to-face support. Online support communities were valued sources of informational and emotional support, and also had a positive impact upon helping users’ psychological well-being. Online communities helped provide a space where people with TS/TDs could feel accepted and reduce the social isolation they felt offline. The suggestible nature of tics and being reminded of the challenging nature of TDs were main disadvantages arising from using online support communities, alongside conflict arising within online communities. Conclusions The findings suggest that online support communities appear to offer valuable informational and emotional support to those living with TS/TD and their families too, especially given the lack of locally available support. This facilitates a sense of community online, which can help users in overcoming long-standing social isolation and aid self-reported improvements in psychosocial well-being. Users reported some drawbacks in engaging with online support communities, such as conflict between different types of users and triggering content, which negatively affected experiences of community participation.

scholarly journals Using Online Support Communities for Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders: Online Survey of Users’ Experiences (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Perkins ◽  
Neil S Coulson ◽  
E Bethan Davies
Keyword(s):  
Tourette Syndrome ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Online Communities ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Tic Disorders ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Face Support

BACKGROUND People living with a tic disorder (TD)—such as Tourette syndrome (TS)—experience many negative psychological and social challenges arising from chronic tics, such as stigmatization from peers and poorer quality of life, and these can impact upon their families too. It can be difficult for this population to access face-to-face support for tics, and so online support communities offer one avenue for support from peers facing similar experiences. However, little is known about how online support communities may be used by people with TS and other TDs, and by others (eg, parents, caregivers) supporting a person with TS/TD. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore users’ experiences of participation in online support communities for TS and TDs. METHODS In total, 90 respondents (aged 13-62 years; 62% [56/90] female) from 13 countries completed an online survey exploring their experiences of using online support communities for TS and TDs. Respondents were people living with TS/TD themselves (n=68) or supportive others of someone with TS/TD (eg, parent, sibling, spouse; n=14), or both (n=8). The online survey contained open-ended questions eliciting their self-reported motivations for using online communities, their benefits and drawbacks of participation, and whether online support communities affected offline management of tics. Responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Seven overarching themes captured experiences of using online support communities for TS/TDs. The overwhelming reason for their use was to find accessible support due to a lack of offline face-to-face support. Online support communities were valued sources of informational and emotional support, and also had a positive impact upon helping users’ psychological well-being. Online communities helped provide a space where people with TS/TDs could feel accepted and reduce the social isolation they felt offline. The suggestible nature of tics and being reminded of the challenging nature of TDs were main disadvantages arising from using online support communities, alongside conflict arising within online communities. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that online support communities appear to offer valuable informational and emotional support to those living with TS/TD and their families too, especially given the lack of locally available support. This facilitates a sense of community online, which can help users in overcoming long-standing social isolation and aid self-reported improvements in psychosocial well-being. Users reported some drawbacks in engaging with online support communities, such as conflict between different types of users and triggering content, which negatively affected experiences of community participation.

scholarly journals Preferences for Internet-Based Mental Health Interventions in an Adult Online Sample: Findings From an Online Community Survey

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. e26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J Batterham ◽  
Alison L Calear
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Internet Interventions ◽  
Mental Health Interventions ◽  
Community Preferences

Background Despite extensive evidence that Internet interventions are effective in treating mental health problems, uptake of Internet programs is suboptimal. It may be possible to make Internet interventions more accessible and acceptable through better understanding of community preferences for delivery of online programs. Objective This study aimed to assess community preferences for components, duration, frequency, modality, and setting of Internet interventions for mental health problems. Methods A community-based online sample of 438 Australian adults was recruited using social media advertising and administered an online survey on preferences for delivery of Internet interventions, along with scales assessing potential correlates of these preferences. Results Participants reported a preference for briefer sessions, although they recognized a trade-off between duration and frequency of delivery. No clear preference for the modality of delivery emerged, although a clear majority preferred tailored programs. Participants preferred to access programs through a computer rather than a mobile device. Although most participants reported that they would seek help for a mental health problem, more participants had a preference for face-to-face sources only than online programs only. Younger, female, and more educated participants were significantly more likely to prefer Internet delivery. Conclusions Adults in the community have a preference for Internet interventions with short modules that are tailored to individual needs. Individuals who are reluctant to seek face-to-face help may also avoid Internet interventions, suggesting that better implementation of existing Internet programs requires increasing acceptance of Internet interventions and identifying specific subgroups who may be resistant to seeking help.

