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Empowering en disempowering processen en uitkomsten van online lotgenotencontact voor mensen met een kortdurende of langdurende eetstoornis

Wessels, Sytske Rachel (2009) Empowering en disempowering processen en uitkomsten van online lotgenotencontact voor mensen met een kortdurende of langdurende eetstoornis.

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Abstract:	Background: Prior research shows that people with a somatic illness can feel empowered by their participation in online support groups. Participation in online support groups can lead to several positive outcomes, such as feeling better informed, improved acceptance of the illness and an enhanced social well-being. It is unknown whether people with an eating disorder experience the same empowering processes and outcomes in online support groups as people with a somatic illness. It is also unclear to what extent people with a short or long enduring eating disorder differ in the way they experience these processes and outcomes. Objective: To explore to what extent people with a short (less than ten years) or long (ten years or longer) enduring eating disorder feel empowered by their participation in online support groups. Method: An online questionnaire which measured empowering and disempowering processes and outcomes and also contained an evaluation of the discussion topics, quality of the postings, use and lay-out of the online support groups and the tasks of the moderator, was completed by 107 people with an eating disorder who participated in online support groups. Results: The respondents felt empowered in several ways by their participation in online support groups. The empowering process that was experienced to the highest degree among both groups was ‘finding recognition’. People with a short enduring eating disorder exchanged more information and shared more experiences than people with a long enduring eating disorder. The disempowering processes were not experienced as much as was expected. The empowering outcomes that were experienced to the highest degree were ‘being better informed’ and ‘enhanced social well-being’. People with a short enduring eating disorder felt better informed through participation in online support groups than people with a long enduring eating disorder. Conclusion: This study indicates that participation in online support groups can empower patients with an eating disorder. Therefore, it could be recommended to them.
Item Type:	Essay (Master)
Faculty:	BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:	77 psychology
Programme:	Psychology MSc (66604)
Link to this item:	https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/59129
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