Article

Offering Social Support via the Internet: A Case Study of an Online Support Group for Social Workers

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Abstract

Human service professionals have begun to explore the Internet's potential as a therapeutic medium for individuals, families and groups, but we still know very little about the ways that Internet-mediated communication affects interventions. This paper uses examples from a recent study of a short-term, listserv-based support group that helps social workers cope with job stress to discuss issues related to the use of online support groups.

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... Vera et al. developed and evaluated an augmented reality platform in order to assess its value in training laparoscopic skills [70]. Similarly, Andersen et al. developed a system for tele-mentoring and augmented reality [STAR] that provided visual instruction to a monitor that the students used to visualize their operating field in order to evaluate its effectiveness in training tasks including a port placement and abdominal incision [71]. Although the data related to augmented reality and tele-mentoring is limited to a small number of experimental studies, this early data suggests that augmented reality may provide certain benefits as a teaching aid. ...
... As discussed in this review, numerous emerging technologies have been developed that may facilitate the advancement of tele-mentoring as an educational tool. Early studies show at new devices such as augmented reality, wearable technology, and telerobotic platforms may enhance the tele-mentoring experience [66,69,71]. The full utility of these approaches as well as the cost/benefit ratio have yet to be determined and need to be further investigated. ...
... Coiflet is a symmetric and linear phase wavelet molded from Daubechies wavelet. While comparing spline [71] and basic Daubechies filter, the performance of coiflet is more flexible, better and more fashioned. To reduce the computation cost, the authors have chosen R-peak detection methods which can calculate the RR interval on the heart rate function. ...
Book
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Advances in telemedicine technologies have offered clinicians greater levels of real-time guidance and technical assistance for diagnoses, monitoring, operations or interventions from colleagues based in remote locations. The topic includes the use of videoconferencing, mentorship during surgical procedures, or machine-to-machine communication to process data from one location by programmes running in another. This edited book presents a variety of technologies with applications in telemedicine, originating from the fields of biomedical sensors, wireless sensor networking, computer-aided diagnosis methods, signal and image processing and analysis, automation and control, virtual and augmented reality, multivariate analysis, and data acquisition devices. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), surgical robots, telemonitoring, and teleoperation systems are also explored, as well as the associated security and privacy concerns in this field. Topics covered include critical factors in the development, implementation and evaluation of telemedicine; surgical tele-mentoring; technologies in medical information processing; recent advances of signal/image processing techniques in healthcare; a real-time ECG processing platform for telemedicine applications; data mining in telemedicine; social work and tele-mental health services for rural and remote communities; applying telemedicine to social work practice and education; advanced telemedicine systems for remote healthcare monitoring; the impact of tone-mapping operators and viewing devices on visual quality of experience of colour and grey-scale HDR images; modelling the relationships between changes in EEG features and subjective quality of HDR images; IoMT and healthcare delivery in chronic diseases; and transform domain robust watermarking method using Riesz wavelet transform for medical data security and privacy. Demographic shifts in populations trigger opportunities for innovations in e-Health, m-Health, precision and personalized medicine, robotics, sensing, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, Big Data, Software Defined Networks, and network function virtualization. The integration of these technologies is however associated with many technological, ethical, legal, and social issues. This book series aims to disseminate recent advances in the e-Health Technology field to help improve healthcare and wellbeing.
... Studies of online communities commonly distinguish between two main types of participants -"posters", i.e. active participants who initiate discussions and respond to posts, and "lurkers", passive participants who exclusively or almost always read content created by others without contributing content of their own [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Already from the term "passive participants" one can discern that their profile of activity integrates participation on one hand, with passivity on the other. ...
... [16] 2. Shyness and uncomfortable feelings of public participation [10,16]. 3. Lack of willingness to be exposed to others and risk one's reputation [6,13,16]. ...
... 13. A final concern is that in over-crowded communities with much activity, users may think that their input is redundant and may not want to generate further information overload [3,4,6,10,16]. ...
Conference Paper
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In spite of its prevalence in online social media platforms, there have been very few studies of passive participation. The current study uses interviews to understand the motivations for passive participation in online communities of the Israeli Ministry of Social Services. In addition to the motivations commonly found when not participating “more actively”, such as concerns of criticism, lack of need, lack of motivation and technological concerns, users stated two additional and secondary reasons for not contributing content in the communities: concern that their posts would not be addressed (i.e. lack of reciprocation), and reasons relating to the graphical interface of the communities.
... Researchers in both social work and psychology have chronicled the prevalence of online human service delivery ( Banach & Bernat, 2000 ;Finn, 2000 ;Levine, 2000 ;Maheu & Gordon, 2000 ;Meier, 2000 ;Sampson, Jr., 2000 ;Schoech, Hoover, & Betts, 1993 ;and Waldron, Lavitt & Kelley, 2000 ). These reports have shed light on the types of services available online ( Finn, 2000b ;Waldron, Lavitt & Kelley, 2000 ), a description of who's offering these services ( Maheu & Gordon, 2000 ;Sampson, Jr., 2000 ), and the benefits and risks associated with this form of service delivery ( Meier, 2000 ;Schoech, Hoover, & Betts, 1993 ;Waldron, Lavitt & Kelley, 2000 ;). ...
... Researchers in both social work and psychology have chronicled the prevalence of online human service delivery ( Banach & Bernat, 2000 ;Finn, 2000 ;Levine, 2000 ;Maheu & Gordon, 2000 ;Meier, 2000 ;Sampson, Jr., 2000 ;Schoech, Hoover, & Betts, 1993 ;and Waldron, Lavitt & Kelley, 2000 ). These reports have shed light on the types of services available online ( Finn, 2000b ;Waldron, Lavitt & Kelley, 2000 ), a description of who's offering these services ( Maheu & Gordon, 2000 ;Sampson, Jr., 2000 ), and the benefits and risks associated with this form of service delivery ( Meier, 2000 ;Schoech, Hoover, & Betts, 1993 ;Waldron, Lavitt & Kelley, 2000 ;). ...
... Primary risks of online service delivery include threats to personal safety, liability to the service provider, confidentiality breaches, lack of privacy, and ineffective service delivery ( Banach & Bernat, 2000 ;Finn, 2001 ;Levine, 2000 ;Meier, 2000 ;Sampson, Jr., 2000 ;and Waldron, Lavitt & Kelley, 2000 ). Waldron, Lavitt and Kelley (2000) perhaps most clearly articulate how online communication can cause potential harm at individual, relational, and group levels, which includes: a) violations of privacy; b) misunderstood communications; c) disinhibited communication and premature intimacy; d) rapid and wide spread inaccurate information; e) cyber-addiction; f) misrepresentation of identity; g) unanticipated and burdensome obligations; h) lack of procedures and rules; i) online harassment and stalking; and j) a lack of knowledge about technology. ...
