| Online support groups have become a familiar feature of the Internet's landscape. The ease of access to online groups allow physically debilitated and geographically disperse individuals to seek social support without limitations of material resources, proximity, and temporality. The ability of computer-mediated communication to provide support effectively remains an open question. This dissertation aims to provide an understanding of the kinds of social support in an online support group and practices that enable users to acquire the support they desire. It focuses on SOL-Cancer, an Internet forum for cancer patients and anyone interested in treatment discussion. Initially, a coding scheme is designed and applied to two weeks of discussions to identify the kinds of social support transmitted on the Forum. Social network analysis is then used to map out the structure of the Forum's electronic social network. Finally, a theory of optimal matching is drawn on to develop a network support specific model that demonstrates how and why social support is transmitted within the Forum's social structure.; Three broad categories of emotional support, information and companionship all appear with great frequency. The Forum's electronic social network forms a star configuration consisting of one dominant actor responsible for linking a highly bifurcated network. Half the network is support takers who predominantly receive informational support and do not provide any support. The other half is members who both give and receive support in varying forms and amounts. The network support specific model demonstrates a high degree of accuracy in predicting a match between network characteristics and support characteristics revealing how and why online support is transmitted. Overall these analyses reveal the way actors participate in the Forum affects the depth and breadth of their relationships, which in turn determines the kinds and amount of social support they request and provide. Thus, actors looking for a wide-range of support must invest in the group to have their needs fulfilled, while those simply seeking a quick answer can be satisfied with little investment. |
