Individuals with eating disorders and the use of online support groups as a form of social support

Vol.3,No.2(2009)

Abstract
The increase in Internet use in recent years has fostered the development of online support groups to help individuals cope with a range of conditions The aim of this study was to examine the nature and types of social support that was exchanged between participants of an online anorexia discussion forum. A deductive thematic analysis of 325 messages posted to a bulletin board suggested that one of the primary functions of the group was the communication of encouragement and esteem, and information support notably in terms of diagnosis, treatment and interaction with health care specialists. Considering the high rate of relapse among individuals with eating disorders it is imperative that some form of support is available when they leave treatment centres. Computer-mediated support groups provide a low cost, easily accessible self-help service to individuals with eating disorders and may provide an important venue through which information, advice and support can be offered and received.

Keywords:
eating disorder; internet; social support
Author biographies

Abby McCormack

Author photoAbby McCormack is a Masters graduate from the University of Nottingham

Neil S. Coulson

Author photoDr Neil S. Coulson is an Associate Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Nottingham. His research interests focus on the role of the internet in supporting the needs of individuals living with a range of health-related problems.
References

Abraham, S., & Llewellyn-Jones, D. (2001). Eating disorders: The facts. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Alemi, F., Mosavel, M., Stephens, R.C., Ghadiri, A., Krishnaswamy, J., & Thakkar, H. (1996). Electronic self-help and support groups. Medical Care, 34, S32–S44.

Baskind-White, M., & White, W.C. (2000). Bulimia/Anorexia: The binge/purge cycle and self-starvation. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc.

Brennan, P.F. (1996). The future of clinical communication in an electronic environment. Holistic Nursing Practice, 11, 97–104.

Brown, J.B. Winzelberg, A.J., Abascal, L.B., & Taylor, B. (2004). An evaluation of an Internet-delivered eating disorder prevention program for adolescents and their parents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35, 290–296.

Buchanan, H., & Coulson, N.S. (2007). Accessing dental anxiety online support groups: An exploratory qualitative study of motives and experiences. Patient Education & Counseling, 66(3), 263-269.

Carlbring, P., Nilsson-Irhfelt, E., Waara, J., Kollenstam, C., Burhman, M., Kaldo, V., Soderberg, M., Ekselius, L., & Andersson, G. (2005). Treatment of panic disorder: Live therapy vs. self-help via the internet. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 1321–1333.

Cohen, S. (2004). Social relationships and health. American Psychologist, 59, 676–684.

Coulson, N.S. (2005). Receiving social support online: an analysis of a computer-mediated support group for individuals living with irritable bowel syndrome. CyberPsychology & Behaviour, 8, 580–584.

Coulson, N.S., Aubeeluck, A., & Buchanan, H. (2007). Social support in cyberspace: A content analysis of communication within a Huntington’s Disease online support group. Patient Education & Counseling, 68(2), 173-178.

Crow, S., Praus, B., & Thuras, P. (1999). Mortality from eating disorders: A 5 to 10 year record linkage study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 26, 97–101.

Culver, J.D., Gerr, F., & Frumkin, H. (1997). Medical Information on the Internet: A study of an electronic bulletin board. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 12, 466–470.

Dubrovsky, V.J., Kiesler, S., & Sethna, B.N. (1991). The equalisation phenomenon: Status effects in computer-mediated and face-to-face decision-making groups. Human-Computer Interaction, 6, 119–146.

Esquivel, A., Meric-Bernstam, F., & Bernstam, E.V. (2006). Accuracy and self-correction of information received from an internet breast cancer list: content analysis. British Medical Journal, 332, 939–942.

Eysenbach, G. & Till, J.E. (2001). Ethical issues in qualitative research on internet communities. British Medical Journal, 323, 1103-1105.

Finn, J., & Lavitt, M. (1994). Computer-based self-help/mutual aid groups for sexual abuse survivors. Social Work with Groups, 17, 21–46.