Article
This research report describes how and why two Midwestern domestic violence organizations use Internet and wireless communication technologies. The data is derived from interviews that were conducted with Executive Directors and select staff from two such organizations in December 2001. The report describes the organizations' technology usage and their understanding of the im-plications of their organizational practices. Major findings of the study reveal a need for more awareness and technical assistance regarding safe and ethical Internet and wireless communication service delivery. The author recommends the development of a "domestic violence and technology" training center to address both real and virtual challenges that result from the digital revolution.
... For example, two studies have examined member satisfaction with online group counseling and found different results. Meier (2000) investigated an online support group for job-related stress. The group members (52 master's-level social workers) reported a high level of satisfaction with the overall experience in the group, the group leader's presence, and the range of topics discussed during the group. ...
... Future research may also need to further examine the types of messages exchanged in online counseling. One previously mentioned study (Meier, 2000), which investigated the feasibility of an online support group for practicing master's-level social workers to discuss job-related stress, also started to examine specific process variables that occur among members of an online group. Qualitative analysis of 209 comments made by members throughout the life of the group found that 54% of the comments offered emotional support and validation, 29% expressed encouragement, and 17% offered information advice. ...
... Two other studies, generating mixed results, have also examined the effectiveness of online counseling for group work. Meier (2000) investigated the effectiveness of an online support group for practicing master's-level social workers to discuss job-related stress. For the online-intervention group, Meier randomly assigned 52 participants to a discussion listserv or a notreatment control group. ...
Chapter
Full-text available
Online counseling is defined as the delivery of therapeutic interventions in cyberspace where communication between a trained professional counselor and client(s) is facilitated using computer-mediated communication (CMC) technologies. Research considers aspects of delivering therapeutic interventions online, including process and outcome research, the therapeutic relationship online, the potential benefits and challenges in working online, client suitability for online counseling, therapists' and clients' attitudes and experiences of online counseling, professional training for working online with clients, and its very nature and definition as a therapeutic intervention. Understanding the psychology of online behavior as it applies to online counseling includes the effects of apparent anonymity and distance, disinhibition, identity and impression management, writing and emotional expression, presence, and ethical behavior in cyberspace.
... They concluded that anxiety can be lowered through education and exposure (Choi et al.). A technological revolution is occurring, and it has become impossible to ignore the impact of new developments on the expectations of consumers, efficiencies, and the potential benefits of these tools (Meier, 2000). In an effort to meet these new challenges, we encourage social work to follow other human services professions and embrace the integration of informatics into the science of the profession. ...
... The lack of face-to-face interaction impedes a social worker's ability to obtain a full picture, limiting an important tool for assessment (Coleman, 2000). Another challenge is the issue of identity and deception in so-called virtual communities (Meier, 2000). Web-based tools allow for the formation of social entities consisting of people who are brought together because of a common factor such as a medical condition (that is, support groups for diabetic patients) or functional limitation (Meier). ...
... Practitioners are often inadequately trained and uncomfortable with the introduction of technology (Drumm et al., 2003). However, technological innovation is growing rapidly, and many benefits have been documented (Meier, 2000;Vernberg & Schuh, 2002). NASW and ASWB have accepted the challenge to recognize the role of technology in practice and are currently working toward the development of practice standards (Stoesen, 2004). ...
Article
The use of technology in social work practice has risen dramatically over the past 10 years. Clinical interventions such as psychotherapy using telephones, interactive video, and the Internet are gaining in popularity. For a discipline traditionally tied to face-to-face interaction, many concerns about moving to technology-based practices have been raised. The National Association of Social Workers recently embraced a new initiative to address the challenges associated with technology in practice. The authors propose social work informatics as a new specialty for the profession to assist in meeting those challenges.
... The impact of the internet: online self-help, social work education and e-learning Self-help groups are a permanent part of our culture and proliferate both on and off-line. Estimates report over 25,000 publicly accessible online groups (Meier, 2000) with 11 million persons in the United States participating in self-help groups each year; these numbers continue to rise (Braithwaite, Waldron and Finn, 1999). Since the advent of the Internet, online self-help groups are now a major way for numerous people to locate information and forums for emotional support about a wide range of health and mental health concerns. ...
... The evolving research on technology in social work practice and education reports challenging fi ndings and identifi es gaps in knowledge about online group interventions, process, leadership and effectiveness (Abell and Galinsky, 2002;Finn, 1995). These processes have often been identifi ed in face-to-face groups but less information exists about them in online groups 1999, Meier, 2000 as these are still in the early stages of being studied. Analysis of data in this study mirrors such observations. ...
Article
This article reviews findings of a small, exploratory study of 45 female, masters-level social work students who participated face-to-face or online in course required self-help groups. Explored with both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were reasons for female students’ choice of group medium and satisfaction with peer support in both types of groups. A range of supportive acts and behaviors were reported in the qualitative data although there were few statistically significant differences in quantitative peer support scores when grouped by face-to-face and online group membership. Contributions from research on the relational theory of women’s development and group psychotherapy are suggested to help in developing online learning environments geared towards female learners.
... En general se puede afirmar que los profesionales emplean la tecnología para acceder a la investigación y obtener datos e información (Card & Kuhn, 2006;Siah, 2005), para proveer asesoramiento en línea (Rochlen, Zack & Speyer, 2004;Skinner & Zack, 2004;Suler, 2002), para tratar adicciones (Stofle & Harrington, 2002;Walters, Muler & Chiauzzi, 2005), para ofrecer apoyo social a una variedad de grupos (Marziali & Donahue, 2006;Meier, 2000;Radin, 2006;Arias & Barrón, 2009), para la defensa de derechos y activismo social usando herramientas tecnológicas (McNutt & Menon, 2008). El potencial de las tecnologías de la información y de la comunicación (Gillingham, 2011) ha sido puesto a prueba como un medio utilizado por los profesionales del trabajo social para asistir en las cuestiones prácticas, sociales, económicas y de empoderamiento de los usuarios de servicios (Parrot & Madoc-Jones, 2008;Tregeagle & Darcy, 2008). ...
... Ya se puso de manifiesto en la revisión de la literatura que se están desarrollando experiencias en las que los profesionales del trabajo social emplean la tecnología para la atención directa con los usuarios (Rochlen, Zack & Speyer, 2004;Skinner & Zack, 2004;Suler, 2002;Stofle & Harrington, 2002;Walters, Muler & Chiauzzi, 2005;Marziali & Donahue, 2006;Meier, 2000;Radin, 2006;McNutt & Menon, 2008). Sería importante investigar las experiencias en el contexto español de uso de tecnología para la atención directa con usuarios y cómo afectan las realidades culturales y de organización (Leidner & Kayworth, 2006) propias de nuestro entorno. ...
