The information age has revolutionized nearly every facet of human communication-from the ways in which people purchase products to how they meet and fall in love. These exciting new communication technologies can both unite and divide us. People who are separated by great distances can now communicate with each other in real time, whereas parents often find themselves competing with smartphones and tablets for their children's attention. This book explores the many ways that digital communication media, such as online forums, social networking sites, and mobile applications, enhance and constrain social support in health-related contexts. We already know a great deal about how the Internet has altered how people search for health information, but less about how people seek and receive social support in this new age of information, which is critical for maintaining our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Section 1: Social Support via Social Network Sites Chapter 1: Social Network Sites as Vehicles for Effective/Ineffective Social Support by Sonja Utz Chapter 2: Communication Technology Affordances and Social Support Provision by Stephen A. Rains Chapter 3: The Mechanics of Supportive Facebook Messages: An Analysis of Health-Related Posts, Responses, and Perceptions by Nichole Egbert and Tammy Bosley Chapter 4: Complexities of Channel Publicness and (In)Effective Support Behaviors by Andrew C. High, Emily M. Buehler, and Lucas Youngvorst Chapter 5: Communicating Loneliness on Social Networking Sites: Challenges to Emotional Disclosure and Online Support Seeking by Guanjin Zhang and Jesse Fox Section 2: Social Support in Dedicated Online Groups Chapter 6: Online Support Groups Dedicated to Specific Health Problems by Wenjing Pan, Bo Feng, and Siyue Li Chapter 7: What Determines the Quality of Relationships in Health-Related Online Support Groups? A Study of Attitudinal Similarity, Degree of Online Participation, and Personal Characteristics by Kevin Wright and E.J. van Ingen Chapter 8: Uncertainty Management in Online Support Forums for Stroke Survivors and Caregivers by Bryan Abendschein Chapter 9: Making Collective Sense of Uncertainty: How Online Social Support Communities Negotiate Meaning for Contested Illnesses by Laura D. Russell Section 3: Emerging Research Trends and Perspectives Chapter 10: Examining Health Communication Practices and Social Support through Mediated Channels: A Communication Privacy Management (CPM) Theory Perspective by Jeffrey T. Child and Shawn C. Starcher Chapter 11: Aging in Computer-Mediated Community: The Importance of Online Connections for Older Adults by Jill Yamasaki and Jennifer E. Ohs Chapter 12: When Big Data Meet Supportive Communication: Advancing mHealth Intervention Informed by Social Support Scholarship by Heewon Kim, Cristopher Tietsort, and Karlee Posteher