scholarly journals The Setting Questionnaire for the Ayahuasca Experience: Questionnaire Development and Internal Structure

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Augusto de Deus Pontual ◽  
Luís Fernando Tófoli ◽  
Carlos Fernando Collares ◽  
Johannes G. Ramaekers ◽  
Clarissa Mendonça Corradi-Webster
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Questionnaire Development ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multidimensional Item Response ◽  
Consumption Experience ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Interest In Research

The growing interest in research on psychedelic consumption in naturalistic contexts and their possible medical and therapeutic benefits requires assessment of the relationships between the substance and the individual who consumes it (set) and its context of use (setting). This study provides a novel measurement scale for the setting of Ayahuasca consumption, the Setting Questionnaire for the Ayahuasca Experience (SQAE), and examines its psychometric properties. Construction of the scale began with a literature review, followed by interviews on 19 Ayahuasca users from different backgrounds and different consumption experience, and an online survey for quantitative data collection (n = 2,994). Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) was used to investigate the questionnaire's dimensional structure with (n = 1,497, half of the sample), and multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) was used to compare the fit of the theoretical dimensions with the EGA proposed dimensions (n = 1,497, independent other half). EGA identified six dimensions, which corresponded partially to the theorized model (Leadership, Decoration, Infrastructure, Comfort, Instruction, and Social). The MIRT comparison found that the proposed theoretical model fit significantly better than the EGA model, providing support for the former (χ2/df = 1,967; CFI = 0,972; TLI = 0,969; RMSEA = 0,059; WRMR = 1,087). Our findings present evidence of validity of this instrument, justifying its use for future research on the influence of the setting during the ayahuasca experience. Its findings may provide a basis for expanding the settings investigated in the use of psychedelics in general.

scholarly journals Street-Level Judgements about Welfare Deservingness: How Jobcentre Advisors Decide about the Individual Mix of ‘Support’ and ‘Demand’ in the Delivery of Activation Policies

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Monika Senghaas
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Face ◽  
Normative Dimension ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Do So ◽  
Back To Work

This article examines how jobcentre advisors judge the individual deservingness of their clients and investigates what role these judgements play in translating activation policies into practice. The analysis draws on qualitative data gathered in a research project on back-to-work agreements that involved several German jobcentres. It is shown that advisors vary the intensity of ‘demand’ depending on whether benefit recipients fulfil reciprocity expectations and are deemed to have control over the unemployment situation. Whether or not they choose an enabling, supporting approach, and the extent to which they do so, depends on judgements about the client’s amenability to change and the presumed outcome of labour market policy instruments. Moreover, the analysis indicates that frontline workers use experiential cues such as appearance and self-presentation in the face-to-face encounters in order to interpret the client. The findings highlight the relevance of the normative dimension of frontline work.

Canadian Fathers’ Preferences for Support During the Transition to Fatherhood

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Phillip R. Sevigny ◽  
Lynn Loutzenhiser ◽  
Chris Oriet
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Sources ◽  
Transition To Fatherhood

While there is growing recognition that fathers lack social support during the transition to fatherhood, little is known about the types of services fathers would access. An online survey was conducted with Canadian fathers asking about the type and helpfulness of support they sought. Participants also rated their interest in, convenience of, and the likelihood of using alternative options. All fathers sought support and the majority relied on partners, friends, and family. Fathers were equally likely to have accessed online support versus support from professionals. While fathers rated face-to-face interactions as potentially helpful, they rated online sources as most convenient.

scholarly journals Intercambios virtuales en educación superior: desarrollo de las habilidades interculturales a través de la colaboración en línea

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia Scherer Bassani ◽  
Ilona Buchem
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Project Design ◽  
Multicultural Teams ◽  
Intercultural Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Virtual Mobility