Thesis
Full-text available
Esta tesis investiga cómo el uso de la tecnología afecta a la práctica del trabajo social desde un marco de innovación social. Para ello se ha dividido el trabajo en dos partes: una parte teorética y un trabajo de campo a partir del análisis estadístico de una encuesta, específicamente diseñada para este propósito. En la primera parte se establece el contexto teórico donde se inscribe esta tesis. Se sostiene que para entender qué es la innovación en Trabajo Social hay que delimitar brevemente una historia del concepto de innovación, establecer los diversos significados que ésta tiene para poder concluir en la innovación social. Por otro lado se incide especialmente en dos grandes temas que se desarrollan en relación al Trabajo Social. Se asume que la innovación, en este contexto, es básicamente el impacto tecnológico que se produce en la práctica profesional y se abordan cuestiones éticas y deontológicas. Se propone la síntesis de diversos modelos que se han empleado en diversas áreas de conocimiento para la investigación sobre la aceptación y uso individual de las tecnologías. Se hace así un análisis de los principales modelos de investigación como los de Fishbein y Aizen, Rogers, Davis y otros. Se ha apostado por el modelo de aceptación y uso de las tecnologías UTAUT de Venkatesh. La parte teórica se concluye con el peso y papel de la tecnología en la educación y formación de los trabajadores sociales. La muestra ha estado compuesta por 342 participantes, alumnos que cursan el Curso de Adaptación ofertado por la Facultad de Trabajo Social de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. La intención fue encontrar sujetos que se encontraran en situación de trabajadores activos y que al tiempo se enfrentaran a cuestiones como la formación. La parte empírica pretende realizar una radiografía del conocimiento y uso de la tecnología, las posibilidades de uso profesional de la misma para el ejercicio del trabajo social, la aplicación de un modelo concreto de aceptación y uso a una tecnología asentada como el correo electrónico, así como incidir en las cuestiones éticas derivadas del uso de la tecnología por parte de los trabajadores sociales.
... • Specific stressful workplace events, such as layoffs, downsizing, and demotions [74][75][76][77][78][79] Several other Australian studies led by HR Winefield, AH Winefield, and MF Dollard have focused in particular on the health of community services sector workers (e.g., teachers, academic staff of universities, correctional officers). [80][81][82] In this sector, the most common job stress-related outcomes documented are negative emotional and psychological states and disorders (e.g., emotional exhaustion, psychological distress, anxiety, depression). ...
... Though there are only a handful of integrated job stress and health promotion studies to date, there is great potential for improving worker health through integrated approaches, as reflected in the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion's 2002 Barcelona Declaration on Developing Good Workplace Health in Europe. 79 This Declaration links the increase in mental disorders in Europe to increasing psychosocial stressors and strain in the workplace, and declares that smoking and alcohol consumption are also work-related, and "can only be tackled through health promoting workplaces." Closer to home, the Tasmanian Workplace Safe agency has prepared excellent guidance material for employers and workers on 'hidden hazards', including specific linking of job stress with misuse of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. ...
... • Specific stressful workplace events, such as layoffs, downsizing, and demotions [74][75][76][77][78][79] Several other Australian studies led by HR Winefield, AH Winefield, and MF Dollard have focused in particular on the health of community services sector workers (e.g., teachers, academic staff of universities, correctional officers). [80][81][82] In this sector, the most common job stress-related outcomes documented are negative emotional and psychological states and disorders (e.g., emotional exhaustion, psychological distress, anxiety, depression). ...
... Though there are only a handful of integrated job stress and health promotion studies to date, there is great potential for improving worker health through integrated approaches, as reflected in the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion's 2002 Barcelona Declaration on Developing Good Workplace Health in Europe. 79 This Declaration links the increase in mental disorders in Europe to increasing psychosocial stressors and strain in the workplace, and declares that smoking and alcohol consumption are also work-related, and "can only be tackled through health promoting workplaces." Closer to home, the Tasmanian Workplace Safe agency has prepared excellent guidance material for employers and workers on 'hidden hazards', including specific linking of job stress with misuse of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. ...
... For example, social workers increasingly use the Internet to access research and collect data (Card & Kuhn, 2006;Cha, 2005) or to provide online counseling, also referred to as e-therapy (Rochlen, Zack, & Speyer, 2004;Skinner & Zack, 2004;Suler, 2002). Some use it to treat addictions (Stofle & Harrington, 2002;Walters, Miller, & Chiauzzi, 2005) and offer social support to a variety of groups, such as caregivers, individuals with chronic illnesses, and social workers with job stress (Marziali & Donahue, 2006;Meier, 2000;Radin, 2006). Advocates and activists use Internet-based tools for cyberactivism* (e.g., see McNutt & Menon, 2008). ...
... Gonchar and Adams (2000) explain that a person-in-environment approach to assessment requires practitioners to maintain awareness and understanding of the contemporary environment. Undoubtedly, the Internet has changed how we think about and maintain relationships (Gonchar & Adams;Meier, 2000;Skinner & Zack, 2004). Culturally competent social workers need to be cognizant of the role Web 2.0 may have in the lives of their clients. ...
Article
Full-text available
This article explores the next generation of Internet technologies that are relevant to the field of social work and related disciplines. It describes Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, social networking sites, tags, folksonomy, and wiki mechanisms; it introduces readers to the virtual world, Second Life; and it provides a glossary of useful terms. These new phenomena increase the capacity for practitioners to obtain and share information by enhancing traditional ways of communicating. It discusses how the Internet is changing the means by which individuals form social relationships and acquire and utilize knowledge. This article also raises essential issues that are emerging from this medium, and it stresses the importance for practitioners to understand this new medium and to participate in online communities.
... Future research may also need to further examine the types of messages exchanged in online counseling. One previously mentioned study (Meier, 2000) , which investigated the feasibility of an online support group for practicing master's-level social workers to discuss job-related stress, also started to examine specific process variables that occur among members of an online group. Qualitative analysis of 209 comments made by members throughout the life of the group found that 54% of the comments offered emotional support and validation, 29% expressed encouragement, and 17% offered information advice. ...
... ings may not be generalizable to general or clinical populations . Although there was a follow-up at 6 weeks, future research should evaluate the effects of online counseling over a longer period to determine the long-term effects. Two other studies, generating mixed results, have also examined the effectiveness of online counseling for group work. Meier (2000) investigated the effectiveness of an online support group for practicing master's-level social workers to discuss job-related stress. For the online-intervention group, Meier randomly assigned 52 participants to a discussion listserv or a notreatment control group. Participants completed the standardized Occupational Stress Inventory (O ...
