The effect of anonymous computer-mediated communication on state anxiety: An experimental study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua A. B. Littler ◽  
Anthony Haffey ◽  
Shannon Jade Wake ◽  
Helen Dodd
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Moderate Increase ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
And Training

This study examined the effect of anonymous computer mediated communication (CMC) on state anxiety, specifically focusing on whether the valence of the interaction affected state anxiety prior to completing an anxiety-inducing task. To investigate this, 62 female participants aged 18-25 were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: positive CMC, negative CMC and writing a blog. Self-report measures of state anxiety were taken at: baseline; after participants had been given instructions about the anxiety-inducing task; after ten minutes of CMC/blog writing; and after the anxiety-inducing task had been completed. Results showed that participants in the positive CMC condition showed a significant and moderate decrease in anxiety following the CMC whereas those in the negative CMC condition showed a non-significant but moderate increase in anxiety following the CMC. Anxiety remained relatively unaffected by the blog condition. After completing the anxiety-inducing task there were no differences in anxiety scores between groups. The findings show that CMC can be beneficial for relieving state anxiety but that the valence of the communication is crucial. This has implications for advice and training given to those participating in and supporting CMC where mental health issues might be discussed.

Computer-Mediated Communication and Mental Health

2020 ◽  
pp. 78-110
Author(s):  
Adrian Meier ◽  
Emese Domahidi ◽  
Elisabeth Günther
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Disciplinary Boundaries ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Systematic Database

The relationship between computer-mediated communication (e.g., Internet or social media use) and mental health has been a long-standing issue of debate. Various disciplines (e.g., communication, psychology, sociology, medicine) investigate computer-mediated communication in relation to a great variety of negative (i.e., psychopathology) and positive (i.e., well-being) markers of mental health. We aim at charting this vast, highly fragmented, and fast growing literature by means of a scoping review. Using methods of computational content analysis in conjunction with qualitative analyses, we map 20 years of research based on 1,780 study abstracts retrieved through a systematic database search. Results reveal the most common topics investigated in the field, as well as its disciplinary boundaries. Our review further highlights emerging trends in the literature and points to unique implications for how future research should address the various relationships between computer-mediated communication and mental health.

scholarly journals Creating a Multisite Perinatal Psychiatry Databank: Purpose and Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 9352
Author(s):  
Wid Kattan ◽  
Laura Avigan ◽  
Barbara Hayton ◽  
Jennifer L. Barkin ◽  
Martin St-André ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Postpartum Women ◽  
Psychosocial Variables ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Perinatal Psychiatry ◽  
The Relationship

Mental health issues during the perinatal period are common; up to 29% of pregnant and 15% of postpartum women meet psychiatric diagnostic criteria. Despite its ubiquity, little is known about the longitudinal trajectories of perinatal psychiatric illness. This paper describes a collaboration among six perinatal mental health services in Quebec, Canada, to create an electronic databank that captures longitudinal patient data over the course of the perinatal period. The collaborating sites met to identify research interests and to select a standardized set of variables to be collected during clinical appointments. Procedures were implemented for creating a databank that serves both research and clinical purposes. The resulting databank allows pregnant and postpartum patients to complete self-report questionnaires on medical and psychosocial variables during their intake appointment in conjunction with their clinicians who fill in relevant medical information. All participants are followed until 6 months postpartum. The databank represents an opportunity to examine illness trajectories and to study rare mental disorders and the relationship between biological and psychosocial variables.

Through a Screen Darkly: Use of Computer-Mediated Communication Predicts Emotional Functioning

2019 ◽  
Vol 123 (6) ◽  
pp. 2305-2332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Myruski ◽  
Jean M. Quintero ◽  
Samantha Denefrio ◽  
Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Emotional Functioning ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Emotion Detection ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Facebook Use

Despite the pervasive use of computer-mediated communication, relatively little is known about its implications for emotional adjustment. Recent studies suggest that a preference for computer-mediated communication over other types of communication is associated with emotional vulnerabilities, and its active forms (e.g., direct communication) confer psychosocial benefits compared its passive forms (e.g., browsing Facebook). In this study, we simultaneously examined quality, quantity, and preferences for computer-mediated communication in relation to emotional competencies (emotion detection and regulation) and emotional well-being (self-report of mood and anxiety symptoms). In Study 1, participants ( N = 123) completed a facial morphing task, a computerized assessment of the speed and accuracy of emotion detection, and the Social Media and Communication Questionnaire assessing quantity and preferences to communicate via computer-mediated communication versus face-to-face. More use of computer-mediated communication along with preferring it for casual communication, was associated with faster and more accurate emotion detection. More use of computer-mediated communication, along with preferring it for positive communication and expressing distress, was associated with more difficulties with emotion regulation. Study 2 ( N = 32) added a task-based assessment of active and passive Facebook use in relation to measures of emotional functioning in Study 1. More active Facebook use was associated with greater emotional well-being, whereas more passive Facebook use was associated with less emotional well-being. Active and passive Facebook use was not significantly associated with self-report of broader computer-mediated communication preferences. Together, results suggest that greater use and preference for computer-mediated versus face-to-face communication may be related to heightened emotional sensitivity and more problems with emotion regulation, yet active versus passive use may serve to bolster emotional well-being.