Virtual exchange has been defined as a form of virtual mobility which aims to expand the reach and scope of traditional intercultural learning programs. This paper presents an example of a virtual exchange called InterCult - Intercultural Competences - which aimed to give an opportunity for students from Germany, France, and Brazil to explore intercultural aspects through online collaboration, i. e. to learn differences between own culture and other cultures by communicating and working on tasks together by using digital media. The research path was divided into three phases: project design, virtual exchange, and evaluation. The data collected during the virtual exchange involved the analysis of online conversations in international groups, face-to-face discussions during the classes at the end of each activity in national groups, the videos produced and shared in the online community, online meetings between the teachers, and the results of the online survey. Data were analyzed based on three perspectives: technology; engagement and collaborative work; intercultural competences. Results showed this type of experience is extremely important for a generation who will have to work in multicultural teams and contexts. Virtual exchange has been defined as a form of virtual mobility which aims to expand the reach and scope of traditional intercultural learning programs. This paper presents an example of a virtual exchange called InterCult - Intercultural Competences - which aimed to give an opportunity for students from Germany, France, and Brazil to explore intercultural aspects through online collaboration, i. e. to learn differences between own culture and other cultures by communicating and working on tasks together by using digital media. The research path was divided into three phases: project design, virtual exchange, and evaluation. The data collected during the virtual exchange involved the analysis of online conversations in international groups, face-to-face discussions during the classes at the end of each activity in national groups, the videos produced and shared in the online community, online meetings between the teachers, and the results of the online survey. Data were analyzed based on three perspectives: technology; engagement and collaborative work; intercultural competences. Results showed this type of experience is extremely important for a generation who will have to work in multicultural teams and contexts.

scholarly journals Socially Connected during COVID-19: Online social connections mediate the relationship between loneliness and positive coping strategies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Anne Moore ◽  
Evita March
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Coping ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Coping Behaviours

Abstract The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, spend across the world in early 2020. Many countries imposed social isolation restrictions where people were confined to their homes unless their work was deemed an essential service or for short outings to obtain necessary food and household supplies. We hypothesised that a lack of face-to-face social interactions would contribute to feelings of loneliness and reductions in healthy coping behaviours, and predicted that use of media connections to liaise with others would mediate this negative relationship. Two hundred and ten participants responded to an online survey with useable data available from 181 persons (127 females) (age M = 37.82 years, SD = 13.24). Data from a series of scales designed for this study revealed moderate levels of loneliness that directly predicted reduced engagement in healthy coping behaviours. This direct relationship was mediated by the use of media connections to liaise with others during the period of social isolation. Exploratory Factor Analyses indicated media connections included two factors: Communication (e.g., phoning, texting) and social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram). While the data were not representative of the wider population in terms of education and gender spread, the diversity of ages is a compensating factor. Suggestions for maintaining health and the importance of support during times of trauma, to wit, the COVID-19 pandemic, are discussed.

In silico modeling of cellular probabilistic nanoparticle radiosensitization in head and neck cancers

Nanomedicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (29) ◽  
pp. 2837-2850
Author(s):  
Myxuan Huynh ◽  
Ivan Kempson ◽  
Eva Bezak ◽  
Wendy Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Head And Neck Cancers ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
In Silico Modeling ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Dose Deposition ◽  
Therapy Treatment

Background: The use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as radiosensitizers may offer a new approach in the treatment of head and neck cancers; minimizing treatment-associated toxicities and improving patient outcomes. AuNPs promote localized dose deposition; permitting improved local control and/or dose reduction. Aim: This work aimed to address the theoretical optimization of radiation doses, fractionation and nanoparticle injection schedules to maximize therapeutic benefits. Materials & methods: Probabilistic nanoparticle sensitization factors were incorporated into the individual cell-based HYP-RT computer model of tumor growth and radiotherapy. Results: Total dose outcomes across all radiation therapy treatment regimens were found to be significantly reduced with the presence of AuNPs, with bi-weekly injections showing the most decrease. Conclusion: Outcomes suggest the need for regular AuNP administration to permit effective radiosensitization.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document