Article
Full-text available
This article reviews the online-counseling literature with an emphasis on current appli- cations and considerations for future research. It focuses on primary themes of counsel- ing psychology including the history of process-outcome research and multiculturalism. It explores current gaps in the literature from a counseling psychology framework, including the field's focus on normal and developmental challenges and tasks, client strength and resilience, education and career development, prevention and wellness, and multiculturalism. In general, current evidence indicates that online counseling may be a viable service option for some clients, especially those who are typically isolated; how- ever, questions remain regarding the effectiveness and appropriateness of online counseling.
... Not all online groups, however, are open to the general public (e.g., Chang et al., 2001;Meier, 2000;Winzelberg et al., 2000). We believe that psychologists' ethical responsibilities in closed online groups are less like those in media presentations and more like those in face-to-face psychotherapy because group members may be more likely to infer a private psychotherapeutic relationship with the psychologist, even when no such relationship has been explicitly stated. ...
... Our approach to using online groups has mainly been as a means of providing support, guidance, information, and a sense of connectedness (see Table 1 for a summary of our guidelines), and empirical research suggests that they are effective in doing so (e.g., Chang et al., 2001;Klaw, Huebsch, & Humphreys, 2000;Meier, 2000;Winzelberg et al., 2000). Online groups can serve as an adjunct to face-to-face psychotherapy when individuals are already in therapy, or online groups can serve as an alternative, particularly for individuals for whom face-to-face psychotherapy is too stigmatizing and shameful or not readily accessible. ...
Article
Full-text available
A theoretical framework and practical guidelines are provided for practitioners to implement online groups to address issues related to race, culture, class, gender, and sexuality in working with Asian American men. Specific gender, racial, and cultural considerations are presented for working with Asian American men. Ethical guidelines are discussed in reference to American Psychological Association (2002) principles, and practical guidelines are given for facilitating online groups that provide support, guidance, and information to Asian American men. Finally, treatment and research implications are discussed for providing online groups to diverse populations so that practitioners will be able to apply these guidelines in working with other groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
... Though differences do exist between face-to-face and online groups and some tasks appear to be better handled in face-to-face groups, there are many similarities between the two types of groups (McKenna & Green, 2002;Smokowski et al, 2001). In both types of groups members can develop a meaningful and strong group identity through interaction, norms develop over time, intimacy develops, dynamics of mutual aid can be found, and informational and expressive support is provided (Kelly, Lowndes & Tolson, 2005;Meier, 2000;Postmes et al, 2000). Some of the benefi ts of online groups include ease of attendance, having time to respond, available 24 hours a day, accessibility for stigmatised, isolated or homebound people, and fi nding others in a similar predicament can be easier (McKenna & Green, 2002;Smokowski et al, 2001;Schopler et al, 1998). ...
Article
The drive to involve service users in policy and practice decisions is occurring on an international basis, yet meaningful involvement is not as commonplace as it should be. There are numerous barriers to meaningful involvement of service users, and groupwork offers a potentially empowering approach to helping service users influence the policy and practice decisions that impact their lives. This paper describes a model of service user involvement based on an online communities of practice approach. Twenty-one older people and carers were recruited to take part in a project aimed at influencing the policy and practice of nursing older people on a national level (Scotland). Participants were taught IT skills and worked as an online group to articulate what they thought constituted good nursing care of older people. Together they produced two statements concerning prevention of depression and ensuring adequate nutrition for older people in care. This paper reports on one aspect of a larger evaluation of the project, namely the role of groupwork in the involving model. Content analysis of the groupwork records highlights the importance of groupwork and mutual aid in achieving group goals. The combination of groupwork, service user involvement, and interactive computer technology has much potential.
... During the COVID-19 pandemic, health care professionals have increasingly worked through Microsoft Teams as a form of communication and for informal support. Exploration of grey literature found peer support helped social workers cope with stress at work and improved retention (Meier, 2000). This study aimed to explore nurses' support needs and perceptions of online peer support, to address a gap in the literature and inform design of an online peer support intervention. ...
Article
Aims and Objectives To explore newly qualified nurses’ support needs and their perceptions of online peer support. Background The experience of being a newly qualified nurse is stressful and isolating. Support from colleagues and peers can enhance perceptions of competence and confidence in newly qualified nurses, improve well-being and aid retention. However, despite initiatives such as preceptorship, support needs may remain unmet in busy clinical environments. Online support has potential to offer a partial solution to professional isolation, but there is a lack of research into how technology can support nurses’ emotional and social well-being. Design A qualitative exploratory study was designed, employing semi-structured focus groups, analysed using thematic analysis. The study is reported in accordance with the COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research checklist. Methods Eight focus groups, supplemented by one individual interview, were conducted with newly qualified nurses between June 2018–January 2019. Findings Two main themes arose. The first was Drowning, a lot of the time with two sub-themes: (i) Feelings and emotions about being a Newly Qualified Nurse: ‘Absolutely terrified’ and (ii) Support within the role: ‘Somebody you can count on’. The second was Potential advantages and disadvantages of online modality: ‘Somebody is going to get in that phone!’ which included three sub-themes (i) Potential advantages, (ii) Potential disadvantages and (iii) Preferences and recommendations. Conclusions This study demonstrates that if barriers can be overcome, then online support has potential to contribute to newly qualified nurses’ well-being. Further research is needed to explore technical and ethical issues around online support and evaluate its effectiveness for newly qualified nurses. Relevance to clinical practice Online support has the potential to add to existing strategies to support nurses during stressful times. This may be particularly relevant when many staff are working under increased pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
... [8] През същата година J. Finn пише и статия за социалната работа, опосредствана от компютърните технологии. [9] За теоретичните и практическите аспекти на социалната работа с групи чрез телефон и компютър пишат Galinsky, Schopler и Abell (1997) [10], [11], [12]. През 1998 Stamm говори за клиничните приложения на дистанционното консултиране в психологичната и психиатрична помощ (Stamm 1998). ...