Finn, J. (1995). Computer-based self-help groups: A new resource to supplement support groups. Social Work with Groups, 18, 109–117.

Goldstein, D.J. (2005). The internet and eating disorders. In D. Goldstein (Ed.), The management of eating disorders and obesity. Humana Press.

Han, H-R., & Belcher, A. (2001). Computer-mediated support group use among parents of children with cancer: An exploratory study. Computers in Nursing, 19, 27–33.

Hoybye, M.T., Johansen, C., & Tjornhoj-Thomsen, T. (2005). Online interaction: Effects of storytelling in an internet breast cancer support group. Psycho-oncology, 14, 211–220.

Hsiung, R.C. (2000). The best of both worlds: An online self-help group hosted by a mental health professional. Cyberpsychology & Behaviour, 3, 935–950.

Johnson, K.B., Ravert, R.D., & Everton, A. (2001). Hopkins teen central: Assessment of an Internet-based support system for children with cystic fibrosis. Pediatrics, 107, 24–31.

Kelleher, D. (1994). Self-help groups and their relationship to medicine. In J. Gabe, D. Kelleher & G. Williams (Eds.), Challenging medicine (pp.104-117). London:Routledge.

Klemm, P., Reppert, K. & Visich, L. (1998). A non-traditional cancer support group: The Internet. Computers in Nursing, 16, 31–36.

Lieberman, M.A., & Goldstein, B.A. (2005). Self-help on-line: An outcome evaluation of breast cancer bulletin boards. Journal of Health Psychology, 10, 855–862.

Loader, B.D., Muncer, S.,Burrows, R., Pleace, N., & Nettleton, S. (2002). Medicine on the line? Computer-mediated social support and advice for people with diabetes. International Journal of Social Welfare, 11, 53–65.

Shafran, R. (2002). Eating disorders and the Internet. In C. Fairburn & K. Brownell (Eds.), Eating disorders and obesity: A comprehensive handbook. London: The Guildford Press.

Sharf, B.F. (1999). Beyond netiquette: The ethics of doing naturalistic discourse research on the internet. In S. Jones (Ed.), Doing internet research: Critical issues and methods for examining the net. London: Sage Publications.

Sullivan, C.F. (2003). Gendered cybersupport: A thematic analysis of two online cancer support groups. Journal of Health Psychology, 8, 83–103.

Trojan, A. (1989). Benefits of self-help groups: A survey of 232 members from 65 disease-related groups. Social Science & Medicine, 29, 225–232.

UNC Health Care (n.d.). Obesity, anorexia share similar causes; are influenced by same forces. Retrieved August 16, 2006, from http://www.unchealthcare.org/site/healthpatientcare...

Walstrom, M.K. (2000). “You know, Who’s the Thinnest?”: Combating surveillance and creating safety in coping with eating disorders online. CyberPsychology & Behaviour, 3, 761–783.

Weinberg, N., Schmale, J.D., Uken, J., & Wessel, K. (1995). Computer-mediated support groups. Social Work with Groups, 17, 43–54.

White, M.H., & Dorman, S.M. (2000). Online support for caregivers: Analysis of an Internet Alzheimer mailgroup. Computers in Nursing, 18, 168–179.

White, M. & Dorman, S.M. (2001). Receiving social support online: Implications for health education. Health Education Research, 16, 693-707.

Winzelberg, A. (1997). The analysis of an electronic support group for individuals with eating disorders. Computers in Human Behaviour, 13, 393-407.

Winzelberg, A.J., Eppstein, D., Eldredge, K.L., Wilfley, D., Dasmahapatra, R., Dev, P. & Taylor, C.B. (2000). Effectiveness of an Internet-based program for reducing risk factors for eating disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 346–350.

Yager ,J. (2001). E-mail as a therapeutic adjunct in the outpatient treatment of anorexia nervosa: Illustrative case material and discussion of the issues. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 29, 125–138.

Metrics

4056

Views

4559

HTML views