scholarly journals Gender differences in mental health prevalence in autism

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicity Sedgewick ◽  
Jenni Leppanen ◽  
Kate Tchanturia
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Gendered Patterns ◽  
Autistic Population

Purpose Mental health conditions are known to be more common amongst autistic than non-autistic people. To date, there is little work exploring gender differences in mental health amongst autistic people and no work including non-binary/trans people. This paper aims to address this gap. Design/methodology/approach This was a large-scale online study, with 948 participants between 18 and 81 years old. Participants self-reported autism, anxiety, depression and eating disorder status. Analyses were run examining gender differences in the rates of these conditions in each group. Findings Autistic people are more likely to have anxiety and depression than non-autistic people of all genders. Autistic women and non-binary people experienced mental health issues at higher rates than men and at similar rates to each other. Autistic people were twice as likely as non-autistic people to have all eating disorders. Further, gendered patterns of eating disorders seen in the non-autistic population are also present in the autistic population. Research limitations/implications There are inherent issues with self-report of diagnoses online, but this study showed that using screening questionnaires is effective. Originality/value This is the first paper to look at gender differences in common mental health issues amongst autistic and non-autistic adults. It highlights that there are significant gendered patterns in the prevalence of mental health issues in both the autistic and non-autistic population and that these have an impact for how treatment should be approached to be effective.

scholarly journals Computer-Mediated Communication, Social Media, and Mental Health: A Conceptual and Empirical Meta-Review

2020 ◽  
pp. 009365022095822
Author(s):  
Adrian Meier ◽  
Leonard Reinecke
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Interdisciplinary Field ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Meta Review

Computer-mediated communication (CMC), and specifically social media, may affect the mental health (MH) and well-being of its users, for better or worse. Research on this topic has accumulated rapidly, accompanied by controversial public debate and numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Yet, a higher-level integration of the multiple disparate conceptual and operational approaches to CMC and MH and individual review findings is desperately needed. To this end, we first develop two organizing frameworks that systematize conceptual and operational approaches to CMC and MH. Based on these frameworks, we integrate the literature through a meta-review of 34 reviews and a content analysis of 594 publications. Meta-analytic evidence, overall, suggests a small negative association between social media use and MH. However, effects are complex and depend on the CMC and MH indicators investigated. Based on our conceptual review and the evidence synthesis, we devise an agenda for future research in this interdisciplinary field.

Choosing Online Learning Communities or Collaborative Learning

2005 ◽  
pp. 90-95
Author(s):  
Daniel Teghe ◽  
Bruce Allen Knight
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Opportunities For Learning ◽  
E Learning ◽  
And Training

The adoption and innovative use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) technology can have positive outcomes for regional development (Ashford, 1999; Harris, 1999; Mitchell, 2003). Especially when it involves the use of online environments, CMC can lead to what Gillespie, Richardson, and Cornford (2001) refer to as the “death of distance,” and is likely to boost opportunities for growth in e-commerce, e-business, and e-learning in the regions. Although such growth depends on continuous learning and innovation (Rainnie, 2002), actual opportunities for learning and training can be affected by approaches to the provision of online learning that are unnecessarily rigid and inflexible. Online education and training methods that include strict participation requirements can have the effect of marginalizing and excluding those learners who cannot engage with inflexible and regimented learning contexts. This represents an important problem in regions, because of limited access to other learning contexts.

Mental health in subsidized housing: Readiness to assist residents with mental health issues in subsidized housing from the perspectives of housing employees

2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502110276
Author(s):  
Hyejin Jung ◽  
Jose Jaime ◽  
Sharon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Subsidized Housing ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Health Support ◽  
And Training

People in subsidized housing are likely to suffer from mental health issues. However, little is known about subsidized housing employees’ readiness to address the residents’ mental health needs. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of housing employees on their readiness to assist subsidized housing residents’ mental health needs. A total of 32 subsidized housing employees participated in five focus groups. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes: prevalence of mental health issues, unexpected role as housing employees, multi-level barriers in assisting residents with mental health needs, and the need for mental health support in subsidized housing. Findings highlight the need for integrated care, including social work services in subsidized housing. Social workers may have various potential roles to serve the mental health needs of subsidized housing residents. Also identified was the need for mental health education and training among subsidized housing employees.

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