Article
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The article presents the results of a study based on autoethnographic research, in which the author participated during a university course in Group Therapy. Due to the extraordinary circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the training is conducted entirely in a virtual environment. The experiment is an exploration of experiencing group dynamics and therapy in a virtual environment. The focus of the research is the communication features and dynamics during this process and to what extent they differ from group work in a physical environment. The author’s personal experience is conveyed through the first-person narrative: a basic approach in autoethnography in which self-reflection is used to report included observation. Self-reflection as part of the autoethnographic study provides answers to the questions: Is a virtual environment a suitable communication environment for group therapy? What are the psychological dynamics of the group in a virtual environment? Important characteristics and qualities of the group facilitator leading such a group are presented. The hypothesis that the virtual environment is a suitable medium for group therapy and development of psychological dynamics and process is confirmed. Limitations, conclusions, and recommendations for future research are presented at the end of the study.
... Controlled studies with social workers outside of child welfare add further evidence for the mixed effects of individual-level interventions. Neither yoga and mindfulness (Gregory, 2015) nor online stress management support groups (Meier, 2000) were found to improve burnout, compassion satisfaction, or stress. Neither did time management training have an impact upon job satisfaction (Macan, 1996). ...
... In doing so, a recent 5-year peer support strategy into improving the retention of social workers was discovered (Betts, 2016), although no research has been published on this project as of yet. Additionally, a paper on a stress management support group for social workers was found (Meier, 2000), but this was an older study which used an outmoded Listserv mailing list format. Participants in this study reported benefits to online group support with most individuals commenting that it helped them cope with workplace stressors. ...
Article
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Aim To explore experiences of online peer support for newly qualified nurses. Design Qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews and thematic analysis. Method Phase one involves conducting focus groups with newly qualified nurses in the West Midlands area to refine the online peer support environment. Phase two involves 30‐40 new nurses joining an online peer group for 3 months; participants will be able to access a general chat community alongside a more structured discussion board. Phase 3 will collect written interview data from all participants about their experiences of online peer support. Face‐to‐face interviews with 10‐12 participants will also be undertaken. The study will run from May 2018 ‐ October 2019. Findings Data from focus groups, written and verbal interviews will be analysed using thematic analysis with the aid of NVivo software. Findings will be disseminated to participants and key stakeholders involved in the study and also via publication and networking events. Conclusion If online peer support is found to be beneficial for new nurses, it may be adopted by local NHS trusts as part of an innovation scheme. Impact It is important that the psychological wellbeing of nurses is addressed as more nurses are now leaving than joining the profession; this is an international concern. Online peer support may offer a sustainable and accessible means of promoting psychological wellbeing in the nursing workforce. In such a way, contributory factors to low retention rates such as burnout, stress and job dissatisfaction may also be reduced. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
... Odpoveďou na túto potrebu je skutočnosť, že sociálni pracovníci čoraz viac využívajú internet, a to jednak na prístup k výskumu a zhromažďovaniu údajov (Card, Kuh 2006;Cha 2005), tak na poskytovanie dištančného poradenstva, označovaného aj ako e-terapia, kyberterapia, web poradenstvo alebo kybernetické poradenstvo (Rochlen, Zack, Speyer, Zack 2004;Suler 2002;Chester, Glass 2006). Skrz online priestor sú liečené závislosti (Stofle, Harrington 2002;Walters, Miller, Chiauzzi 2005), poskytovaná je sociálna opora rôznym skupinám, jednou z ktorých je skupina pacientov s chronickými chorobami (Marziali, Donahue 2006;Meier 2000;Radin 2006). ...
Article
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Internetové technológie a softvérové programy uľahčujú existenciu v súčasnej uponáhľanej a náročnej dobe. Revolúcia v oblasti informačno-komunikačných technológií vstúpila aj do oblasti zdravotnej starostlivosti a sociálnej práce, ku klientom ktorých patria aj onkologicky chorí pacienti. Práve online svet sa pre túto cieľovú skupinu javí ako relevantný a významný, ak ho vymedzíme ako 24 hodín dostupný priestor, ktorý poskytuje plášť anonymity a komfortu. Vďaka širokej škále digitálnych a elektronických možností je možné získať prístup ku klientom. Online podporné skupiny a poskytované sociálne služby v súčasnosti predstavujú progresívnym spôsobom fungujúce alternatívne možnosti pomoci pri zvládaní onkologickej choroby. Príspevok okrem iného poukazuje na fungujúce a osvedčené príklady z praxe sociálnej práce, kde sa využíva virtuálne prostredie, v zahraničí ale i v slovenských podmienkach. / Internet technologies and software programs make it easier to live in the current, demanding and challenging times. The revolution in the field of information and communication technologies has also entered the field of health care and social work, whose clients include also cancer patients. The online world seems to be relevant and meaningful for this target group if we define this world as a 24-hour space that provides a cloak of anonymity and comfort. Thanks to a wide range of digital and electronic options, it is possible to gain access to clients. Online support groups and social services provided represent progressive alternative ways of helping to manage oncological disease. The contribution also highlights the functioning and proven examples of the practice of social work where the virtual environment is used, both in foreign and Slovak conditions.
... Cafolla, 1999;Miller-Cribbs and Chadiha, 1998;Giffords, 1998), but few studies have been rigorously evaluated. Meier (2000) states that little is known about the ways that online communication affect clinical interventions. ...
... Internet supervision or consultation may also occur in groups. Strategies include chat rooms, on-line forums, and listservs (Meier, 2000). Listservs have been found to provide support for social workers dealing with family-related and job-related stress. ...
Article
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A growing number of individuals worldwide rely on the internet to access information and to facilitate communication. A large proportion of these users use social media specifically to obtain health-related information. Health care providers and mental health care providers, including social workers are increasingly relying on the internet to provide information to clients/patients, to seek advice about patients, to provide mental health treatment, and as part of an ongoing supervisory or consultant relationship. Research suggests that on-line counseling may overcome geographic barriers to obtaining mental health care, facilitate disclosure of higher levels of personal information sooner, and permit the establishment of a therapeutic alliance. However, significant ethical and legal issues are associated with the use of electronic media in social work practice. Ethical issues relate to notification to the client of the risks and limitations inherent in the use of on-line therapy, potential breaches of confidentiality, and limited ability to address crisis situations. Legal issues arise when a social worker is practicing via internet in a jurisdiction in which he or she is not licensed. Suggestions are offered to address these issues.
... Cafolla, 1999;Miller-Cribbs and Chadiha, 1998;Giffords, 1998), but few studies have been rigorously evaluated. Meier (2000) states that little is known about the ways that online communication affect clinical interventions. ...
... 67) These hybrid forms of local and global sites and actors enable a 'glocalised' response to social problems such as the provision of mental health services (Kelleher et al., 2000). Some of the benefits of these systems include increases in sharing of client information and regular contact between clients and mental health professionals; building collaborative practice relationships and integrating services irrespective of geophysical distance (Moran et al., 2009;Pollock, 2006;Tedmanson et al., 2011); developing quick response protocols in times of emergency or natural disaster, professional and collegial support, and development for those practicing in rural places (see Meier, 2000); and developing virtual communities for social support (see Dodsworth et al., 2013). ...
