TY - JOUR
T1 - Predictors of the change in the expression of emotional support within an online breast cancer support group
T2 - A longitudinal study
AU - Yoo, Woohyun
AU - Chih, Ming Yuan
AU - Kwon, Min Woo
AU - Yang, Jung Hwan
AU - Cho, Eunji
AU - McLaughlin, Bryan
AU - Namkoong, Kang
AU - Shah, Dhavan V.
AU - Gustafson, David H.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by P50 CA095817-05 from the National Cancer Institute. Study sponsors had no involvement in this research.
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - Objectives: To explore how the expression of emotional support in an online breast cancer support group changes over time, and what factors predict this pattern of change. Methods: We conducted growth curve modeling with data collected from 192 participants in an online breast cancer support group within the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) during a 24-week intervention period. Results: Individual expression of emotional support tends to increase over time for the first 12 weeks of the intervention, but then decrease slightly with time after that. In addition, we found that age, living situation, comfort level with computer and the Internet, coping strategies were important factors in predicting the changing pattern of expressing emotional support. Conclusions: Expressing emotional support changed in a quadratic trajectory, with a range of factors predicting the changing pattern of expression. Practical implications: These results can provide important information for e-health researchers and physicians in determining the benefits individuals can gain from participation in should CMSS groups as the purpose of cancer treatment.
AB - Objectives: To explore how the expression of emotional support in an online breast cancer support group changes over time, and what factors predict this pattern of change. Methods: We conducted growth curve modeling with data collected from 192 participants in an online breast cancer support group within the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) during a 24-week intervention period. Results: Individual expression of emotional support tends to increase over time for the first 12 weeks of the intervention, but then decrease slightly with time after that. In addition, we found that age, living situation, comfort level with computer and the Internet, coping strategies were important factors in predicting the changing pattern of expressing emotional support. Conclusions: Expressing emotional support changed in a quadratic trajectory, with a range of factors predicting the changing pattern of expression. Practical implications: These results can provide important information for e-health researchers and physicians in determining the benefits individuals can gain from participation in should CMSS groups as the purpose of cancer treatment.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS)
KW - Computer-mediated social support (CMSS) group
KW - Expression effects
KW - Latent Growth Curve (LGC) modeling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84870773057&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2012.10.001
DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2012.10.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 23122429
AN - SCOPUS:84870773057
VL - 90
SP - 88
EP - 95
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
SN - 0738-3991
IS - 1
ER -