scholarly journals Mental health Internet support groups: just a lot of talk or a valuable intervention?

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen M. Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Internet Support ◽  
Internet Support Groups

scholarly journals Online Peer-to-Peer Support for Young People With Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. e19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathina Ali ◽  
Louise Farrer ◽  
Amelia Gulliver ◽  
Kathleen M Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Internet Support ◽  
Internet Support Groups

Background Adolescence and early adulthood are critical periods for the development of mental disorders. Online peer-to-peer communication is popular among young people and may improve mental health by providing social support. Previous systematic reviews have targeted Internet support groups for adults with mental health problems, including depression. However, there have been no systematic reviews examining the effectiveness of online peer-to-peer support in improving the mental health of adolescents and young adults. Objective The aim of this review was to systematically identify available evidence for the effectiveness of online peer-to peer support for young people with mental health problems. Methods The PubMed, PsycInfo, and Cochrane databases were searched using keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. Retrieved abstracts (n=3934) were double screened and coded. Studies were included if they (1) investigated an online peer-to-peer interaction, (2) the interaction discussed topics related to mental health, (3) the age range of the sample was between 12 to 25 years, and (4) the study evaluated the effectiveness of the peer-to-peer interaction. Results Six studies satisfied the inclusion criteria for the current review. The studies targeted a range of mental health problems including depression and anxiety (n=2), general psychological problems (n=1), eating disorders (n=1), and substance use (tobacco) (n=2). The majority of studies investigated Internet support groups (n=4), and the remaining studies focused on virtual reality chat sessions (n=2). In almost all studies (n=5), the peer support intervention was moderated by health professionals, researchers or consumers. Studies employed a range of study designs including randomized controlled trials (n=3), pre-post studies (n=2) and one randomized trial. Overall, two of the randomized controlled trials were associated with a significant positive outcome in comparison to the control group at post-intervention. In the remaining four studies, peer-to-peer support was not found to be effective. Conclusions This systematic review identified an overall lack of high-quality studies examining online peer-to-peer support for young people. Given that peer support is frequently used as an adjunct to Internet interventions for a variety of mental health conditions, there is an urgent need to determine the effectiveness of peer support alone as an active intervention.

The influence of health beliefs and social stigma on choice of internet support groups over formal mental health services

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1332-1332 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Townsend ◽  
R. Gearing
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Beliefs ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Formal Treatment ◽  
Internet Support ◽  
Internet Support Groups ◽  
Use Of Internet

IntroductionThe relationship between health beliefs regarding formal mental health services, practical variables (time, affordability, transportation), stigma, and use of internet support groups in lieu of formal treatment has received little empirical attention.ObjectivesThe study examines the relationship between health beliefs, practical variables, stigma, and engagement in internet support groups among adults.AimsThe study addresses whether beliefs regarding formal mental health services, having the time, finances, and transportation to use them, and the social consequences of being identified as having a mental health problem influence the use of internet support groups.MethodsData were analyzed from 2,532 respondents who endorsed perceiving the need for but not receiving formal mental health treatment in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008). Binary logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between health beliefs, practical variables, stigma, and the use of internet support groups.ResultsThe strongest positive predictors of internet support group use were fear of being hospitalized/taking medications (AOR = 8.252, CI = 8.170–8.334), lack of transportation (AOR = 2.313, CI = 2.271–2.357), and insufficient insurance coverage (AOR = 2.640, CI = 2.610–2.670). The strongest negative predictors of internet support group use were lack of belief in the efficacy of formal treatment (AOR = .629, CI = .618–.641), fearing that others would find out (AOR = .660, CI = .645–.675), and not thinking formal treatment was needed at the time (AOR = .681, CI = .665–.696).ConclusionsUsing the internet for relief from mental health symptoms has proliferated, yet has received little empirical attention. Research is needed to examine the implications of using internet technology rather than formal mental health treatment.

scholarly journals Lightme: analysing language in internet support groups for mental health

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Ferraro ◽  
Brendan Loo Gee ◽  
Shenjia Ji ◽  
Luis Salvador-Carulla
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Internet Support ◽  
Internet Support Groups

Investigation of the effects of gender and preparation on quality of communication in Internet support groups

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason E Owen ◽  
Eric J Yarbrough ◽  
Anete Vaga ◽  
Diane C Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Internet Support ◽  
Internet Support Groups
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