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Rural and remote communities often have complex and diverse mental health needs and inadequate mental health services and infrastructure. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide an array of potentially innovative and cost-effective means for connecting rural and remote communities to specialist mental health practitioners, services, and supports, irrespective of physical location. However, despite this potential, a review of Australian and international literature reveals that ICT has not attained widespread uptake into social work practice or implementation in rural communities. This article reviews the social work literature on ICT, draws on research on tele-psychology and tele-education, and provides suggestions on how to enhance engagement with ICT by social workers to implement and provide mental health services and supports tailored to community values, needs, and preferences that are commensurate with the values of the social work profession.
... The small literature about management of online communities demonstrates the central role of community managers and their significant impact on attaining the community's goals and on the community's success, in several domains: member management, i.e. recruiting new members, removing members if necessary, encouraging users' engagement in the community [1,2,13]; content management, i.e. overseeing the agenda of discussions, initiating and encouraging discussions, facilitating engagement, moderating and preventing "flaming", ensuring that discussions are "on topic" and preventing information overload [8,11,12,13]; handling social and technological issues, i.e. clarifying the norms of conduct in the community to members, sanctioning members if needed, and covering other types of administration, such as handling the financial and material infrastructure of the community [14,8]. ...
Conference Paper
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Online communities of practice are becoming significant discursive arenas in many organizations. Much literature about online communities depicts them as peer-based environments based on user-generated content, where community members take a central role in starting conversations. The current study shifts the focus from community members into managers, and asks who starts conversations in communities of practice, and if there are differences between discussions opened by managers and by community members in terms of scope, topics of discussion, engagement and level of participation. Findings demonstrate the importance of managers in starting conversations and setting the discursive environment of communities of practice.
... For instance, if a message is typed into a chat window and sent, it instantaneously appears on the screen of the other user, who can respond to the message immediately. Research on using synchronous chat and related technologies have focused primarily on Internet support groups (see Braithwaite, Waldron, & Finn, 1999;Bresnahan & Murray-Johnson, 2002;Chang, Yeh, & Krumboltz, 2001;Finn, 1999;Meier, 2000;Sharf, 1997;Shaw, McTavish, Hawkins, Gustafson, & Pingree, 2000). Research has demonstrated that synchronous-chat group therapy for chronically ill individuals suffering from loneliness is effective compared with a wait-list control group (Hopps, Pepin, & Boisvert, 2003). ...
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This article addresses the practical aspects of online counseling, including ethics, training, supervision, technology, and competency issues. The authors discuss online counseling’s strengths and limitations and present guidelines for what types of clients and counseling psychologists may be appropriate for online counseling. To illustrate the components and skills associated with online counseling, the authors present and discuss an example of a synchronous-chat online session.
... Though differences do exist between face-to-face and online groups and some tasks appear to be better handled in face-to-face groups, there are many similarities between the two types of groups (McKenna & Green, 2002;Smokowski et al, 2001). In both types of groups members can develop a meaningful and strong group identity through interaction, norms develop over time, intimacy develops, dynamics of mutual aid can be found, and informational and expressive support is provided (Kelly, Lowndes & Tolson, 2005;Meier, 2000;Postmes et al, 2000). Some of the benefi ts of online groups include ease of attendance, having time to respond, available 24 hours a day, accessibility for stigmatised, isolated or homebound people, and fi nding others in a similar predicament can be easier (McKenna & Green, 2002;Smokowski et al, 2001;Schopler et al, 1998). ...
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The drive to involve service users in policy and practice decisions is occurring on an international basis, yet meaningful involvement is not as commonplace as it should be. There are numerous barriers to meaningful involvement of service users, and groupwork offers a potentially empowering approach to helping service users influence the policy and practice decisions that impact their lives. This paper describes a model of service user involvement based on an online communities of practice approach. Twenty-one older people and carers were recruited to take part in a project aimed at influencing the policy and practice of nursing older people on a national level (Scotland). Participants were taught IT skills and worked as an online group to articulate what they thought constituted good nursing care of older people. Together they produced two statements concerning prevention of depression and ensuring adequate nutrition for older people in care. This paper reports on one aspect of a larger evaluation of the project, namely the role of groupwork in the involving model. Content analysis of the groupwork records highlights the importance of groupwork and mutual aid in achieving group goals. The combination of groupwork, service user involvement, and interactive computer technology has much potential.
... Primary risks of online service delivery include threats to personal safety, liability to the service provider, confidentiality breaches, lack of privacy, and ineffective service delivery ( Banach and Bernat, 2000 ; Finn, 2001 ; Levine, 2000 ; Meier, 2000 ; Sampson, Jr., 2000 ; and Waldron, Lavitt and Kelley ). Domestic violence organizations must ensure that their practices do not further endanger people they serve or the staff members providing the services. ...
... In the last decade there has been a significant increase in the use of the Internet for the provision of mental health care, often in the form of Online Support Groups (OSG). OSGs seek to assist individuals in dealing with a variety of physical and mental health concerns, such as eating disorders (Winzelberg, 1997), anxiety disorders (Glasser Das, 1999), job stress (Meier, 2000), and loss and grief (Gary & Remolino, 2000). Despite the increasing prominence of computer-based support and discussion groups in 0747-5632/$ -see front matter Ó 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016Ltd. ...
Article
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This study investigated the development, content, process, and outcome of an online peer supervision group (OPSG) for counselor trainees. Outcome measures determined that participants felt comfortable, confident, and open to using the OPSG. In addition, counselor trainees reported a preference for using aliases online to foster more sharing. In terms of content, topics in the group focused on mostly professional identity (40.1%) and therapeutic techniques (22.5%). A discourse analysis of the group revealed a high percentage of messages were experiential self-disclosure (40.0%) and guidance (20.0%). Our findings indicate that the components and content found in supervision groups, and in group process more generally, can take place in OPSGs. The role of computers in psychological training is discussed.
... Little is known about these groups, but this knowledge gap is beginning to attract a great deal of new scholarly attention. Behavioral scientists have begun to devote more interest to study Internet support groups and a new literature is now emerging on how people use on-line groups to get help for a range of problems, such as breast cancer (Winzelberg et al., 2003), diabetes care (Zrebiec & Jacobson., 2001), mental health problems (Schneider, Mataix-Cols, Marks, & Bachofen, 2005; Skinner & Latchford, 2006), occupational stress (Meier, 2000), children's special health care needs (Baum, 2004), traumatic brain injuries (Rotondi, Sinkule, & Spring, 2005) among other problems. Many recent studies emphasize the value of sharing medical and technical information among support group members. ...
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Taken among parents who sustained the loss of a child to suicide this study explores the participation of parents in Internet support groups, comparing their demographic and loss-related characteristics (N = 104) to other parent survivors participating in face-to-face support groups (N = 297). Contrary to expectations that Internet affiliates would be concentrated in under-served rural areas, we found similar levels of urban, suburban, small city and rural residents in both Internet and face-to-face subsamples. Bivariate and multivariate analyses suggested several important factors contributing to interest in Internet grief support including: 24/7 availability and opportunities to invest more time into this type of support group experience. Compared to their face-to-face group counterparts, Internet affiliates experienced greater suicide stigmatization from their families and other associates. Unable to find ready comfort and support from their personal communities, Internet users-and especially highly depressed survivors-sought and obtained valuable help from the Internet support resource.
... • Social workers are reluctant to seek help (Reamer, 1992); • More likely to lead job stress groups than participate in them; • Lack of research and practitioners' reports about their job stress confirm the need for an innovative intervention that is highly accessible, convenient, and confidential (Meier, 1999); • Although there are hundreds of online support groups, little is know about how various formats work and their effectiveness (Meier, 1999(Meier, , 2000. Case study SW -Pilot studies Pilot 2 • Fall 1998, to explore recruitment and retention strategies, group structure and process, and internet-mediated interactions affected the group's viability (Meier, 2002); • Members were required to have internet access at home; • larger group (23 members); • lasted longer (10 weeks); • members selected discussion topics; • and members were encouraged to comment on the ways internet-mediated communication was affecting their group experience. ...
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Rothman and Thomas' intervention research (IR) paradigm provides an alternative, developmental research method that is appropriate for practice research, especially at the early stages. It is more flexible than conventional experimental designs, capitalizes on the availability of small samples, accommodates the dynamism and variation in practice conditions and diverse populations, and explicitly values practitioners' insights. This article describes two studies to exemplify how the features of IR methodology are well suited to research on innovative group interventions. In one study, a face-to-face psychoeducational group for patients living with sickle cell anemia and chronic depression was used. The other study used an online job stress support group for social workers. The challenges and opportunities that can arise when applying the IR paradigm to develop new interventions are also discussed.
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דוח זה סוקר את פעילות קהילות הידע של משרד הרווחה, ואת השפעתן הנתפסת על המשתמשים. במסגרת הדוח נעשה שימוש בארבע שיטות מחקר: ראשית, נותחו נתוני השימוש בקהילות לצורך הפקת סטטיסטיקות כלליות על התנהלות חברי הקהילות וענני מילים אשר מתארים את שכיחויות המילים הנפוצות בהודעות הקהילות השונות. כמו כן, נותחו כלל ההודעות ב 11- קבוצות דיון נבחרות באמצעות ניתוח תוכן כמותי. בנוסף על כך נעשו ראיונות עם 71חברי קהילה ומנהלים, וכן בוצע סקר בקרב חברי הקהילות, לצורך השלמת אחד הפרקים.
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קהילות מקצועיות מקוונות הופכות לזירות שיח חשובות בארגונים רבים. הספרות על אודות קהילות מקוונות מגדירה אותן לרוב כסביבות המבוססות על תוכן גולשים, כאשר לחברי הקהילה מקום מרכזי בייזום דיונים ובפתיחתם. המחקר הנוכחי מסיט את הדגש מחברי הקהילה אל מנהליה, בוחן את תפקידם בפתיחת דיונים בקהילות מקצועיות ובודק אם ישנם הבדלים בין דיונים שנפתחים על ידי מנהלים ובין דיונים שנפתחים על ידי חברי הקהילה, בכל הנוגע להיקף הפעילות, לנושאי הדיון ולמספר המשתתפים. הממצאים מצביעים על חשיבותם הרבה של המנהלים בכל הנוגע לייזום ופתיחה של דיונים.
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Research has already been a significant factor in child welfare policy in recent years, but this book demonstrates that it has taken a leading role in the field to spur and guide change. The chapters in this book assess the effect of research on the full spectrum of child welfare services. The book covers every base. The opening chapters situate child welfare research in the modern context; they are followed by discussions of evidence-based practice in the field, arguably its most pressing concern now. Recent years have seen historic rises in the number of children adopted through public agencies and, accordingly, permanent placement and family ties are critical topics that occupy the book's core, along with chapters broaching the thorny questions that surround decision-making and risk assessment. The urgent need for a more effective use of research and evidence is highlighted again with looks at the future of child protection and how concrete data can influence policy and help children. Finally, in recognition of the growing importance of a global view, closing chapters address international issues in child welfare research, including an examination of policies from abroad and a multinational comparison of the economic challenges facing single mothers and their children.
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Online support groups are initiated and organised to provide support for groups focused on issues such as health, addiction or disability. Starting with the use of e-mails to bulletin boards for online community websites, research has found both benefits and drawbacks of online support group. With the rise of social network sites such as Facebook, it provides a new avenue for online support group to be organised and operated. Perhaps it may replace or complement face-to-face support groups and until this date, the use of Facebook for online support groups in Asia is an under-researched area. This research project aims to study Facebook as a tool for an online support group. It investigates the use of a Facebook support group page called Autisme Malaysia (AM) among parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children in Malaysia. Using a qualitative approach, the research will focus on (i) activities conducted by parents of ASD children on AM Facebook page, (ii) the nature and types of social support, (iii) the language use in seeking and providing support, and (iv) the impact of communication in AM FB on these parents. The project will aim to examine the communication that these parents engage in on the AM Facebook page and how they utilise all features of Facebook in order to support each other. This research adopts methods of data mining and interview and will include deductive thematic analysis and content analysis for data analysis method.
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Forty‐two single mothers with young infants were given access to a computer‐mediated social support (CMSS) network concerned with parenting issues. The network operated 24 hours per day over a period of 6 months. It permitted public message exchanges, private e‐mail, and text‐based teleconferencing for as many as 8 participants at any one time. During the 6 month intervention, the 42 women accessed the network over 16,670 times. Individual differences in participation were significantly associated with indices of social isolation from peers. A descriptive analyses of the messages exchanged on the network disclosed that 98% of the replies to concerns posted in the public forum provided positive social support. The majority of the supportive replies fell into the category of emotional support, followed in order by informational and tangible support. Both the self‐report data following the intervention, and qualitative data extracted from online discussions indicated that close personal relationships and a sense of community developed in this novel social environment. Finally, an analysis of pretest–posttest changes in the level of parenting stress revealed that mothers who participated regularly in this CMSS community were more likely to report a decrease in parenting stress following the intervention.
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This article briefly explores historical perspectives on technology and the current state of the art in technology as it relates to community and group work. Possible applications and limitations of technology for information dissemination, skill development, support, counseling, and therapy are explored. Furthermore, arguments in the debate on the inclusion of technology into group work are outlined, including the impact of technology on relationship dynamics, group process, ethical and legal issues, client expectations, computer dependency, diversity, and other pragmatic concerns.
Article
Self-help and mutual help groups are defined and the status of the literature described and reviewed. Self-help groups are different from peer and nonprofessional services under the supervision of professionals. Controlled studies of mutual help groups may be neither possible nor desirable as the method of choice by which to understand the phenomena of interest. Other approaches to research, including worldly evaluations, and ways of construing self-help organizations, that is, as normative communities and political action organizations rather than as psychological treatments, are discussed, and suggestions for future research are presented.
Article
Information technology is a facilitator in knowledge diffusion by enabling individuals to communicate directly in personal exchange. This includes interactive communications through newsgroups and discussion groups. Two discussion groups were analysed, the Social Work Discussion Group SOCWORK, and ABUSE-L, a professional forum for child abuse issues. Three types of communication were identified: information transfer, requests for information and discussion of issues. The discussion of issues was the main type of communication in both discussion groups, followed by the request for information and then information transfer. Communications in the discussion groups were dominated by a small number of people. Policy issues were the main topic of discussion in both groups. The control of information technology by academics appears to limit the participation of social work practitioners in determining the agenda of the discussion group or the contents of the communications. Social worker practitioners have not increased their access to information even though the technology to make it accessible exists.
Article
Computer-mediated support groups are increasing in number. It is not known, however, whether computer support groups provide the same therapeutic factors as face-to-face groups. A pilot study of a computer support group for six women with breast cancer investigated the presence of Yalom's (1970) therapeutic factors of installation of hope, universality, group cohesion, catharsis and altruism. Results of the pilot indicate that participants in the computer group perceive these therapeutic factors to be present with the factors of instillation of hope, group cohesion, and universality viewed as most prevalent as well as non-significantly but nonetheless, moderately correlated with group members' perceptions of the overall helpfulness of the group. Surprisingly, altruism was unrelated to helpfulness. Data are discussed in terms of member's disease stage and recommendations for further research.
Article
Online support groups represent one of the many new forms of computer-mediated social interaction that have emerged on the Internet. These support groups are a new phenomenon and little is known about how this kind of communication affects group structure and process, or which formats will be most helpful for different client populations. This article describes a pilot study to test the technical feasibility and appropriateness of a six-week, online support group to help social workers manage stress. The implications of these findings for a study of a more comprehensive pilot study of a ten-week-long group are also discussed.
Article
The growth of the self-help movement and the rapid expansion of computer communications has led to a variety of computer-based self-help/mutual aid (CSHMA) groups, including computer-based 12-Step groups for problems with alcohol, narcotics., eating, gambling, compulsive sexuality, relationships, smoking, and others. This paper introduces professionals to this emerging resource and provides preliminary data about the extent of use and participation patterns of these CSHMA groups. In addition, the potential benefits and problems of CSHMA groups for people with addictions are discussed. Benefits include greater access to support, diffusion of dependency, meeting the needs of those with esoteric concerns, reduction of barriers related to social status cues, encouraging participation of reluctant members, promoting relational communication, and enhancing communication of those with interpersonal difficulties. Potential disadvantages, including destructive interactions, lack of clear and accountable leadership, promoting social isolation, limited access to noecomputer-using populations, and lack of research about benefits and user satisfaction are also discussed.
Article
Precise data on impaired psychiatrists is lacking, but the evidence suggests significant prevalence due to mental illness, substance abuse, and personality disorder. The complexity and stress of the profession may induce and aggravate vulnerabilities that lead to impaired functioning. Although the very idea of impaired function centers on harmful patient care, colleagues may be affected in ways that, via transference reactions, are not always helpful. There is a great need to balance sanction and rehabilitation, and we need to be proactive and research oriented in dealing with the problem.
Article
Despite the increasing of use of support groups to respond to the needs of people dealing with crises, life transitions, and chronic conditions, there is no conceptual framework to guide practice and research. On the basis of a review of the literature, this article distinguishes support groups from self-help and treatment groups. It then proposes an open systems model for understanding the factors that affect support groups, for guiding interventions, and for evaluating their outcomes. Four conceptual dimensions are described: (1) environmental conditions (resources and constraints), (2) participant group characteristics (size, composition, and technology), (3) group conditions (goals, structural form, and development), and (4) outcomes (positive and negative effects for members, leaders, and organizations; group problems; and ethical and legal issues). Findings from a pilot study of support group practice based on this framework are presented and discussed.
Article
Via a descriptive survey, the authors evaluate the use of a computer network by individuals coping with cancer. DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY: Users were notified about the survey primarily through the computer network message board and obtained copies of the survey from the network library, electronic mail, or U.S. mail. Fifty-four participants from 27 states completed a 22-item forced-choice and Likert-type response survey developed by the investigators. Respondents reported using the network primarily for contacting others in a similar situation, obtaining information and emotional support, and encouraging others. Treatment of cancer and its effects on the family were reported as the most helpful topics. Respondents found the computer support network to be an excellent resource for information and emotional support, although participation was limited by cost and time constraints. Verbatim comments by respondents validate the needs of patients and families for ongoing information and support in the process of coping with cancer. Computer support networks can provide this service throughout the cancer continuum.
Article
Consumer health information systems potentially improve a patient's quality of life and activate patient self-care. Test a computerized system (CHESS: Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System), which, in this application, provided HIV-positive patients with information, decision support, and connections to experts and other patients. Would patients given in-home access to computers use the system, improve their quality of life, reduce health-risk behaviors, and use medical services more efficiently? Randomized controlled trial: CHESS computers in experimental subjects' homes in Madison or Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for 3 or 6 months; controls received no intervention. Subjects were compensated for self-report surveys completed before, during, and after CHESS installation. Of 204 HIV-positive patients recruited (90% male, 84% white, average education some college, and 65% experiencing HIV-related symptoms), 90% completed the study. Self-reports of quality of life and frequency and duration of use of medical services. CHESS was used daily with little difference between demographic subgroups. While CHESS was in the home, its users reported quality-of-life improvements: active life, negative emotions, cognitive function, social support, and participation in health care. They also reported spending less time during ambulatory care visits, making more phone calls to providers, and experiencing fewer and shorter hospitalizations. A computer-based personal health support system can improve a patient's quality of life and promote more efficient use of health care.
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